Glycerin Uses

Glycerin is an organic compound, which is a polyol compound and is odorless. The other names of glycerin are ' glycerol' and 'glycerin'. It is soluble in water and alcohol but not soluble in oil. It is sweet tasting and is low on toxicity. It is most prominently used in the pharmaceutical and soap making industry. It is produced from animal or vegetable sources.

Glycerin Uses for Skin
Products containing glycerin are gentle on the skin. They are safe to be used on children's skin, as glycerin does not cause any irritation to skin. It attracts water to the skin and restores the suppleness of the skin, as it moisturizes the skin and cleanses it as well. Wrinkles are caused when the skin loses moisture and elasticity and as a person ages, the resources sent to the skin deplete and the body is not able to replenish them. When glycerin is applied, it forms a protective cover against moisture loss.

The skin care products which contain glycerin include moisturizers, creams and lotions, soaps, deodorants and make up products, like, mascara and lipstick. The use of glycerin in make up removing products has also increased manifold, as it easily cuts through the make up, yet is gentle on the skin. Among many liquid glycerin uses, one is making soap at home. Shaving creams also contain glycerin as it does not dry the skin out and has a soothing effect on the skin after shaving.

Vegetable glycerin uses are also seen in the pharmaceutical industry. Glycerin is used as a topical medication for yeast and fungal infections, like, psoriasis, eczema, etc. Also, there are many drugs used to treat ear infections that contain glycerin.

Here is a small skin care pack which will help you to soften your dry rough skin. Mix glycerin, honey, water, all in equal quantities. To this add oatmeal till the liquid thickens, to make a mask like texture. Spread it where you notice dry skin. After 20 minutes, wash it off and pat dry. Alternately, you can also choose to make a glycerin soap at home and use it to protect your skin from chemical rich products, that are available in the market.

Glycerin Uses for Hair
To keep the frizz away in curly hair, glycerin helps a great deal. Glycerin works well with curly and dry hair, as it draws moisture from the air to the hair shaft. The curls are well formed after the use of glycerin on dry curly hair. Therefore, it is not uncommon to see people using glycerin as a conditioner, after washing their hair. If you feel that your hair has become frizzy due to the dry weather, you can take some glycerin on your hand and dilute it with water. Now run your hands through your hair. If you feel like, you may choose to add essential oils according to your taste to the glycerin and water mixture.

Pure Glycerin Uses
Pure glycerin can be used for cleaning purposes as well. It instantly kills all the bacteria as soon as it comes in contact with the bacteria. It draws out water from bacteria, instantly killing it. If a person is suffering from halitosis or bad breath, the person should be asked to gargle with glycerin, as it helps in killing the bacteria in the mouth causing bad breath. It can also be used as a decongestant. Adults or children suffering from nasal congestion can rub a small quantity of glycerin to the nostrils. This helps in clearing the congestion.

Glycerin Uses in Food Industry
Glycerin is also used in the confectionery and baking industry. It is used to soften icing used on cakes. Not only does it soften cakes, it is also adds sweetness to the cake. Sugar crystallization in candy is prevented by the use of glycerin in it. Glycerin is often also used as a sweetener, as it does not cause blood sugar levels to rise. The use of glycerin for preserving food has also increased manifold. It is seen that glycerin is also used as an emulsifier. Its use can also be seen in shortenings and margarine.

Other Glycerin Uses

• Among the other uses, biodiesel glycerin uses ranks high. Glycerin, in its impure form, is a byproduct, while manufacturing biodiesel. The main crude glycerin uses is to derive ethanol from it.
• Glycerin is one of the ingredients which goes into the making of Nitroglycerin. Nitroglycerin is an important product used to manufacture smokeless gunpowder.
• If you have sticky food that is spilled in the refrigerator, you can make use of glycerin to get rid of it. It is a natural solvent and helps in removing spills.
• If you want to preserve fruits, you can do so by using glycerin. These days, glycerin is widely used by the textile industry as well. There are two main uses of glycerin in the textile industry: one is to soften the yards of fabric and the other is to lubricate fiber.

Before I end this write up, just a word of caution, make sure glycerin is not used on its own on your skin or hair, lest it will dry your skin or hair and cause blisters. With all the above mentioned glycerin uses, we can safely conclude that it is a versatile product. At the same time, it is inexpensive to produce.