4 Benefits of Using Glycerin for Your Skin

How much time do you spend looking at the ingredient list on your favorite skin care products? We’re willing to bet that most people aren’t paying the ingredients too much attention. However, if you start to, you might notice something interesting. Turn around all the products sitting in your medicine cabinet and take a peek at the labels. What do you see? Chances are you’ll notice that many of the products in your collection feature a very popular moisturizing ingredient—glycerin. Also known as glycerol, glycerin is a chemical compound that has been used in skin care products for decades, thanks to its myriad of benefits. If you’re wondering why exactly glycerin is found in the formulations of so many products, we’re about to dive into all it can offer your skin.

Benefit #1: Adds Moisture to Your Skin

It doesn’t take long to figure out why moisturizers are so often formulated with glycerin. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the ingredient is recognized for its ability to add moisture to the skin. The AAD even makes a point to recommend products containing glycerin when you’re dealing with dry skin, like during the cold winter months for example.

Benefit #2: Soothes and Comforts Dryness

Dry skin may not look the best, but what’s worse is it doesn’t feel great either. If you’ve ever washed your face with a facial cleanser that’s a tad too harsh, you’ll be familiar with the tight, uncomfortable feeling of very dry skin. This happens to be another area where glycerin shines, with the AAD listing it as an ingredient that helps to soothe dry skin.

Benefit #3: Improves Elasticity

A loss of elasticity—when you stretch your skin and it no longer snaps back into place straight away—can be an unfortunate side effect of getting older. This is why many people advise against repeated facial movements—think: furrowing your brown or frowning—as the grooves and creases these expressions can cause may not bounce back as easily over time, and could become permanent fixtures on your face. While loss of skin elasticity is a natural part of aging, there are ways to encourage elasticity in your skin. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), glycerol plays a role in skin elasticity. 

Benefit #4: Helps Repair the Skin’s Barrier

Quick biology lesson: the epidermis is the top layer of skin, or the part you can see. The epidermis has an important job, as it helps to protect and maintain your skin. The barrier helps keep harmful contaminants out while also ensuring that moisture stays in. Due to its critical function, it’s never a positive when the epidermal barrier is damaged. When such a circumstance does occur, the NCBI reveals that glycerin/glycerol can contribute to epidermal barrier repair.  

Our Favorite Products Formulated with Glycerin

Now that you know all about what glycerin has to offer your complexion, you’ll no doubt want to incorporate it into your skin care routine. If you aren’t sure where to start, check out our roundup of the best products formulated with glycerin, here.