Products Description

Pyrolidone Carboxylic Acid, commonly shortened as PCA, is a core component of the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF). This water‑soluble cosmetic raw material is widely extracted or biosynthesized to mimic the skin's own moisturizing substances, delivering outstanding water‑locking performance without creating a sticky skin feel.

Different from conventional humectants that merely draw moisture from the surrounding environment, Pyrolidone Carboxylic Acid helps stabilize the hydration state within stratum corneum cells, supporting soft, smooth skin texture. It features good compatibility with most cosmetic formulation ingredients, stable performance across typical cosmetic pH ranges, and low irritation potential for daily‑use personal‑care products.

Our supplied PCA raw material meets cosmetic‑grade purity standards, suitable for formulators building hydrating, soothing and barrier‑friendly skincare lines. It works well for leave‑on and rinse‑off formulas alike, helping finished products maintain long‑term moisturizing effects while preserving comfortable sensory experience for end‑users.

Technical Specification

1. Liquid Grade: 50% Sodium PCA Aqueous Solution

Test Item	Spec Limit	Test Standard
PCA Content (w/w)	49.0%~51.0%	QB/T4950-2016, HPLC GB/T35799-2018
pH Value(25℃,10%aq.sol)	6.8~8.2	Potentiometric pH meter
Moisture	48.5%~50.8%	Karl Fischer titration
Heavy Metal(Pb)	≤10ppm	ICP-MS
As	≤2ppm	ICP-MS
Total Aerobic Microbe	≤100CFU/g	USP <61>
Yeast & Mold	≤10CFU/g	USP <61>
Nitrite Content	<1ppm	UV spectrophotometry
Refractive Index(20℃)	1.398~1.412	Abbe refractometer

2. Powder Grade: Sodium/Potassium/Zinc/Copper PCA Solid Powder

Test Item	Sodium/Potassium PCA Powder	Zinc PCA Powder	Copper PCA Powder	Test Method
Assay Purity	≥99.0%	≥98.5%	≥98.0%	HPLC titration
Loss on Drying	≤1.0%	≤1.5%	≤2.0%	Drying oven(105℃,2h)
Residue on Ignition	Compliant to corresponding metal salt stoichiometry	Compliant	Compliant	Muffle furnace calcination
Heavy Metal Total	≤15ppm	≤20ppm	≤25ppm	ICP detection
Water Insoluble Matter	≤0.1%	≤0.2%	≤0.3%	Gravimetric filtration
Free PCA Acid Residue	≤0.5%	≤0.8%	≤1.0%	HPLC

Safety Profile

1. Core Toxicology Quantitative Safety Data

Acute Oral Toxicity(Mice): Sodium PCA LD₅₀＞10.4g/kg BW, classified as practically non-toxic; Dermal LD₅₀(Rabbit)＞2.0g/kg BW, no acute percutaneous poisoning risk.
Skin & Eye Irritation: 24h occlusive human patch test (200 volunteers, 50% raw solution): zero erythema/edema reaction, non-irritant to intact & compromised skin; rabbit eye irritation test: no conjunctival congestion or corneal damage below 10% concentration.
Sensitization Test(RIPT): All PCA salts negative for skin sensitization & phototoxicity/photoallergy; Ames genetic toxicity test result negative, no carcinogenic potential identified by CIR expert panel.
Regulatory Safe Dosage Limit:

Leave-on cosmetic : Max legal usage: Sodium/Potassium PCA ≤2.5%, Zinc PCA ≤1.0%, Copper PCA ≤0.5% (CIR & EU CosIng standard)

Rinse-off cosmetic : Max legal usage: Sodium/Potassium PCA ≤3.0%, Zinc PCA ≤0.8%, Copper PCA ≤0.3%

Restriction: All PCA raw materials shall not be formulated with nitrosating ingredients (nitrite, nitrate) to avoid potential nitrosamine generation.

