This Is The Ingredient You Need In ALL Your Skincare Products!

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Winter is around the corner, which means you’re going to need to step up hydrating your skin! Fortunately, there’s one ingredient you can look out for in absolutely all your skincare products that will make a huge difference… Introducing glycerin, the super hydrating, healing ingredient that’s in a ton of skincare products and one you need to look out for. But, while it’s all very well looking for it in products, buying your own glycerin and incorporating it into your skin, hair, and body routine can prove way more effective and cheaper. This 16oz bottle of vegetable glycerin from NOW costs just $6 on Amazon – and you should read the reviews; people are VERY happy about it! One makeup artist even says she uses it as a skin-perfecting primer!

What is glycerin: Glycerin is a colorless liquid that naturally occurs in our skin, and because it’s a humectant, it draws moisture to the upper layers of the skin. Glycerin can be extracted from all fats and is typically extracted from vegetables for use in skincare.

The benefits of glycerin: Glycerin is usually extracted from vegetables, which makes it full of natural goodness! Traditionally, glycerin is used to treat skin conditions such as psoriasis as it slows down the shedding process and allows skin cells to reach full maturity – combatting premature skin shedding. It’s also used to treat dermatitis and eczema, as it’s so hydrating and has healing properties.

Although you can find glycerin in a ton of beauty products, this seriously affordable product can actually be used for a whole load of things:

Toner

As well as being super hydrating, glycerin also helps balance the pH level of your skin, which can help to prevent breakouts, dryness, oiliness, and other annoying skin issues. Glycerin is a seriously one-fits-all product, as it works for just about every skin type! Look out for it in your toners, or you can make your own DIY toner. Did we mention it also has anti-aging properties for filling out fine lines? Give us the bottle!

DIY Toner: Combine one tablespoon of glycerin with four tablespoons of rose water in a bottle. Soak a cotton pad in the solution and sweep over the face morning and night.

Hair spritz

Whether it’s the summer sunshine or the dry winter air, our hair doesn’t catch much of a break! Fortunately, products like glycerin can keep frizz, dehydration, and overall damage in check. One reviewer on Amazon even said, “I have extremely thick African American hair and my hair soaks up moisture like a sponge! This is the ONLY product I’ve used in my 28 years of living that has kept my hair moisturized for more than one day. So happy I found this just last month. I’m in love!” – now that’s a pretty great review!

DIY Hair Spray: There are tons of ways you can use glycerin on your hair: Create a glycerin hair spritz by adding two teaspoons of glycerin and two teaspoons of olive oil to a spray bottle. Top it off with distilled water and spritz lightly all over freshly washed, damp hair.

DIY Hair Mask: For an ultra-intense strengthening mask, combine one tbsp of olive oil, two tablespoons of castor oil, one teaspoon of glycerin, two tbsp of honey, and one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a bowl and massage it (from root to ends) into dry hair. Let it sit for 30 minutes, wash your hair as usual and say hello to luscious locks!

Moisturiser

If your skin is dry and dehydrated,  glycerin will be your best friend. Add a little bit of glycerin to your regular body lotion, and you’ll see instant results. Apply it to freshly showered skin, and you’re good to go; plus it’ll give you a gorgeous sheen that even Rihanna would envy.

Cracked heels

Fierce AF shoes can come with a price – tired, aching feet. Every gal boss knows the struggles of aches and dryness when you’ve been on your feet all day, but guess what – glycerin! At the end of a long one, lather your heels in glycerin and put your feet up. Pop on a pair of socks and let it sit overnight. For an extra smoothing effect, soak your feet in warm water and give them a scrub before applying.

Cuticle Conditioner

To make sure your manicure looks its best for as long as possible, you’ve got to look after your cuticles. Soothe dry cuticles by rubbing a drop of glycerin into them, and then rub along it into your nail beds. Tip: Pre-soaking your hands in warm water will help soften the cuticle and make them more susceptible to the moisturizing properties of glycerin.

Anti-dandruff scalp conditioner

Anti-dandruff treatments are stacked sky-high on shelves, but knowing which ones really do the job is a little tricky. There are lots of different reasons why we get dandruff, so an easy fix is no easy feat (check out our easy guide to getting rid of dandruff if you’re struggling right now). The key to an all-around healthy scalp is to keep it hydrated, and that’s where glycerin comes in! Before washing, apply a little bit of glycerin to your fingertips and massage it into your scalp for five minutes, then let it sit for ten minutes before washing your hair as usual! You’ll see a difference in no time.

Let us know if you’ve tried glycerin in the comments below or if you’re excited to try it now. We also love to use glycerin in DIY sheet masks, check out how we do it here.