Under the skin: what therapists say about polyglutamic acid

Polyglutamic acid is one of the buzzy new products that people have been adding to their skincare routines this year. It’s been competing with its friends hyaluronic acid and vitamin C amongst trend setters and beauty bloggers. So what’s the big deal? Following our chat about their Glow and Go Facial, W London’s Spa Supervisor Amy give us the therapist’s view, getting under the skin of polyglutamic acid and explaining what it is, what it does and why you might want to consider it as part of your routine.

What is polyglutamic acid and what does it do?

Polyglutamic acid is a water soluble peptide (protein) derived from fermented soya beans. It’s purpose in skincare is to boost hydration. It attracts moisture and draws it into the skin.

Most peoples’ skin is dehydrated, even when they have oily skin. That’s because of environmental factors, diet and the products that we all use. Funnily enough, it’s often people who think they have oily skin who suffer the most from dehydration because they tend to use products that strip it of moisture.

Have you tried using polyglutamic acid?

I have, and I am a fan of The Inkey List’s version. They’re very transparent about what they do and it’s the much more affordable end of the spectrum when it comes to on-trend products. Their polyglutamic acid is a a standalone serum and you can see results straight away.

Is it similar to hyaluronic acid?

There’s been a lot of hype around hyaluronic acid over the years, but polyglutamic acid is four times more hydrating, to put things into perspective. Hyaluronic acid holds 100 times its weight in water and this is four times that!

What impact does it really have on the skin?

What we have seen is that if you use it over a prolonged period of time it will slightly plump the skin, but the big thing is that dehydration causes lines that eventually turn to deep set wrinkles. By itself, polyglutamic acid is not anti-ageing, but if you use correctly and increase your water intake as well, it will help delay the onset of wrinkles.

What other tips do you have to help it work at its best?

Stay hydrated

Water and diet are essential, but it’s also about where you’re living, so you need to adapt your skincare routine with that in mind. You can have the best diet in the world but if you’re surrounded by toxins then your skin will dehydrate, so you need to account for that in what you put on your skin.

Choose your products

Using a daily SPF and layering oils, serums and creams on top of each other is the best way to care for it. Oily skin does also love oil but lots of people avoid it and are scared of putting balms and oils on. In truth, the more you strip the oil in your skin back, the more it produces, so by adding oil it balances out the production.

Layer your skincare products

There’s a science to layering skincare products too. For example, serums and oils have smaller molecules, so they penetrate to the deeper layers of the skin. Creams have larger molecules and will sit on the surface of the skin and act as a defence shield.