Tired of expensive skincare products? Here’s why glycerine could be a cost-effective solution – The National

Tired of expensive skincare products? Here’s why glycerine could be a cost-effective solution – The National

I might as well admit it - no matter how many studies I make notes of, or experts I speak to, when it comes to beauty and skincare, I'm never quite sure what I'm paying for.. Glycerine, or glycerol, is a thick, syrupy, colourless and odourless sugar alcohol that's immensely popular in skin products.. According to the Cosmetic Ingredient Review report for 2014, glycerine was found to be the third most widely used ingredient in the cosmetics industry, behind only water and fragrance.. So much so that according to a 2016 study in the Indian Journal of Dermatology, researchers found glycerine to be the most effective humectant they could find, more so than even hyaluronic acid, another hero ingredient in skincare products.. You can use it as a mask, a moisturiser and even as a scrub, depending on what you combine it with.. A 2015 study published in the Journal of European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology noted that glycerine not only hydrates the skin, but also acts as an anti-irritant, has anti-inflammatory properties, and boosts the skin's restore and repair mechanism.. Vasudha Rai, author of Glow: Indian Foods, Recipes and Rituals for Beauty, Inside and Out, is a big