When our bodies lack essential nutrients, the skin is often the first area to show it. Most people already know that if their complexion grows unusually dry or dull, they should eat plenty of nutritious foods and drink extra water to help revitalize it.
But lesser-known than those natural fixes is one key mineral that greatly impacts our skin’s well-being: magnesium.
If you’ve never given this mineral much thought before today, you’re not alone. Yet, magnesium is quickly gaining traction in the skincare community as emerging studies continue to support its value in regards to skin health.
If you struggle with dry, irritated, or acne-prone skin, magnesium may just be the missing ingredient you need to revolutionize your personal care routine. In this article, we’re exploring the 6 main benefits that have earned magnesium—and more specifically, magnesium PCA—its superhero status in the world of skincare.
What is Magnesium PCA?
Magnesium is the fourth most abundant essential mineral in the human body; it plays an important role in upkeeping the health of everything from our bones and muscles to our soft tissues, such as the skin.
But even though magnesium plays a role in more than 300 bodily processes, research shows that the amount of this mineral present in our food sources is decreasing.
This means that, if we want to supplement our bodies and skin with adequate magnesium levels, we might need to get a little creative.
Luckily, there are several popular methods you can use to get a healthy dose of supplemental magnesium through both oral and topical avenues.
If you want to harness the merits of magnesium for your skin, this mineral can be found in dermatological products of many different shapes and sizes. Three of the most common forms you’ll find in skincare products on today’s shelves are:
- Magnesium hydroxide
- Magnesium carbonate
- Magnesium PCA
Comparing Types of Magnesium for the Skin
With so many options on the market, how do you choose which source of magnesium for skin is right for your unique situation?
After conducting extensive research into the applications offered by each of the magnesium-based formulas mentioned above, our dermatological experts have concluded that option number 3 is superior for skin cells.
Magnesium PCA is the magnesium salt of PCA, or pyrrolidone carboxylic acid—a substance that occurs naturally in the human body.
You already know the importance of magnesium, but what’s so special about PCA?
Put simply, everyone’s skin has a neat system of substances called natural moisturizing factors, or NMFs, that help it thrive. PCA is one of these factors, which means it plays an essential role in:
- Maintaining the plasticity of the skin
- Promoting the shedding of damaged skin
- Upholding the homeostasis of the skin barrier
- Hydrating the stratum corneum (the outermost layer of the skin)
Due to the synergy that occurs between magnesium and the NMF known as PCA, products that include magnesium PCA make it possible for the skin to reap the benefits of this dynamic duo—all in one dose.
Furthermore, our dermatological professionals at CLEARSTEM prefer magnesium PCA over other forms of magnesium supplementation because of two key benefits that make this mineral-rich formulation so enticing. Let’s dive into those below to see how they can promote healthy skin.
Benefits of Magnesium PCA for the Skin
The first area that magnesium PCA excels in is safety.
When you’re choosing any substance to supplement your body or skin with, it’s important to use a formulation that has been tried and tested by experts.
Magnesium PCA has been reviewed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel, and this team concluded that, based on all available scientific data, transdermal magnesium is safe for use in personal care products as long as it is applied according to proper concentration and frequency guidelines.
The second notable strength of magnesium PCA is its proven efficacy.
This ingredient functions as a humectant—a substance that attracts water and helps to moisturize the skin. As a result, magnesium salts such as magnesium PCA are known to:
- Restore the skin barrier and encourage repair
- Enhance skin hydration
- Decrease inflammation
- Balance the skin’s pH level
Thanks to its proven safety and efficacy, magnesium PCA is one of the best ways to supplement your skincare routine with the powerful properties of transdermal magnesium.
Top 6 Benefits of Magnesium for Skin
While the central role that magnesium plays in human health is well-documented, its merits in the realm of skincare are often overlooked.
We’re shining a spotlight on the most notable magnesium benefits for skin so you can get a better idea of why working this essential mineral into your skincare regimen could be a game-changing choice.
1. Reduces Acne and Breakouts
Researchers are always looking for new and better ways to treat acne. Having recognized the powerful properties of topical magnesium oil, many scientists have conducted studies to test its ability to combat breakouts.
One study set out to examine if a dietary supplementation that featured magnesium, phosphate, and fatty acids would serve as a more effective acne treatment than isotretinoin. After testing these two treatment methods on two separate groups, the researchers found that there was indeed a statistically significant difference between the outcomes.
While 100% of the group who had been given the dietary supplementation with magnesium reported a complete regression of their acne vulgaris symptoms after 6 months of treatment, only 68% of subjects in the group who were given isotretinoin saw the same.
2. Enhances Skin Hydration
Classified as a humectant, magnesium PCA is a moisture-attracting machine. Want to learn how to hydrate your skin overnight? Topical magnesium just might be your secret weapon.
Humectants are used widely in the beauty industry for their ability to relieve dry skin, and they accomplish this feat through two fascinating functions:
- First, when the outside air is humid enough, they draw in moisture from the external environment and deliver it straight to the skin.
