Glycerine has been used as a cosmetic ingredient for decades, and today you can find it in many beauty products. However, some beauty bloggers have criticised glycerine and recommended to avoid it. Is this criticism justified? Should you really avoid skincare products with glycerine? Let’s figure it out together.
Glycerine, also known as glycerol, is a simple organic compound (a low molecular weight polyol). It is a colourless, odourless, viscous liquid that has a sweet taste. Glycerine is used in skincare as a humectant, emollient and lubricant, as well as a solvent, viscosity regulator and emulsifier.
Glycerine is often referred to as the second most popular cosmetic ingredient after water. It can be found in a wide variety of personal care products, ranging from face moisturisers to toothpastes. Glycerine is primarily valued for its humectant properties that result from its hygroscopic nature.
Hygroscopy is the phenomenon of attracting and holding water molecules. Glycerine, for example, can attract water in an amount of up to 40% of its own weight. As a result, skincare products with glycerine help to keep the skin hydrated, boost its firmness and elasticity, and help to maintain the skin’s natural protection from the environment.
In addition, glycerine softens the skin, speeds up the healing of minor skin injuries, boosts the natural ability of the skin to resist pathogenic microorganisms and external stressors, and more. However, if glycerine has so many skin benefits, why do some people think that it can be bad for the skin?
They argue that if glycerine is able to attract water from the surrounding environment, it can draw water from the skin if the surrounding air is dry, stripping the skin of moisture instead of keeping it hydrated. But is that really so? Let’s figure it out.
Indeed, if relative humidity of the air is too low (less than 50%), glycerine might attract water from the deeper levels of the skin to the skin surface, which might result in dry skin. However, this only happens with pure concentrated glycerine; beauty products formulated with glycerine don’t have the same effect.
Cosmetic products usually contain 5% to 15% of glycerine, depending on the type of product and its purpose. In addition, glycerine is combined with various active and functional ingredients in cosmetic formulations. Such ingredients typically include occlusives – substances that form a barrier on the skin surface that keeps moisture from evaporating. The combination of glycerine with water and occlusives minimises the risk of skin dehydration in environments with low relative air humidity.
It is important to keep in mind that glycerine occurs naturally in all animal and plant cells, usually in the triglyceride structure of fats and oils. Due to this, it is part of the skin’s natural moisturising factor that helps to keep the skin hydrated. So this skincare ingredient is as natural as it gets.
Glycerine is produced in two forms: natural and synthetic. Natural glycerine is a by-product of the production of soap from vegetable oils or animal fats. Synthetic glycerine is derived from propylene. From a chemical standpoint, it doesn’t matter how glycerine was produced because the method of production does not affect its chemical composition and properties. However, the purity of the final product may depend on its source; natural glycerine typically requires additional purification.
Only highly purified glycerine (95% to 99.5%) is used for cosmetic purposes. It is non-toxic, non-irritating, non-carcinogenic and biodegradable. Glycerin does not affect the reproductive system and does not harm the lungs if accidentally inhaled. It is approved for use by leading national and international organisations for certification and quality and safety control of cosmetics, including ECOCERT (for plant-based glycerine only).
As you can see, there is no reason to avoid skincare products with glycerine, as long as manufactures use highly purified glycerine in acceptable concentrations. So feel free to buy cosmetics with glycerine in our online shop Organic Store. At Organic Store, we offer a great selection of beauty products at reasonable prices, secure and convenient payment methods, and international delivery to most parts of the world.
