Glycerin

10 Reviews

1. 

   excludedHyena0

   Reply

   There’s no question that glycerin will take care of any dryness that you have, no matter how severe. What makes it a bit difficult to use is finding the proper ratio between glycerin and whatever you use to mix it with (I use water.) Too little glycerin and it won’t be moisturizing enough. Too much glycerin (and it’s very easy to add too much) and it will leave an uncomfortably sticky finish. Maybe it’s not fair of me to give glycerin only an average rating when it’s partially down to user error whether you have success with it or not. Unfortunately, I still haven’t found that sweet spot where I can get it to work for me.

2. 

   sincereCake1

   Reply

   Glycerin clogs my pores horribly. I can’t use cleansers on face that contain it, can’t use with water- horrible reaction w clogged pores!!
   I tried using in my coconut oil (about 1 part glycerin, 5 parts oil) on my legs as a moisturizer. My legs got some bumps. This rarely happens bc my skin is so dry naturally.
   Luckily I found the vanicream bar to use as a facial cleanser & cerave lotion doesn’t bother me, even tho glycerin is top ingredient. Something about cleansing with it.. not sure.
   However, I think I’m rare. Most ppl love the stuff.

3. 

   joyfulHeron1

   Reply

   I would not recommend using glycerin alone or mixed with water as a moisturizer. It gave me closed comedones overnight. The issue with generic glycerin is that..you don’t know the source! Palm glycerin is almost guaranteed to break you out.

4. 

   jealousRaisins8

   Reply

   TL;DR (Summary): I have fussy, combo, acne-prone skin and most (multi ingredient) moisturizers break me out, so I used to go without one. I’m glad I found this. A solution of 2.5%, 5% or 7.5% or mixed with water works great for me as a very light daytime moisturizer when applied with a cotton pad, under my usual mineral sunscreen, undereye concealer and powder (I don’t wear foundation). I’ve found that higher percentages of glycerin or spraying/splashing this on makes it too sticky for daytime use. For PM use, I use either a 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, or 10% concentration in water with a fine mist spritzer so I don’t wipe off whatever water based actives I might be using (aha/bha).

   I use 100% vegetable based glycerin (I got the Now brand, $6 for an almost-too-enormous bottle, only because it was on sale. I’ve used a fraction of it. You really don’t need THAT much of this stuff). It costs me pennies to mix up a 3 oz bottle of diluted solution. I recommend small batches to keep your mixture fresh, and ward off any bacteria.

   —– Original Long Review (9/2018) —–
   My skin is combination type, dry but prone to acne (have tiny bumps all over, managed by bha/aha). My skin only seems to break out into acne pimples if I use moisturizer of any kind (I’m guessing because these typically contain dozens of ingredients, making it near impossible to figure out which ones my clog my pores). I like jojoba oil and Sqaulane oil as they are one ingredient, shelf stable and lightweight on my skin, but they are more of a barrier to prevent moisture loss, and do not draw water to the skin. Lately my skin has been parched despite giving it breaks from the aha/bha. I wanted a single ingredient moisturizer to add to my routine.

   To start, I mixed 10% glycerin with purified drinking water in a small bottle. I decided on a 10% concentration for the moment because Paula Begoun and others indicated 5% as the typical concentration in commercial products of all kinds (see link to more info below). Many reviewers were recommending a 1:4 ratio.25% seemed like a lot, so I thought I’d start with 10%.

   I’m still a little confused about being mindful of outdoor humidity levels when using glycerin on skin and hair. Many bloggers and reviewers warn that using glycerin in low humidity (under 65%) can result in water being pulled from the lower levels of epidermis (or the cortex/cuticle , in the case with hair). However, other sources (including Begoun’s research sources) say that this only occurs when you use a 100% concentration of glycerin. She goes on to say that that is why 5% is usually the norm, when mixed with other emollients and oils.

   Day 1
   AM: 10% mix, applied splashed on. My skin felt moister and less tight, if too sticky. It definitely looked less dry. After an hour it looked super shiny and oily. (Humidity outside 65%).
   PM: Splashed on the 10% mixture again after cleansing, followed by a couple drops of jojoba oil.

   Day 2:
   AM: Awoke to shiny, moist (and sticky) skin. After cleansing, I applied the 10% mix more sparingly with my fingertips to avoid the excess stickiness. It worked fairly well under my mineral sunscreen. By mid day I had a couple pimples on my chin. My skin has been so freaky lately (dehydrated yet very bumpy) so I’m not ready to blame it on the glycerin yet. It’s possible the jojoba added the night before was overkill and the combo smothered my skin.
   (I also added a squirt of glycerin to my homemade surf spray for hair, followed by my usual gel scrunched in. After air drying my waves were much bouncier and way less frizzy than usual.)
   PM: Post cleansing, applied the 10% mixture with a cotton pad this time. This seems to be the best way to avoid stickiness. My skin feels really soft, which is not normal for me 🙂
   (Humidity outdoors: ~80%)

   Day 3
   AM: Awoke to moisturized skin. Applied 10% mix, with a cotton pad after cleansing . My skin looked nice today. It helps that I stayed indoors, thus no spf or makeup (Humidity outside 85%).
   PM: 10% mixture patted on with a cotton pad after cleansing and added my 7% liquid aha toner. The glycerin mixture is great for my face but I also added some Cerave lotion under my eyes since that’s the only place it doesn’t seem to adequately moisturize.