- Second, they draw water from the inside out—transferring moisture from the deepest layers of the skin to the outermost layer that needs extra lubrication.
3. Soothes and Calms the Skin
If you have sensitive skin that flares up at the slightest disturbance, it can feel frustrating when you’re trying to find skincare solutions that won’t worsen your skin condition.
Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, magnesium oil is an ideal solution for sensitive skin. What’s more, when you apply skincare that features magnesium PCA as a central ingredient, you can also enjoy the soothing benefits that PCA brings to the table as a natural moisturizing factor.
4. Boosts Collagen Production
Collagen is essential for healthy and happy skin. This protein can help your body replace old cells with fresh new ones, lend strength and elasticity to the skin, and slow down the signs of aging.
If you’re looking to give your skin a more supple, youthful appearance, magnesium PCA is an ideal solution, because magnesium salt has been found to stimulate the synthesis of collagen in the skin.
5. Fights Free Radical Damage
Free radicals—or unstable atoms—can damage the body in a variety of ways. For example, when free radicals harm our cells, it can cause our skin to show signs of aging more rapidly.
Evidence suggests that magnesium may have the power to reduce free radicals by either inhibiting their production in the first place or facilitating the scavenging of free radicals that are already present.
6. Improves Skin Elasticity and Overall Texture
Magnesium does more than just make your skin look better—it can improve the way your skin feels, too.
One study sought to measure the restorative power of magnesium salt by treating patients with Dead Sea water—a liquid that is rich in this essential mineral.
The researchers discovered that patients treated with the magnesium-rich Dead Sea salt solution experienced enhanced skin hydration and moisturization, while roughness, redness, or inflammation of the skin was reduced. If you’ve been thinking about how to hydrate aging skin naturally, magnesium can be the perfect addition to your skincare routine.
Is Magnesium PCA Safe for All Skin Types?
As we mentioned, magnesium PCA has been approved as a safe formulation by a panel of cosmetic experts, even for those with skin conditions. So whether you experience sensitive, oily, combination, or dry skin, you can rest assured that this ingredient won’t pose any danger to your skin—as long as you don’t exceed the recommended application amounts.
As soon as our team of skincare experts here at CLEARSTEM learned about the many merits offered by topical magnesium PCA, we knew we wanted to incorporate it into our line of trusted products. That’s why we’ve included this ingredient in the formulation of our new product, SKINSPRAY ALL DAY.
Spritz SKINSPRAY on before you apply your makeup and spritz again whenever you want to enjoy a quick hydrating boost throughout the day. Enriched with premium magnesium PCA that promotes vitality, this setting spray energizes the skin so it can maintain a radiant, healthy glow all day long.
Incorporate Magnesium into Your Skincare Routine with CLEARSTEM
Magnesium is an essential mineral that can help hydrate, strengthen, and soothe the skin. When applied through a topical treatment in the form of magnesium PCA, this ingredient will work together with your skin’s natural moisturizing capabilities to keep your complexion supple, soft, and stunning.
With our new magnesium and hypochlorus acid spray, it’s never been easier to work this essential mineral into your daily skincare routine. Instantly freshen up your face with just one quick spritz—infused with all the powerful properties of magnesium.
Sources:
American Family Physician. Therapeutic Uses of Magnesium. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2009/0715/p157.html#
Cosmetic Ingredient Review. Safety Assessment of PCA (2-Pyrrolidone-5-Carboxylic Acid) and Its Salts as Used in Cosmetics. https://www.cir-safety.org/sites/default/files/PCA122014FAR.pdf
National Library of Medicine. Natural moisturizing factors (NMF) in the stratum corneum (SC). I. Effects of lipid extraction and soaking. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20211113/
Cosmetics Info. PCA. https://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/pca/
National Library of Medicine. The Importance of Magnesium in Clinical Healthcare. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5637834/
National Library of Medicine. Treatment of Resistant Acne Vulgaris in Adolescents Using Dietary Supplementation with Magnesium, Phosphate and Fatty Acids (Omega 6 and 7): Comparison with 13-Cis-Retinoic Acid. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35876008/
Medical News Today. What is a humectant? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/humectant#what-are-they
National Library of Medicine. Effect of Magnesium Supplementation on Inflammatory Parameters: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8838086/
Cleveland Clinic. Collagen. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/23089-collagen
National Library of Medicine. Regulation of collagen synthesis in human dermal fibroblasts by the sodium and magnesium salts of ascorbyl-2-phosphate. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8489778/
Medical News Today. How do free radicals affect the body? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318652
Science Direct. Magnesium reduces free radicals in an in vivo coronary occlusion-reperfusion model. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109798002319#
Wiley Online Library. Bathing in a magnesium-rich Dead Sea salt solution improves skin barrier function, enhances skin hydration, and reduces inflammation in atopic dry skin. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-4632.2005.02079.x
