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You might have noticed a certain ingredient popping up in recent years; Hyaluronic acid is in everything. It started as just another humectant in moisturizer to help your skin retain moisture. And then all of a sudden, it showed up in serums and sunscreens and even foundation. It made us think, maybe this isn’t so hydrating. Enter a new kid on the block that just might do a better job: glycerin. While glycerin isn’t a new skincare ingredient, in fact, it’s an OLD one, but it’s one that’s finally being given the attention it deserves. And for good reason.
Glycerin, also called glycerol, is a sugar alcohol that’s colorless, odorless, and syrupy. It’s also a humectant, which means it attracts moisture from the surrounding environment and helps to retain it on the skin’s surface. It strengthens the skin’s natural barrier function, making it especially great for those with sensitive skin. Glycerin also helps to make the skin feel softer and smoother by improving its texture. It can help reduce dryness, flakiness, and roughness, giving the skin a more supple feel.
This isn’t just something brand founders woke up and decided to start using in more and more skincare products. The experts agree it’s great for our skin. “Glycerin is a superstar and my personal fave humectant,” Dr. Shereene Idriss, board-certified dermatologist, founder of Idriss Dermatology in NYC, and creator of the #PillowtalkDerm series on Instagram, told StyleCaster. “It provides a holy trinity of benefits: it decelerates water loss while offering both skin penetration and retention properties in the dermis.”
Hyaluronic acid, she says, “can be anti-inflammatory when used in too many steps of your skincare routine which is counterproductive for your skin.”
As Glossy reported last November, skincare brand Experiment Beauty has been working to give glycerin the attention it deserves since 2020. Lisa Guerrera, co-founder and CEO of Experiment, explained why to StyleCaster.
“Glycerin has been the gold standard for hydration for decades, but recently it hasn’t been deemed the most ‘interesting’ by beauty marketers who will often gravitate towards more trendy ingredients like hyaluronic acid than an old classic ingredient like glycerin,” she said. “I love glycerin not only because it’s amazing for hydration at most usage levels, but also because it has so many other benefits at different concentrations and it has one of the lowest irritation profiles in skincare.”
She explained that glycerin is typically used at low concentrations because it’s sticky and hard to formulate with, so most brands opt to use it below 10 percent which is effective for hydration. “Above 10 percent glycerin has been shown to protect skin against irritation, and above 25 percent glycerin has been shown to have barrier-repairing properties,” she adds. “So not only is glycerin one of our best hydrators, it’s also one of the most versatile and least irritating!”
Have we convinced you yet? Shop our favorite products packed with glycerin, below.
There’s a whopping 30 percent glycerin in Experiment’s cult-fave Super Saturated barrier support serum. As a big fan myself, the sticky texture surprised me at first and now I can’t imagine my routine without it. It hydrates my dry, itchy skin better than any hyaluronic acid and without breaking me out like heavy creams tend to do. It helps that it also contains bisabolol, prickly pear extract, and niacinamide to keep irritation at bay.
Dr. Idriss’ brightening vitamin C-enriched moisturizer, Major Fade Active Seal Moisturizer, majorly hydrates as well with, you guessed it, the addition of glycerin.
You wouldn’t expect a setting spray to be packed with glycerin but that’s what makes Caliray’s Surfproof Setting Spray feel so hydrating. It doesn’t just set your makeup but refreshes your skin whenever you need it.
You probably see TikTokers using Charlotte Tilbury Magic Serum Crystal Elixir before applying makeup — there’s a good reason. The polyglutamic acid and glycerin work together to plump and hydrate the skin, making it a perfect base for makeup.
OG dry skin favorite, Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream, promises to be packed with squalane but not’s not the only hydrator! The addition of glycerin helps retain moisture and soften skin.
Samantha Ellis, MD, is a board-certified medical and cosmetic dermatologist, who recently launched her brand Prequel to bring healthy skincare products to the masses. My favorite is the Gleanser Non-Drying Glycerin Cleanser, which is 50 percent glycerin to soften skin while it cleanses the face and body.
Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Glazing Milk does a stellar job of hydrating skin and leaving it free from irritation. That’s thanks to glycerin, ceramides, and polysaccharides.
After the popularity of Tower 28’s SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray, the brand rolled out its barrier-enforcing, sensitive skin-fave SOS Daily Skin Barrier Redness Recovery Moisturizer. Though it’s marketed to have hyaluronic acid and ceramides, check the ingredient list and you’ll also find glycerin. (That must be why I love it so much.)
Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion is a dry skin must-have for the face and body thanks to its sensitive skin-friendly, hydrating formula with glycerin and panthenol (vitamin B5).
Although The Ordinary’s Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA literally has hyaluronic acid in its name, there’s also urea, allantoin, sodium PCA, glycerin, and 11 amino acids to provide that comfortable hydration.
One of the best things about glycerin as an ingredient is that it doesn’t cost a million dollars. You can get hydrating products for affordable prices, like Aveeno Calm + Restore Triple Oat Hydrating Face Serum . The brand’s Triple Oat Complex (oat flour, extract, and oil) soothes and nourishes skin, while glycerin hydrates and calms.
Walsh likes the Spacedye Movement Skirt, which can be styled with a sports bra and sneakers or a turtleneck and boots. It’s that versatile. It comes in seven colors and sizes XS to XL. Go for the Spacedye Move It Skirt for more size options.
