4 Reasons You Need Glycerin in Your Skincare Routine

If you gather up all your favorite hydrating skincare products and look at the ingredient lists, chances are you’ll notice one ingredient in common in most of them: glycerin. Also known as glycerol, glycerin is a humectant, which means it pulls moisture from the air into your skin. Keep reading to find out why this power ingredient works such wonders for your complexion.

It Adds Moisture to Your Skin

It doesn’t take long to figure out why moisturizers are so often formulated with glycerin. It’s one of the top ingredients the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends for rehydrating dry skin. It’s also an emollient, which means it can make skin appear softer and smoother. The L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives Hyaluronic Acid Serum combines glycerin with another humectant, hyaluronic acid, to pull in more moisture. 

It Soothes and Comforts Dryness

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. Instead, we recommend using a gentle glycerin-infused face wash, like the CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser. 

It 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 brow 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. 

It 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.  

Photo: Chaunte Vaughn

Read More:

How to Apply Makeup on Dry, Peeling Skin

5 Products Every Natural Skincare Lover Needs to Try

This Is Why Your Skin Actually Needs Sebum