Histidine

AKA: L-histidine, 71-00-1, Glyoxaline-5-alanine, L-(-)-Histidine, Histidina, Istidina, (2S)-2-amino-3-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)propanoic acid, L-Histidin
Synthetic
Humectant
Skin Conditioner
Clean
Histidine is an alpha-amino acid with an imidazole functional group. It is one of the 22 proteinogenic amino acids. Histidine was first isolated by German physician Albrecht Kossel in 1896. Histidine is an essential amino acid in humans and other mammals. It was initially thought that it was only essential for infants, but longer-term studies established that it is also essential for adults. Infants four to six months old require 33 mg/kg of histidine. It is not clear how adults make small amounts of histidine, and dietary sources probably account for most of the histidine in the body. Histidine is a precursor for histamine and carnosine biosynthesis. Inborn errors of histidine metabolism exist and are marked by increased histidine levels in the blood. Elevated blood histidine is accompanied by a wide range of symptoms, from mental and physical retardation to poor intellectual functioning, emotional instability, tremor, ataxia and psychosis. Histidine and other imidazole compounds have
Solubility 45600
Formula
C6H9N3O2
Mol. Weight
155.15
CAS #
71-00-1
Form
Liquid
State
Solid; [Merck Index] Powder; [Sigma-Aldrich MSDS]
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
General
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
Functions
Antistatic
Humectant
A moisture magnet. Pulls water from the air and deeper skin layers up to the surface to keep skin plump and hydrated.
Skin Conditioning
A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.
Locks In Moisture
The paper trail
🔬Peer-reviewed1 paper →
⚖️Regulatory1 listing →
🛡️Safety-assessed2 reviews →
Counts, not a verdict. A listing isn't a study. The trail, you decide.
EWG
1
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
Not Phototoxic
Lab (in vitro) test found no phototoxicity in the CIR safety assessment (CIR 607)
Not a Skin Irritant
1 study / 1 not irritating (CIR 607)
Not a Sensitizer
1 study / 1 not sensitizing (CIR 607)
Concentration Guide
Leave-on0.00009–0.05%
Rinse-off0.0004–0.0008%
0%50%100%
CIR reported use · report published 2013
Regulatory Agencies
Verified Jun 2026
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR
murphy