Loved
Betaine
Hydrating
Some ingredients help hydrate the skin by either drawing in moisture or preventing it from escaping. They're often used to keep skin feeling soft, smooth, and well-balanced.
Reduces Irritation
Some soothing ingredients help calm irritated skin and strengthen your skin barrier. They're particularly beneficial after during flare-ups or for chronically sensitive skin. Look for products with multiple calming ingredients for best results.
Helps with Barrier Repair
Some ingredients support barrier repair by reinforcing your skin’s protective layer, locking in moisture, and defending against irritation and environmental stress.
Explained
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
See all 9,100 products with Betaine
Users who like it
95%
Users who avoid it
5%
What it does
Humectant
A substance that promotes retention of moisture.
Skin Conditioning
To hydrate and soften skin
Prevalence
Somewhat common
Percentage of products that contain it
7.1%
Top categories
Treatments
Cleansers
Moisturizers
Position
Predominant list placement
Top 25%
Concentration
Concentrations we've seen
1% to
10%
References
CosIng Data
CosIng ID
74520
INCI Name
BETAINE
INN Name
betaine
EC #
 203-490-6
All Functions
Antistatic, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Controlling
