Why is glycerin used in some personal care products?
Glycerin is produced during soap manufacturing and has several valuable properties in skincare products. Firstly it is a humectant, which means that it helps to retain moisture in creams and lotions. The earliest known hand cream was made from equal parts of glycerin and rosewater. Secondly, glycerin is an emollient, which means it makes the skin feel softer and smoother and helps to reduce wrinkles. This is achieved partly through coating the shin with a thin layer of oily wax, and partly by reducing water loss from the skin. Glycerin is also a solvent and helps different ingredients used in many creams and lotions mix together.
