Gycerin ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is primarily a humectant, meaning it binds water and helps keep skin and hair products feeling hydrated. It also supports texture, slip, and formula stability in water-based products.
What does Gycerin do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is primarily a humectant, meaning it binds water and helps keep skin and hair products feeling hydrated. It also supports texture, slip, and formula stability in water-based products.
Is Gycerin clean?
This ingredient is widely accepted in clean-beauty standards and is generally well tolerated, with low allergy and irritation concern. At higher levels, it can feel sticky or briefly sting on very compromised skin, but it is not a restricted-list concern in typical cosmetic use.
Is Gycerin sustainable?
This ingredient is commonly made from plant oils or as a co-product of biodiesel production, though petrochemical routes also exist. It is readily biodegradable, with sourcing traceability most relevant when palm-derived feedstocks are used.
Is Gycerin COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic standards when made from allowed raw materials and processed by accepted methods. It aligns well with Green Chemistry when bio-based, due to low persistence, broad utility at low levels, and water-compatible formulation behavior.
How does Gycerin work chemically?
The molecule is a small three-carbon triol with three hydroxyl groups, which explains its strong water-binding capacity and complete water miscibility. Typical use ranges are about 1 to 10 percent in skin care, higher in some rinse-off or treatment formats, and it is stable across the normal cosmetic pH range.
Last updated 2026-05-16