If you consider yourself a skin care ingredient aficionado, you're probably aware of amino acids' many skin benefits. These A-list acids are a key component of the skin's natural moisturizing factor, and they contribute to healthy skin hydration and pH. But while you may have a general understanding of amino acids, you might not know about glycine, the small but mighty amino acid that helps promote healthy, youthful-looking skin. Read on to understand glycine benefits for skin, including what it does and why you'll want to incorporate it into your routine ASAP.
What Is Glycine?
Glycine is a type of amino acid, and it's one of the main building blocks that make up your body's protein content. Glycine plays many roles in keeping you healthy, including supporting your metabolism, immune system, and heart. It also helps transmit chemical signals in the brain and can enhance neurological function and sleep quality.
Glycine is especially important in the skin because it's one of the main components of collagen's triple helix, the skin's main structural protein. In other words, glycine is essential to creating and maintaining the supple, firm skin that gives skin its youthful quality.
Where Does Glycine Come From?
Like amino acid arginine, glycine is a conditional essential amino acid. This means that, even though your body can make it, you may need more of it during periods of heightened stress or illness. The best way to do this is through your diet. You can find glycine in many protein-rich food sources, including animal proteins and plant-based foods (more on these later). To reap glycine benefits for skin, you can also get this amino acid through everyday skin care products, including moisturizers, serums, and cleansers.
What's the Role of Glycine in Skin Care?
Clinical studies show topical products with glycine offer a host of skin benefits.
Absorbs Easily
From a chemical perspective, glycine is one of the simplest and smallest amino acids. This means it can easily penetrate your skin's top layer down into the dermis, where it has many important physiologic functions.
Improves Moisture Retention
As a potent hydrating agent, glycine helps the skin retain moisture, keeping it soft, strengthening the skin barrier, and minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Boosts Collagen Production
Speaking of fine lines, wrinkles, and other visible signs of skin aging: glycine increases collagen production in your skin's deeper layers, which helps strengthen the skin's structure and visibly firm your complexion.
Promotes Skin Repair
Glycine also helps promote skin repair and regeneration, restoring damaged skin, reducing irritation and redness, and contributing to overall skin health.
Incorporating Glycine into Your Routine
While your ideal skin care routine depends on your skin type and goals, anyone can reap glycine's benefits. This mighty amino acid can be especially helpful if you have dry skin, want to help repair a compromised skin barrier, or aim to reduce the risk of redness and irritation associated with sensitive skin.
Diet
To start, ensure you're getting enough glycine through your diet by prioritizing nutritious, protein-rich foods. This includes meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products, beans, legumes, tofu, quinoa, seeds, and nuts.
Skin Care
Next, supplement your skin's glycine reserves by adding it to your skin care routine. Start your day with the nourishing EltaMD Skin Recovery Amino Acid Foaming Cleanser. Infused with glycine, Bisabolol, and Ginger Root Extract, this gentle cleanser hydrates and calms the skin barrier while visibly reducing facial redness. Follow up with EltaMD Skin Recovery Light Moisturizer, a non-greasy formula featuring glycine and antioxidants to improve skin elasticity and fight free radical damage.
Pairing Picks
To enhance glycine's collagen-boosting effects, pair it with other powerful ingredients that support collagen production, like Vitamin C serum in the morning and Retinol at night. Add any new ingredients to your routine slowly to avoid skin irritation and dryness. When in doubt, ask your Dermatologist for advice.
Glow from the Inside Out
Achieving beautiful, healthy skin isn't complicated. It begins with small habits that lead to big results. Start by protecting your skin from ultraviolet radiation's harmful effects by using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher every day—no matter the season. Then, incorporate glycine's skin benefits into your routine along with other amino acids and skin-loving ingredients. These easy steps will keep your skin luminous and vibrant year-round!
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