Holy Grail Alert: Glycerin as a Moisturizer

Hey everyone! Sorry I've been MIA for the past 2 weeks, I've been extremely busy with school and moving. I wanted to finally post about my new Holy Grail (HG), pure Glycerin! In this post I’ll describe what I use it for, how I use it, and the amazing results I’ve had!  

What is it?: Glycerin is almost always the main moisturizing ingredient in moisturizer. It works by absorbing water from the air or the surface of your skin into your skin. By using pure glycerin, you are just bypassing all the other unnecessary ingredients present in Since it is made of only one ingredient, you don't have to worry about oil/parabens/fragrance/etc.

It says dilute with 2 parts water but that would be WAYYY too sticky!

What I use it for: I mainly use it for my face but I'll sometimes also use it for my body, though the application method gets a little messier that way. It also serves as a foundation primer and eyeshadow primer (like Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy) because it dries down to a slightly tacky finish which helps my makeup adhere better and last longer. Like Pixie Epoxy, this tackiness helps prevent fallout and makes the glitter and shimmer stay truer when applied.

How I apply it:
1. For my face, I put a drop or two in my palm (one for daytime and two for nighttime) 

One drop

A little more than 2!

2. Then I add about 10 times as much water. I never really measure the water out, I just approximate by filling the cupped area of my palm with water. Using at least a 1:10 ratio of glycerin to water helps prevent the glycerin from drying to too sticky on your face.

3. Then I use the index finger of my other hand to pat the water to mix the glycerin and water together. I gently rub my hands together and pat the glycerin all over my face. Your face will be wet and slightly dripping, which is good because you want the glycerin to absorb all that moisture into your skin. 

4. A few minutes later when the water has dried I take another teaspoon or so of just water (no glycerin) in my hands and pat that all over my face again so that my skin can be extra hydrated. Once the water is absorbed you’ll notice that your skin is nice and plump with moisture.

If I’m using it as a body moisturizer I use the same ratio but just redo these steps enough times to cover the rest of my body.

Other Uses: Many of you may use MAC Fix+ and similar sprays, but glycerin can also be used to make a homemade dupe of Fix+! I don’t really have any interest in using it but I know many people who use glycerin this way. Recipes for this can be found here

Results: I used to use jojoba oil as my facial moisturizer, but that wasn’t quite moisturizing enough for my normal to dry skin. I had dry, flaky patches of skin in my T-zone (so counterintuitive right?) that wouldn’t really go away even when I used Vaseline in those areas. I’ve used glycerin for a month now and never once have I had dry patches since I started! No more foundation clinging to flakes! It literally gives my skin a beautiful glow because my skin is sooo hydrated and healthy!

My skin is extremely smooth and never dry or oily. Glycerin has not clogged my pores or caused me to break out, which only usually happens when I use traditional moisturizers (not single ingredient products like oils or glycerin). It does not irritate my skin at all and because there’s no fragrance or other mysterious ingredients, I have no worries that it is poisoning me or anything. I find that it also serves as a face primer because it helps my foundation, blush, highlighter, and eyeshadow adhere better and be more true to color on my face. 

Overall, I am impressed with how simple, easy, and effective glycerin is. I would definitely recommend you give this a try. Of course your mileage may vary as with all skin products.

Where to buy it: Glycerin is available at every drugstore for around $5 in one of the health care aisles. Make sure you buy 100% pure glycerin USP. It is always totally clear and usually comes in a bottle like this one. It lasts FOREVER because you only need a few drops a day.

 Have you ever tried glycerin? Will you give it a try?