   Day 4
   AM: I decided the best way to apply this for a thinner application in daytime (to avoid shiny skin) is to wipe on (thinner application) and/or pat it on (heavier) with cotton pad, depending on where I need more moisture. Did this, and wore my mineral sunscreen on top. While this moisturizer could not help my poor, dehydrated, sleep deprived undereyes today (very little sleep), I’m happy that it really helps my mineral spf look less chalky and dry. (Humidity outside 90%).
   PM: Once I restarted my AHA toner I realized that using a cotton pad to apply this after was also partially wiping the AHA off. So started by patting this on before also patting on AHA and or BHA. Cerave under eyes.

   Update (1/2019)
   My skin has been crazy dehydrated this winter. Since my first trial (above) , I have changed my usage of this a bit. Now I use either a 2.5%, 5% or 7.5% during the day, and upping to max 10% at night only if my skin is parched. I also switched to a fine spritzer bottle for PM use so I don’t wipe off my AHA or BHA when I apply this.That’s pretty much it. It’s a great, inexpensive and versatile ingredient (I also mix this with body lotion, and want to try spritzing the water/glycerin solution on my face while washing to avoid overstripping by the cleanser. Another reviewer posted that tip and it seems worth trying).

   (As an aside, the humidty in my area this winter has been wide ranging: 60-85% )
   ___
   More info

5. 

   thrilledCrane9

   Reply

   UPDATE 01 May 2019: Glycerin and water is a mixture which I use everyday. As moisturizer, my skin likes the combo very much (prone to pimples, oily T-zone, normal cheeks). As a primer for makeup, it creates a smooth, sticky surface which makes the application of foundation and concealer easy and flawless. I also like to use it with my Juno sponge (dupe) to remove the powdery finish after setting it with powder. Undereye area looks smooth and not like the dry Sahara anymore. Definitely a life changer for me.

   OLD REVIEW:
   Glycerin is my new moisturizer. My HG moisturizer.
   I mix it with water, spritz it on my face, leave it for 1/2 hour and gently dab my face with one layer of tissue.

   I used it as an eyeshadow base today but it started creasing after 1 hour. But it makes my eyeshadows look pigmented as f*ck! I’ll try the tip someone gave me here (thank you), to use a regular eyeshadow primer first and then a thin layer of pure glycerin.

   I try to stay away from a foundation face (only spot concealing) so I applied a thin layer of pure glycerin where I wanted to put my highlighter and guess what? It showed up like it would blend the sun! Plus it was a drugstore highlighter, low pigmented. But with glycerin it looked so pigmented and glowy! It’s important to use a thin layer and not any product underneath, or it will cause this to fade away quickly.

   Since I use glycerin/water my lips are in a general better condition. I didn’t experience any dryness there at all.

   I didn’t experiene any reactions, my skin looks and feels hydrated all the time which makes me happy.

   I have combination skin, oily T-zone, normal-dry cheeks. And an oily nose which tends to get dry sometimes (a mystery to me).

6. 

   ashamedViper1

   Reply

   At first I had trouble how to use glycerin. I tried a few drops mixed with water in my hand then pat on my face, using it straight up, mixing with my moisturizer and finally mix A LOT of water with only several drops of glycerin and tea tree oil in a spray bottle. The last method works best for me. I have to keep in mind that I don’t need very much glycerin. Once I put a bit much I can feel that my face is sticky after it dries after the spray. My face was in a very dry state (scaly) with cystic pimples. I was trying to eliminate the pimples with drying ingredients. This took care of dryness after one application. I do it after washing my face. I don’t need to use moisturizer afterwards. It feels very refreshing (the tea tree oil adds to that) and my face stays moisturized. I feel there’s a tiny bit of residue (like a light coating on my face) with very diluted amount of glycerin. When I put too much 1:1 water glycerin, I feel that my face couldn’t breathe – I strongly feel could contribute to clog pores. So, use the glycerin sparingly with lots of water. Then you can apply the mist very liberally.

7. 

   crushedKitten3

   Reply

   3.75 ☆
   Glycerin is real good for my dehydrated skin. However sometimes I get some tiny bumps after applying it. Face feels real soft after using it. The first time I applied it, my scars faded about 20% and my face was brighter! I was quite surprised but subsequent applications not so much.

   Uses:
   I usually use it as a mask, applying it 4:1 glycerin:water and leave it on for max 30 mins. Sometimes I guess it’s too concentrated, it will have tiny droplets on your skin and it feels sticky.

   For daily use I’ll apply 1:1 glycerin:water and apply after washing my face.

   Apply 4:1 glycerin:water and slab on a thick layer of aloe gel and leave on for 30 mins.

