Glycerin, also known as vegetable glycerin, glycerol, and glycerine, is a popular ingredient in skin, hair, and beauty care products.
It’s also used in drugs, household products, industrial products, and as a GRAS (generally recognized as safe) food additive.
But what exactly is glycerin? Is it safe? And why is it so common in skin and beauty products?
Read on to learn everything you need to know about glycerin's benefits, uses, and side effects and how it’s used in Desert Essence products.
What is Glycerin?
Glycerin is a syrupy, clear, odorless, colorless, and sweet sugar alcohol that occurs naturally in plants and animal products.
As mentioned previously, it has GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status. It is FDA-approved as a food additive as well as an ingredient in skincare, cosmetics, hair care, oral care, industrial products, pharmaceuticals, and more.
Glycerin’s multifaceted properties make it one of the most-used ingredients in skin, body, hair, and beauty care products.
Some of glycerin’s properties in skincare, soap, and beauty products include acting as a:
- Humectant (moisturizer)
- Skin and hair conditioner
- Skin protectant
- Preservative
- Denaturant (a type of ingredient added to skin care products that changes their taste or smell)
- Fragrance ingredient
In skin care products, it’s typically combined with an occlusive (another type of moisturizer) to draw moisture into the upper layer of the skin and trap it there to increase skin hydration.
Research has shown glycerin is one of the most effective humectants for increasing skin hydration. It’s also suitable and beneficial for sensitive skin.
What’s Glycerin Made of?
Glycerin may be natural or synthetic, depending on its source.
Naturally occurring glycerin comes from plant or animal fats and oils, such as soybeans, coconuts, or beef tallow.
Vegetable glycerin is a vegan alternative sourced from plants like corn, palm, or soybeans.
Synthetic glycerin is synthesized from propylene, a petroleum product.
Unfortunately, many forms of vegetable, animal, and synthetic glycerin are unsustainable, so it pays to know what you’re buying!
Glycerin’s Benefits for Skin
As you’ve just learned, glycerin is an excellent moisturizer, which is why it’s so prevalent in skin care products.
It’s also effective at killing bacteria, making it a sought-after natural preservative—alone or combined with other preservatives.
Some of glycerin’s skin benefits include:
- Improving skin hydration (of the outer layer)
- Protecting the skin from irritants
- Enhancing and supporting skin barrier function
- Promoting wound-healing
- Relieving dry skin
- May provide relief for skin conditions like psoriasis
Some of these benefits, such as boosting hydration, also apply to hair care products, like shampoos and conditioners.
Glycerin Uses Beyond Skin Care
Glycerin’s chemical composition, low toxicity, versatility, and sweet flavor make it a common ingredient in various non-skin-related products, including:
- Oral care products, like toothpaste, to keep it moist and add sweetness
- Foods as an additive to increase water-coating ability, add sweetness, and as a solvent for other food additives
- Pharmaceuticals as a lubricant, diuretic, laxative, and humectant. It can also be helpful for glaucoma
- Household products like cleaning products and waxes
- Industrial products like cement, antifreeze, and textiles
As mentioned previously, all glycerin forms are considered GRAS and are FDA-approved food additives.
Is Glycerin Safe for Skin?
Glycerin is considered safe for nearly all skin types, including sensitive skin and those with inflammatory skin conditions (but check with your doctor first).
However, there are some nuances when using glycerin for skin care.
Humectants, like glycerin, attract and draw water from the nearest available source, which may be the air or deeper layers of skin.
Therefore, if the air around you is very dry, products with concentrated amounts of glycerin or pure glycerin can dry out your skin.
This can be avoided by using products that do not list glycerin as the primary ingredient and avoiding using pure glycerin on your skin.
Like all natural substances, glycerin may cause a reaction in some people, which typically presents as contact dermatitis, but this is not common, especially if used diluted.
Bottom line: glycerin is generally very suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin, when used in moderate amounts.
How Desert Essence Uses Glycerin for Skin, Hair, & More
Desert Essence uses natural, sustainably sourced glycerin in combination with xylitol, another natural sugar alcohol, in skin, body, hair, and oral care products as a humectant to help lock in skin and hair moisture, conditioner, protectant and to improve the texture of oral care products.
Examples of Desert Essence products containing natural glycerin include:
- Daily Essential Facial Moisturizer
- Moisturizing Ceramide Cream
- Shea and Jojoba Body Butter
- Bulgarian Lavender Hand and Body Lotion
- Italian Red Grape Shampoo
- Coconut Conditioner
- Moisturizing Gel Toothpaste Arctic Berry
- Moisturizing Mouth Rinse Arctic Berry
As mentioned previously, our glycerin (vegetable glycerin) is sustainably sourced from plants like…
Shop all Desert Essence skin, hair, and oral care products here.
Curious about our other ingredients?
Check out our Ingredients and FAQ pages for more information on sourcing, sustainability, and company ethos.
Glycerin FAQs
Q: How can I know if glycerin is natural or synthetic?
A: Unfortunately, labeling laws do not require manufacturers to disclose the source of glycerin on labels. Therefore, the best way to find out is to ask the company directly.
Note, even labels like vegan can be misleading as the company could be using glycerin from petroleum, so it pays to ask.
Q: What is vegetable glycerin vs. regular glycerin?
A: Vegetable glycerin is made from plants such as corn, soybeans, or palm. Non-vegetable glycerin comes from animal tallow (beef or lamb) or petroleum.
Q: Is Desert Essence glycerin vegan?
A: Yes!
Q: What Desert Essence products use glycerin?
A: We use glycerin in most of our moisturizing creams, lotions, shampoos, conditioners, and some oral care products. See the previous section titled: How Desert Essence Uses Glycerin for more examples. You can also find a complete list of ingredients on all our product pages and labels.
Sources mentioned in this article:
- Glycerol In Food, Cosmetics And Pharmaceutical Industries: Basics And New Applications. International Journal Of Scientific & Technology Research Volume 8, Issue 12, December 2019.
- Moisturizers: The Slippery Road. Indian J Dermatol.
- Glaucoma management: Relative value and place in therapy of available drug treatments. Therapeutic Advances in Chronic Disease.
- Glycerin. Drugs.com
- "Glycerin is safe, effective in psoriasis model." Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University.