Dermatologists developed.
Ingredient name
Glycerine, Glycerol
INCI name
GLYCERIN
Glycerine is a simple organic compound and a triatomic alcohol. It is a colourless, odourless viscous liquid, which is derived from the saponification of fats.
The main physical properties of glycerine are its solubility in water and its ability to retain moisture, which makes it moisturising for the skin. It can capture moisture from both the air and from the skin’s deeper layers, making a water reserve for the skin. Furthermore, nutrients in skin care products are more easily absorbed into the deep epidermis layers when they contain moisture. As such, glycerine has two benefits for skin: hydrating and aiding the absorption of components found in cosmetic products.
Glycerine protects the skin by forming a fine protective layer on its surface against harmful effects of the environment. For this reason, it is commonly used in protective hand cream products.
When used on curly hair, glycerine can reduce hair breakage and dryness.
Why it’s good for your skin
Why it’s good for your hair
Contraindications
Not recommended for external application in its pure form.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permits up to 40% the use of glycerine in cosmetic products.
Scientific evidence
[1] It has been scientifically proven that glycerine hydrates the skin’s outer layer (the stratum corneum); improves the functioning of the skin’s protective barriers; can increase its firmness and speed up the healing of sores. When applied locally, glycerine can significantly improve the skin’s condition in cases of xerosis and atopic dermatitis.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18510666/
[2] Another study concluded that using hair care products, which contain 10% glycerine, significantly reduced the appearance of dandruff.