   Apply 1:1 glycerin:water and a thin layer of Vaseline to seal the moisture

   Downside: sticky after feeling, tiny bumps (for me so I only do it occasionally)

   Btw I agree with a reviewer regarding the humidity level. Not so advisable if the air is less humid. It does the reverse.

8. 

   finickySausage3

   Reply

   I think knowing how to use this in the right way is key, like many others mentioned already. When I first started getting into green & clean beauty, I purchased a bottle of vegetable glycerin but didn’t know what the heck it was for (lack of research on my part!) — it had been sitting in my bathroom cabinet ever since, until last week.

   I have dry, dehydrated skin that always feels tight, so I resorted to using mixture of heavy creams and oils. This seemed to do the job of keeping my skin looking dewy and glowy, but after a few hours my skin would still feel tight and dehydrated on the inside. I went through so many moisturizers that will properly hydrate my skin. I believed that I found a couple that work for me, but frequent small breakouts and blackheads made me wonder that maybe I’m overloading my pores with too much product and doing more harm than good by putting my skin out of balance. I thought, I should try using the “less is more” approach—-less oil and less product.

   I was watching a show on tv with my mom and it was talking about making a DIY toner using glycerin. I remembered that I had a bottle somewhere in my cabinet, so I mixed a couple drops of rosewater, one drop of rosehip oil, and one drop of glycerin in the palm of my hand, and gently pat the watery mixture on freshly washed face. Holy cow, my skin had never felt this plump and hydrated in years!!! I felt like I somehow reversed my skin’s condition back to high school days when I had young, naturally plump skin. Even when I wake up in the morning, my skin looks glowy and amazing, whereas when I was using heavy creams I still woke up with my face feeling dry and tight. I still cannot believe this small amount of thin, watery mixture is enough to fully hydrate my face overnight and over the course of my day. And so dirt cheap too!!! I hope this isn’t just my feeling, but because I’m not slathering something heavy anymore, my pores seem much clearer and I haven’t broken out.

   Now I have an empty spray bottle filled with 8 parts rosewater and 2 parts glycerin, and I spritz it EVERYWERE: my hair, my body before I put on body lotions, my face mixed with rosehip oil, etc. And although it’s only been a week since I changed to this routine, I think my skin is becoming more balanced and youthful day by day. Will not look back to anything else!!! I purchased mine from iherb.com, where you can get $10 off your order using code YEW608.

9. 

   cockyEland3

   Reply

   My skin: not too dry, not oily, no acne or sensitivity. It’s winter now and skin is leaning toward dry.
   What I wanted: something to apply at night that would hydrate, plump and refresh my skin. Tired of waking up with dry-ish, crinkly skin around my eyes and forehead. Tried a few finished products, night creams, etc. Didn’t like them.
   (during the day I use a custom blend of roséhip seed oil/argan oil/vitamin e oil/carrot seed essential oil as my moisturizer, and I love it)
   I’ve started using 100% organic veg glycerin and water mixture on bare skin after cleansing at night. Ratio is 4:1 water/glycerin. Sometimes I cover with a layer of cocoa butter as to create an occlusive barrier, other times I apply it with some coconut oil. Also, when I’m taking a shower but not cleansing my face, occasionally I’ll apply the glycerin/water to my face and neck before hopping in.

   The feel of glycerin on the skin is amazing. I can’t describe it, it just feels moist and the skin feels plump. So far, so good. It’s also working wonders on my nails!
   I’ll update this review after some time goes by.
   ***I should add that the first time I used the glycerin/water mix, it burned my cheeks. I was using a cotton pad and trying to remove make up with it. I’ve lessened the amount of glycerin in the mix, and don’t use cotton any longer, and I’ve not had the irritation since.***

10. 

    ashamedMare0

    Reply

    My porcelain-white skinned daughter got a horrible sunburn yesterday. I needed to get moisture on her skin pronto, but her face & shoulders were burned so badly that I was afraid even a gently applied coating of one of my moisturizers would sting (then be nearly impossible to remove without further damaging her skin & adding to her pain). I squeezed some fresh aloe vera gel from the plant on the kitchen windowsill, but she wouldn’t let me near her with that “stinky, gross, green” stuff.

    Then I remembered my science-y son had a bottle of glycerin for chemistry experiments! I figured if it was an ingredient in most lotions, it might help rehydrate her burned areas without irritation. A quick read of the label confirmed that it was, indeed, a moisturizer.

    I mixed up a solution of 50% glycerin & 50% water (because that’s what the glycerin label said to do) in a small bowl. No stink. Not goo. Crystal clear. She was good with it. So I soaked a cotton ball in it, put a towel under my sweet girl & gently dabbed it on. Not only did it not sting, she said it felt “so good.”.

    Thanks to that ONE application of the glycerin mix & some Advil she slept through the night peacefully (shirtless & on a soft fleece blanket). Amazing.

    Even more amazing though, is that the redness was 90% GONE this morning! (And she said her skin didn’t hurt anymore)!

    WOW!!!

    (And it only cost about $4.00/bottle)!?!

    HG status!