Vegetable glycerin is a natural humectant that absorbs and holds water. The cool thing about this ingredient, is that it is able to draw moisture out of the air and to our skin. Vegetable glycerin is super versatile and can be used in a variety of personal care products.
Table of Contents
Vegetable Glycerin: Basic Information
INCI Name: Glycerin
Shelf Life: Store in a cool, dark and dry place it can last for up to 2 years.
Use Rate: Normally 2-5%, anything higher than this in a leave on product and it feels sort of sticky on your skin. For products that are not left on your skin, it can be used upto 40%.
Appearance: Colorless, Clear, sticky and a viscous liquid. It does not have an odor.
Solubility: Soluble in water and alcohol.
Guidelines: Usually, added to the water phase (hot or cold). It is also sometimes added in the cool down phase.
Uses: This is used as a humectant and emollient. It is also commonly used to suspend or disperse ingredients that are hard to mix into a formula.
Some recipes that use Vegetable Glycerin
How is it made?
So there are different ways that it can be made. Normally, it is obtained from vegetable fats. Typically, from soybean or coconut oil.
Organic vegetable glycerin is made from hydrolysis extraction. Which is basically, extracting the glycerin with with high temperatures and water pressure. It is kind of cool, because it will separate into three different layers: glycerin, water and oil. The glycerin is them vacuum-distilled and filtered before it is finished.
When Not To Use:
Although vegetable glycerin is a wonderful ingredient, that can be used in a variety of products, you do not want to use it in leave in hair care products. The reason we don’t want it left on our hair is that it can be drying. It is completely fine to be used in shampoos and conditioners, as they are rinsed off.
Also, you want to use caution when using vegetable glycerin in a dry climate as it can draw moisture from your skin instead of from the air.
What phase should vegetable glycerin be used in?
Since vegetable glycerin is water soluble, it should be added to the water phase of your formula. Especially when you are adding it to your lotion.
Soap Making
It is often added to met and pour soap to make it pliable and soften it up. Adding the glycerin allows you to mold the soap without worrying about it breaking.
Bubble Bars
Vegetable glycerin is used in bubble bars for the same reason we use it in soap, to make the mixture more moldable and prevent breakage.
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