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Profile: Vegetable Glycerin

Commonly known as: Glycerin (INCI), glycerol, propane-1,2,3-triol, trihydroxypropane, glyceritol, propanetriol.
Botanical name: Brassica napus, Helianthus annuus, Elaeis guineensis, etc.
Extraction process: Extraction from vegetable-based oils (rapeseed, corn, sunflower, palm, soy, coconut, olive, flax, palm kernel...), followed by a stage of distillation, decolourisation and filtration.
Family: Various.
Part of the plant extracted: Vegetable oils.
Location: /
Flowering: /
Provenance, origin: South-East Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia) and Europe (France, Germany, Belgium, Romania, Ukraine, etc.).
Phytochemical composition: A chemical compound with three hydroxyl groups of the alcohol type (trialcohol).
Sensorial properties: Appearance: Viscous and thick liquid; Colour: Colourless to light yellow; Odour: Odourless.
Physical characteristics: Molar mass: 92.0932 g/mol; Density: 1.2 - 1.3 g/cm3; Miscible in water and ethanol; Slightly soluble in acetone; Non-miscible in fatty oils and essential oils; Recommended dosage for use in a cosmetic aqueous phase: from 2 to 10%.
Benefits: Softening, antibacterial, anti-irritant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, soothing, healing, humectant, hydrating, protective, emollient, solvent, lubricating, thickening, keratolytic, plasticising, photoprotective, virucidal.
Concerns: All skin types, especially dry skin, mature skin, and dehydrated skin; All hair types, particularly dry hair.

Details

Properties

  • Softening: Enhancing the appearance of the skin by providing comfort and softness through maintaining a constant level of hydration;

  • Anti-inflammatory, anti-irritant: Alleviate inflamed skin and soothe irritations by inhibiting the expression level of certain inflammatory cytokines, reducing the number of immune cells at the site of irritation, and decreasing the speed of blood flow and the diameter of micro-vessels;

  • Antibacterial, virucidal: Slowing down the growth, and reducing the population of bacteria and viruses;

  • Healing: Speeding up the healing process of skin wounds by enhancing the proliferation of epidermal cells;

  • Hydrating: Maintaining skin hydration and preventing dehydration by attracting and retaining moisture from the surrounding air and the dermis, attributed to its chemical structure rich in hydrophilic hydroxyl groups, and by inhibiting the crystallisation into solid form of the lipids in the stratum corneum;

  • Keratolytic: Promotes the breakdown of corneodesmosomes, which are responsible for the cohesion of corneocytes, by altering the activity of desquamating enzymes;

  • Plasticising: Halting water loss by strengthening the skin's barrier function through the formation of a "pseudo-occlusive" film on the epidermis;

  • "Photoprotective": Potentially protecting the skin against X-rays and UV light at 365 nm.

Applications

  • Facial Care (face creams, serums, masks, makeup removal lotions, lip balms, facial scrubs, hydrating mists, shaving foams, eye contour creams);

  • Body Care (body creams, moisturising lotions, shower gels, exfoliating gels, nourishing hand balms, after-sun lotions);

  • Haircare (shampoos, conditioners, hair masks, moisturising hair lotions, styling gels);

  • Hygiene (hand sanitisers, toothpastes);

  • Makeups (lipsticks, lip glosses, blushes).

Method of Preservation

Store at room temperature (minimum 20°C and maximum 60°C), shielded from light, but most importantly, protected from moisture.

Contraindications, Usage Precautions

Glycerin is among the most tolerated active ingredients. It is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin. Indeed, it is present in many hypoallergenic products. Its use is permitted in babies under 3 years old, children under 6 years old, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women.

However, glycerine should be used diluted on the skin, as there is a risk of causing irritations or mild allergies. An overdose of glycerine (beyond 10%) could have a drying effect on the skin.

  • In a cream, a lotion, a cleansing gel, a lip balm: 2 to 5% maximum in the formulation;

  • In a shower gel and a shampoo: 2 to 10% maximum in the formulation.

Find out more

Glycerine was first discovered in 1783 by the Swedish pharmacist and chemist Carl Wilhelm SCHEELE, who boiled olive oil with lead oxide, and then in 1823 by the French chemist Michel-Eugène CHEVREUL during the soap-making process (saponification). Its name derives from the Greek word "glykerós", meaning "sweet". Historically, glycerine was of animal and synthetic origin. Today, we can utilise 100% plant-based glycerine, produced from vegetable oils rich in fatty acids. In addition to its humectant properties due to its high affinity with water, it is also an excellent solvent for extracting the active ingredients of a plant, much better than with water or alcohol. Glycerine is also a very good emulsifier; it facilitates the mixing of ingredients in a formula.