2. Available Official Certificates

US CIR Full Safety Assessment Report (2014 official document, downloadable PDF copy)
EU CosIng Registered Ingredient Certificate (CosIng No.79910 for Sodium PCA)
China GB/QB industry standard inspection report (QB/T4950-2016 third-party test report)
MSDS/SDS (ISO GHS global standard, English version for EU/USA/ASEAN customs clearance)
Heavy Metal & Microbiological COA (Batch-specific Certificate of Analysis per production lot)
EWG Low-risk safety rating document (EWG Score=1, low hazard level)

product-579-795PCA series raw material technical inspection & HPLC testing in Dowell ingredient laboratory with test report

Applications

Skin Care Products

As a core component of natural moisturizing factor (NMF), it deeply locks moisture, improves dry and rough skin, and is mild and non-irritating. Suitable for moisturizing products (cream, lotion, essence, mask), sensitive skin repair products, and oil-control matte products (toner, essence).

Hair Care Products

It has good anti-static and moisture-nourishing effects, relieves dry, frizzy and split-end hair, and forms a protective film on hair. Suitable for moisturizing hair care products (shampoo, conditioner, hair mask), anti-dandruff oil-control shampoo, and hair repair essence.

Why Choose Us

Cosmetic‑grade Pyrolidone Carboxylic Acid with stable batch‑to‑batch consistency, suitable for mass cosmetic production.
Strict incoming and outgoing quality inspection, each batch supports test documentation for your formulation registration.
Flexible supply capacity: small trial sample orders and bulk container shipments are both available.
Professional technical support team: offer formulation reference suggestions for cosmetic R&D teams.
Multiple logistics solutions: sea freight, air freight and express delivery options to cover different destination markets.
Compliant documentation supply: COA, MSDS, origin certificate can be provided upon customer request.
Competitive factory direct pricing without intermediate merchants, helping you control raw‑material procurement cost.

OEM Service

We support customized service for Pyrolidone Carboxylic Acid cosmetic raw material to satisfy diverse brand and manufacturer requirements.

Sample customization: supply small‑volume test samples for your lab formulation verification.
Packaging OEM: multiple packaging options from small sample drums to industrial‑grade 25 kg containers; private label outer packaging is negotiable.
Document customization: adjust formal export documents to match your local import regulatory requirements.
Mix‑load service: you can combine PCA with other cosmetic raw materials in one shipment to lower logistics expenditure.
Order flexibility: accept trial orders before large‑volume formal purchase, to reduce your inventory risk. All OEM related requirements please contact our sales team for detailed quotation and lead‑time confirmation.

OEM Service

Everything You Need to Know

FAQ 1: What is Pyrolidone Carboxylic Acid PCA used for in cosmetics?

PCA is a key natural moisturizing factor ingredient. It mainly locks skin stratum corneum moisture, improves dryness and roughness, and can be added into facial care, body care and hair‑care cosmetic products.

FAQ 2: Is Pyrolidone Carboxylic Acid irritating to sensitive skin?

Cosmetic‑grade PCA has low irritation risk. It is a mild humectant, but finished product irritation depends on full formula composition; we suggest completing finished‑product safety testing before commercial launch.

FAQ 3: What is the recommended addition dosage range in cosmetic formulas?

Common addition ratio ranges from 1 %‑5 % for most skincare formulas. Exact dosage should be adjusted according to your product positioning and lab test results.

FAQ 4: What is the storage requirement for Pyrolidone Carboxylic Acid raw material?

Please keep container tightly sealed, store in cool and dry indoor environment, avoid high temperature and direct sunlight to maintain product stability.

FAQ 5: Can PCA be mixed with other moisturizing raw materials such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid?

Yes. Pyrolidone Carboxylic Acid has good compatibility. Many formulators combine PCA with glycerin, sodium hyaluronate to build multi‑dimensional moisturizing formula systems.

FAQ 6: Do you provide free samples of Pyrolidone Carboxylic Acid?

We can offer trial samples; sample cost and freight fee need to be confirmed with our sales representative. Sample lead time depends on stock status.

FAQ 7: What documents can you provide for import customs clearance?

We can supply COA, MSDS, commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin. Extra documents can be discussed according to your country import rules.

FAQ 8: What payment terms can be accepted for bulk PCA orders?

We support multiple payment methods including T/T. Specific payment terms are negotiable based on order volume and cooperation status, please get in touch with our sales for details.