Ingredient glossary
Arginine
On your shelf ✓What Arginine does for your skin, who it suits, and what to watch for.
INCI: Arginine · Also: L-Arginine
In short: Arginine delivers hydration and conditioning, suits most skin types, and the evidence behind it is limited.
- What it does
- Hydration, conditioning
- Best for
- Most skin types
- Evidence
- Limited
The molecule
The Glow take
Nice to have, and nothing to overthink.
Arginine plays a quiet supporting role, rounding out a formula rather than being the reason you buy it.
— Maya
What it does
- hydration
- conditioning
- pH buffer
weak evidenceIts membership of the natural moisturising factor is established. Its size is not: a 2019 study that measured 26 NMF components directly found arginine below the limit of quantification. Added arginine is a supporting player, not a hydration active.
Who it's for, and who should skip it
Tends to suit
- dry
- dehydrated
- normal
Approach with care
No specific group flagged to avoid it.
- Clogs poresLow
- Irritation riskLow
How it fits each skin type
- DrySuits
- CombinationSuits
- OilySuits
- SensitiveSuits
Where it fits in your routine
Plays well with
- humectants
- hyaluronic acid
- ceramides
Arginine, answered
Is Arginine safe during pregnancy?
Yes. Arginine is considered safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. As with anything, if you are unsure it is worth a quick word with your doctor or midwife.
Who should avoid Arginine?
No specific group is flagged to avoid Arginine. It is well tolerated by most skin. Still, introduce anything new one product at a time.
What concentration of Arginine actually works?
Its concentration is rarely printed on the label, so use the ingredient list as your clue: near the top third it is likely doing real work, near the bottom it is more of a sprinkle.
This, for every label you own
One ingredient is easy. A full label is where it gets confusing. The Ingredient Decoder reads any product and tells you the honest truth, ingredient by ingredient.