The Pores and skin Advantages of Glycerin, Certainly one of Skincare’s Oldest Substances

Glycerin is kind of presumably one of many oldest skincare substances in existence. We’ve got documentation relationship again so far as the late eighteenth century displaying that it was used for hygiene. Chances are high, if you happen to choose up a private care product, you’ll see glycerin someplace on the ingredient checklist. Glycerin is such a staple within the magnificence trade, however for a very long time, nobody gave it a second thought. It was drowned out by the hype about different hydrating substances, regardless of being simply as efficient. Prior to now couple of years, I’ve observed glycerin getting extra recognition for the powerhouse that it’s. On this submit, I’ll break down the historical past of glycerin, why it’s so useful in your pores and skin, and the way it stacks up in opposition to different hydrating substances.

What’s Glycerin, and The place Does It Come From?

Glycerin, often known as glycerol, is a fatty alcohol. Individuals are generally stunned by this due to the pervasive perception that alcohol in skincare is dangerous. That is actually solely true of drying alcohols. Actually, most of the skincare substances you recognize and love could be labeled as fatty alcohols! They excel at moisturizing, softening, and conditioning the pores and skin. 

Glycerin is a byproduct of the oil trade. When oil is extracted from one thing and processed, glycerin is left over. Traditionally, it was derived from further animal fats and combined with wooden ash to create cleaning soap. So far as the beauty trade goes, a overwhelming majority of glycerin now comes from plant-based sources. This may very well be something out of your primary corn, soy, or flax to one thing extra unique, like Karanja weed. If it may be became oil, it may be a supply of glycerin. On the finish of the day, one supply of glycerin isn’t superior to the opposite since you find yourself with the identical chemical compound both means. 

How Does Glycerin Profit the Pores and skin?

Glycerin is included in a category of substances referred to as humectants (you’re in all probability already accustomed to hyaluronic acid, the proverbial famous person of humectants). This implies it attracts water molecules like a magnet to extend water content material within the pores and skin. That is an extremely vital operate as a result of it helps stop dehydrated pores and skin (to not be confused with dry pores and skin). Dehydration can segue into a complete host of different pores and skin points, together with effective strains, crepey or tough texture, and sensitivity.

The extra hydrated your pores and skin is, the extra gentle it will likely be capable of replicate. This implies humectants like glycerin also can assist pores and skin seem extra glowy.

In smaller percentages, glycerin will also be used as a stabilizer or to enhance the feel of a product. Chemists love this ingredient as a result of it’s efficient, plentiful, and cheap. 

Who Can Use Glycerin?

Along with being efficient, glycerin is a really mild ingredient. This implies virtually anybody can use it, and it’s additionally acceptable for all pores and skin sorts. It’s so innocuous that it may be used day by day (and even a number of instances a day). 

No matter whether or not your pores and skin is oily or dry, ALL pores and skin sorts want water. Our pores and skin cells can’t survive with out water! The important thing right here is that when you get water into the pores and skin, you have to create a barrier that retains that water in. This barrier is created with lipids (aka oils), and it’s the place your pores and skin’s moisture barrier comes into play—it retains the great in and the dangerous out. Due to this, it’s important that you just apply a moisturizer after utilizing a humectant like glycerin. Naturally oilier pores and skin sorts (like Skin Types 1-4) don’t want so as to add a lot oil and may use one thing gentle. Mixture or dry pores and skin sorts (like Skin Types 5-9) don’t produce as a lot oil on their very own, in order that they’ll need to attain for one thing richer.

The one time I might advise in opposition to utilizing glycerin (or every other humectant for that matter) is if you happen to’re in a really dry setting, like an airplane. Since there’s no water within the air for the glycerin to draw, you run the chance of it pulling water out of the deeper layers of your pores and skin as a substitute.

BTW, consuming water gained’t hydrate your pores and skin (however these three issues will). 

Will Glycerin Make Me Break Out?

Since glycerin is derived from oil, some individuals are involved it is going to clog their pores or trigger them to interrupt out. This isn’t the case—you would need to apply it at a focus of virtually 100% for it to develop into comedogenic, and that is by no means the way it’s utilized in merchandise. Glycerin is definitely an amazing ingredient for breakout-prone pores and skin as a result of it may be added to acne-focused formulation to make them much less drying. 

To Get the Pores and skin Advantages of Glycerin, What Sorts of Merchandise Ought to I Use?

To get all the most effective hydrating, skin-plumping advantages from glycerin, flip to leave-on merchandise. This isn’t to say glycerin can’t be an amazing ingredient in rinse-off merchandise like cleansers. As I discussed, it will probably enhance the feel of a product and provides it moisturizing properties. But when your aim is to enhance the water content material of your pores and skin and pull in as a lot moisture as doable, a leave-on product is the best way to go. Strive reaching for a toner or a serum (I just like the Vitamin C&E Treatment or Skin Drink Concentrate). 

Moisturizers with glycerin will also be very useful. Many moisturizers will use a mixture of humectants, like glycerin, together with extra emollient substances to provide the full spectrum of moisturization. 

Study the distinction between humectants, emollients, and occlusives (plus, the best way to discover the best moisturizer in your pores and skin kind). 

How Does Glycerin Stack Up In opposition to Hyaluronic Acid?

It’s simple to be seduced by the large quantity of PR hyaluronic acid has gotten over time—and don’t get me flawed, it’s an amazing ingredient! However this has additionally led to the misperception that it’s far superior to different hydrating substances. On the finish of the day, glycerin and hyaluronic acid each operate as humectants and have a really related impact on the pores and skin. 

There are two essential upsides to glycerin—it’s a smaller molecule than hyaluronic acid, and it’s inexpensive to formulate with. Smaller molecule measurement means it’s capable of penetrate extra deeply into the pores and skin, which is the place it will likely be only. Hyaluronic acid could be chopped up into smaller molecule sizes as effectively. However because it doesn’t begin out that means and desires extra processing, you’ll normally find yourself paying extra for a hyaluronic acid serum that has a number of weights of hyaluronic acid.

One other distinction between the 2 substances (and the place hyaluronic acid has the higher hand), is texture. Greater-end, well-formulated hyaluronic acid tends to have a silkier texture than glycerin, which may really feel a bit sticky or cheesy earlier than it dries down.  

On the finish of the day, it actually comes all the way down to advertising, finances, and shopper choice. 

Subsequent, try my 7 favourite hydrating substances (they’re all assured to provide you plumper-looking pores and skin).

Movie star Esthetician & Skincare Skilled
As an esthetician skilled in beauty chemistry, Renée Rouleau has spent 30 years researching pores and skin, educating her viewers, and constructing an award-winning line of merchandise. Her hands-on expertise as an esthetician and trusted skincare knowledgeable has created a real-world answer — merchandise which are formulated for nine different types of skin so your face will get precisely what it must feel and look its greatest. Trusted by celebrities, editors, bloggers, and skincare obsessives across the globe, her huge real-world information and fixed analysis are why Marie Claire calls her “essentially the most passionate pores and skin practitioner we all know.”