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Natural glycerine to hydrate the skin

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eMediNexus    15 February 2019

Glycerine is among the best natural moisturizers in the living systems. It is often used in skin care products to prevent and treat skin dryness. It moisturizes the stratum corneum (SC). It is known as a humectant. Its skin care benefits also include attraction of moisture, osmoregulation of intracellular milieu, and maintenance of liquid crystallinity or fluidity of cell membranes and intercellular lipids.1

Glycerine is a cost-effective moisturizer and has the potential to relieve skin dryness. Glycerine products moisturize the full thickness of the SC and do not cause apparent changes in the suprabasal layers. High glycerine products tend to establish a reservoir of moisture-holding ability in the skin, thus making it more resistant to drying conditions as compared to untreated skin.1

Glycerine stabilizes the cell membranes and normalizes the sloughing of corneocytes by hydrating enzymes required for desmosome degradation.1

Glycerol is a hygroscopic, nonvolatile, and viscous substance that works as a humectant. It is an effective moisturizer used in cosmetic products and a potential skin protectant. It hydrates the SC. It acts as a humectant due to absorption of water from the atmosphere and it also reduces the evaporation rate from the skin surface. It also prevents lipid phase transformation. It is also known to protect against irritation caused by washing procedure. The action of glycerol both on SC hydration and barrier function is attributed to the AQP3 channel.2

A study suggested that glycerine containing cream is a suitable alternative to urea/sodium chloride in the treatment of atopic dry skin.3 Another study noted significant improvement in SC hydration and restoration of epidermal barrier function following treatment with glycerol-containing cream compared to the glycerol-free placebo.4

A study by Kwon et al5 compared the efficacy of glycerin, hyaluronic acid and silicone oil (dimethicone), the most widely used moisturizing ingredients in the cosmetic industry, to improve skin hydration and transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Comparing skin moisturizing abilities before application and 30 minutes and 6 hours after application of creams with or without glycerin, hyaluronic acid and/or silicone oil, the cream containing both glycerin and silicone oil had the highest moisturizing value and the longest holding time of hydration. It was followed by the cream containing both hyaluronic acid and silicone oil, followed by glycerin cream, hyaluronic acid cream and silicone oil cream. Comparing TEWL before application and 30 minutes and 6 hours after application, the cream including both glycerin and silicone oil exhibited the most decreased value of TEWL and the longest holding time. It was followed by the cream with both hyaluronic acid and silicone oil, followed by the silicone oil cream, the glycerin cream and the hyaluronic acid cream. The results thus revealed that the product containing not only silicone but also moisture factors such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid is more effective than the product containing silicone oil only. The product containing glycerin with hyaluronic acid and/or silicone oil was superior in increasing skin hydration and decrease TEWL.

Glycerine, a natural moisturizer, thus has immense potential to be used as an agent to hydrate the skin and lock in moisture, on account of its hygroscopic effects. It acts as a humectant and its skin care benefits also involve attraction of moisture, osmoregulation of intracellular milieu, and maintenance of liquid crystallinity or fluidity of cell membranes and intercellular lipids. It also reduces the evaporation rate from the skin surface.

References

  1. Orth DS, Appa Y. Glycerine: A natural ingredient for moisturizing skin. In: Dry skin and moisturizers – Chemistry and Function. Lodén M, Maibach HI (eds.). CRC Press; 1999.
  2. Fluhr JW, Bornkessel A, Berardesca E. Glycerol — Just a Moisturizer? Biological and Biophysical Effects. Available from: http://www.scientificspectator.com/documents/personal%20care%20spectator/Glycerol%20a%20Moisturizer.pdf.
  3. Lodén M, Andersson AC, Anderson C, et al. A double-blind study comparing the effect of glycerin and urea on dry, eczematous skin in atopic patients. Acta Derm Venereol. 2002;82(1):45-7.
  4. Breternitz M, Kowatzki D, Langenauer M, et al. Placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized, prospective study of a glycerol-based emollient on eczematous skin in atopic dermatitis: biophysical and clinical evaluation. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2008;21(1):39-45.
  5. Kwon SB, Lee GT, Choi SJ, et al. The Effect of Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid and Silicone on the Hydration, Moisturization and Transepidermal Water Loss in Human Skin. Asian J Beauty Cosmetol.2013;11(4):761-8.

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