Glycerin
Glycerin is one of the most amazing ingredients for moisturizing and supporting the skin barrier. It's non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and acts the same as Hyaluronic Acid but without the potential skin effects.
Glycerin is a fantastic ingredient for maintaining healthy, hydrated skin. This magical ingredient is in most skincare and cosmetic products because of its texture and ability to hydrate the skin.
I recommend it over hyaluronic acid, especially for clients with damaged barriers, chronic dryness, or open wounds.
What is glycerin?
Glycerin is a colorless, odorless liquid commonly used in skincare products due to its ability to attract and retain moisture.
It's a powerful humectant, drawing moisture from the air and helping keep it on the skin's surface. Basically, it's able to soften and moisturize dry, rough, and flaky skin, making it plump and supple.
Hydration is essential for barrier function and skin tissue health, so choosing a safe moisturizing ingredient is absolutely necessary to see results.
While hyaluronic acid can do the same, it also has the potential to pull moisture from the skin, causing harm. If hyaluronic acid is misused, it can actually do more harm than good. If you have a damaged barrier or severely dry skin and misapply hyaluronic acid, your condition will worsen. Whereas if you apply glycerin, that is way less likely.
What are the benefits of glycerin?
Moisturizes
Soothes irritated skin
Ideal for all skin types
Supports complex barrier conditions like atopic dermatitis (3)
Helps wound healing (3)
Anti-aging
Vegan and sustainable
How does glycerin work?
Glycerin helps to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by filling them in, making them look less noticeable. The humectant properties of glycerin help lock in moisture, essential for maintaining healthy, youthful-looking skin.
Glycerin has anti-inflammatory properties that help to soothe irritated, red, and itchy skin. It also helps to heal and repair damaged skin by promoting cell regeneration.
Glycerin helps improve the skin's texture by making it smooth and soft. It also helps to balance the oil production in the skin, which makes it useful for people with oily skin.
Whether you have oily, dry, or sensitive skin, adding glycerin to your skincare routine can help you achieve healthy, glowing skin. Be mindful of the concentration and source of this ingredient, and try out some products with glycerin in them to witness the fantastic effects for yourself!
Milani, M., & Sparavigna, A. (2017). The 24-hour skin hydration and barrier function effects of a hyaluronic 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract moisturizing fluid: an intra-subject, randomized, assessor-blinded study. Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology, 10, 311–315. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5560567/
Hyeongmin Kim, Jeong Tae Kim, Sonia Barua, Seung-Yup Yoo, Seong-Chul Hong, Kyung Bin Lee & Jaehwi Lee (2018) Seeking better topical delivery technologies of moisturizing agents for enhanced skin moisturization, Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery. www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17425247.2017.1306054
Fluhr JW, Darlenski R, Surber C. Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functions. Br J Dermatol.. www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18510666/