As
Aspartic Acid
ASPARTIC ACID · Aspartic AcidHydrator
An amino acid in skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor that draws and holds water at the surface.
What it does
Aspartic acid is an amino acid and part of the skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF). NMF is a group of water-binding compounds that keeps the outer skin layer hydrated. In skincare it helps draw water to the surface and keeps skin feeling soft. It is a hydration ingredient, not a skin active.
The evidence, graded
emergingAspartic acid is part of the skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF). Bleomycin hydrolase, the enzyme that generates NMF amino acids from filaggrin, is more active in older skin alongside higher NMF levels — confirming aspartic acid's role in the skin's own hydration system.Tsurumachi 2023 · J Dermatol Sci ↗
Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.
Also known as
L-aspartic acid
Pairs worth knowing
Browse all 668 ingredients — grouped by what they do, each with whatever evidence we can cite.
This page is public so a shared ingredient card always has its sources behind it — and so you can check them without an account.
Want more like this?
Every evidence-based flag cites its source, Drop tells you when your routine is complete, and it helps you simplify — instead of selling you more. The app launches on iOS and Android in October 2026. Rate my routine works today at /rate — no sign-in.