Maybe glycerin has been on your favorite cream for a long time without you paying much attention to it. It is a humectant: the ingredient binds water and thus helps to retain moisture in the skin and product. COSMILE Europe also describes its skin-care function . Chemically, glycerin is a sugar alcohol. The term alcohol here means something other than the highly volatile ethanol.

Like hyaluronic acid, glycerin can be part of a moisturizing formula. Which of the two substances is “better” says little about how the finished cream feels on your skin. In the Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream , for example, glycerin is found alongside nourishing oil ingredients such as squalane. You get both together in one cream and you don’t have to add any individual raw materials.

Apply an amount that can be spread comfortably and monitor how your skin feels after it has absorbed. Do you like a richer texture or prefer something light? Our post on choosing a moisturizer will help you make this decision. Glycerin is a useful ingredient, but no reason to swap one well-suited cream for the next.