Glycerin - the elixir of youth and health for your skin

Glycerin is one of the most popular ingredients in cosmetic products, especially valued for its skin moisturizing properties. A normal skin care routine is rarely complete without this ingredient, including body lotions, dry skin creams, anti-wrinkle creams or creams for mature skin.

So why is glycerin so good for our skin?

According to dermatologists, glycerin has 4 main properties.

1.     Glycerin moisturizes dry skin.
2.     Glycerin improves the condition of the skin's surface, thereby ensuring an effective protective function of the skin for our internal organs.
3.     Glycerin prevents skin irritations or facilitates skin recovery after contact with them.
4.     Glycerin can accelerate the healing process of the skin after various mechanical skin injuries.

Is glycerin not harmful?

What is Glycerin?

Glycerin (also known as glycerol) is a natural component of fats. This chemical is found in both animal products and vegetables.

Glycerin is extremely beneficial for skin care as it helps the skin absorb water from the environment and from skin care products. It is this ingredient in creams for dry and mature skin that helps ensure intensive skin hydration not only on the surface of the skin, but also in its deeper layers.

What is the best way to use products with glycerin?

The principle of action of glycerin is very simple - it helps the skin to absorb water from the nearest source of moisture. Dermatologists find that glycerin works best to hydrate the skin when used indoors with humid air, after washing the skin (or while washing the skin), and when using glycerin in combination with skin lotions that contain a high percentage of water (such as rose water). Glycerin then helps the skin absorb water from these sources.

What products can you find glycerin in?

In creams for mature skin

The older our skin is, the harder it is to retain moisture. This is because the aging of the skin leads to loss of the skin's natural oils. It is these fats that help to "lock" water in skin cells, thus ensuring skin elasticity and healthy moisture. That is why creams for mature skin primarily focus on moisturizing the skin, thus improving skin elasticity and slowing down the appearance of wrinkles.

In anti-wrinkle creams

Hyaluronic acid is usually found in anti-wrinkle creams. This acid performs an intensive skin moisturizing function, as a result of which the skin becomes more elastic and slows down the process of the formation of wrinkles. However, in some anti-wrinkle skin creams we can also find glycerin, which further activates the hydration of dry skin and contributes to skin care.

In creams for dry skin

Moisturizers for dry skin usually contain glycerin. It is one of the most popular ingredients in face creams and lotions in the world. External factors such as sun, wind or cold can make dry skin more difficult to care for. So creams with glycerin for dry skin should be included in the skin care routine all year round.

In body lotions and shower gel

Glycerin is often used to moisturize the skin of the whole body. Therefore, it is a popular ingredient in body lotions , shower creams or body washes . These products are recommended for use in the shower room (due to high humidity, which helps the glycerin to moisturize the skin). Some shower gels also contain a small amount of glycerin to help the skin absorb the shower water.

In hand creams

Although hand creams can be of different types (moisturizing, nourishing , protecting from environmental effects ), many of these creams contain glycerin. This ingredient helps the skin of the hands to remain elastic and prevents cracking and other mechanical damage. While ensuring good skin condition, hand creams also protect our body from bacteria and viruses that could penetrate through damaged or cracked skin.

Thus, glycerin is an extremely popular ingredient in many skin care products. It is extremely useful for the care of dry, mature or irritated skin and is a favorite of many dermatologists. That is why we recommend that you look into the ingredients of cosmetic products when choosing a face cream, body lotion or shower gel. Especially if you suffer from dry skin or spend a long time in cold weather or in the sun.

Posted by Aušrinė Vaičiūtė