why you can’t go glycerin-free

• Skin Sensitivity and Irritation: Glycerin can sometimes cause skin dryness, irritation, or allergic reactions, particularly in sensitive skin. Some alternative sources warn that glycerin’s moisture-attracting property might, in low humidity environments, pull moisture away from the skin surface instead of hydrating it.

• Interference with Skin’s Natural Balance: Holistic skincare advocates argue that frequent use of external moisturizers like glycerin may interfere with the skin’s natural ability to regulate moisture, potentially leading to dependency or weakening of the skin barrier over time.

• Hygroscopic Nature: Glycerin’s tendency to attract water can sometimes lead to an uncomfortable sticky or tacky feel on the skin, making makeup feel less natural or heavy for some users.

• Potential for Contamination: Some alternative health sources raise concerns about contamination and adulteration, especially with poorly sourced glycerin, that can cause adverse skin reactions or pose health risks.

I have had people in the food industry warn me about certain plant based foods. “If you could see how that was made, you wouldn;t want to eat it.” That is how I feel about glycerin. Upon watching and learning how it was made, I did not want to touch it with a ten-foot pole, let alone, allow it to absorb into my scalp and skin through haircare, skincare, and makeup. I would challenge you to try to go glycerin-free. It is not easy. It is in everything. It irritates me when I do not have the cnoice of abstaining from a particular ingredient if I want to. Glycerin is like parfum Except instead of the smell being what sells the product, for glycerin, it is the thick, luxurious texture it adds to a product that helps to sell it. And both are very inexpensive ingredients so it is not something companies are interested in leaving out. This is what led me to create my own haircare line a few years ago.

If you believe glycerin is harmless, try experimenting with it on its own. It is a sticky, gooey mess. Unless it is really humid, it works just like hyaluronic acid. It pulls moisture from the hair and skin and makes the scalp and skin tight, altering the skin’s microbiome.

glycerin can leave a transparent but sticky film that traps residue in the skin and scalp

Whether you are in a humid or dry climate, you may experience the worst side effects when it comes to this ingredient. Glycerin can possibly cause buildup in the hair and on the scalp when it is present in haircare products. Holistic hair professionals note that frequent use can result in a sticky or tacky film, making hair feel heavy and leading to product buildup.

Glycerin forms a thin protective barrier on the hair and scalp that can accumulate, sometimes causing hair to feel greasy or weighed down and making the scalp feel oily or sticky. This is more likely if hair is not washed thoroughly or if the climate is humid, as glycerin continues to attract moisture from the air, potentially increasing the feeling of buildup. Conversely, in dry climates, it may draw moisture out of the hair, leading to dryness and brittleness.

here is how it is manufactured

What is glycerin? It is a sugar alcohol. Most glycerin on the market is manufactured through either natural extraction from fats and oils or synthetic chemical processes. Here is a step-by-step outline of the typical industrial manufacturing process from alternative sources, including temperatures and chemicals involved, as well as risks of contaminants:

Natural Glycerin Production (from fats/oils)

1. Raw Material Preparation:

   • Natural fats and oils such as palm oil, soybean oil, or animal fats (tallow) are used.

   • Pretreatment steps include degumming and neutralization to remove impurities.

2. Saponification (Batch or Continuous Process):

   • Fats/oils react with an alkali (usually sodium hydroxide).

   • Temperature: 120-150°C (batch) or 220-270°C at 20-40 bar (continuous process).

   • This produces crude glycerol and soap.

3. Separation:

   • The crude glycerol is separated from soap and waste liquid.

   • Waste alkali solution contains diluted glycerin with salts and sodium hydroxide.

4. Purification:

   • Removal of salts, non-glycerol matter, and water.

   • Methods include vacuum distillation, ion exchange, membrane filtration.

   • Distillation temperatures vary; vacuum distillation done under reduced pressure to prevent decomposition.

   • Optional carbon treatment to remove colors and odors.

5. Concentration:

   • Concentrated glycerol is evaporated and distilled under vacuum to achieve high purity (>98%).

Synthetic Glycerin Production (chemical synthesis)

1. Raw Materials:

   • Propylene, chlorine compounds, acrolein, or peracetic acid as key chemical precursors.

2. Chemical Reactions:

   • Propylene chlorination produces allyl chloride.

   • Hydrolysis and reactions with caustic soda produce epichlorohydrin and then dilute glycerin.

   • Separate methods use epoxidation and reduction of acrolein intermediates.

   • Temperatures: typically 80°C to 270°C depending on step.

   • Pressures: atmospheric to 40 bar in reactors.

3. Distillation and Purification:

   • Multiple distillation steps under vacuum (temperatures 60-200°C) to remove impurities like methyl alcohol, ethanol, aldehydes.

   • Activated carbon used to remove color and odor.

Risks of Contaminants

• In natural glycerin: Residual salts, sodium hydroxide, fatty acids, proteins from animal sources.

• In synthetic glycerin: Trace amounts of chlorinated by-products, epichlorohydrin, and other chemical residues.

• Poor-quality sources: May contain methanol, heavy metals, or organic impurities if not adequately purified.

• Environmental concerns: Chemical synthesis often involves hazardous chemicals and generates waste requiring careful handling.

Typical Glycerin Manufacturing

The thing is, it always just says glycerin or glycerol in the ingredients. It doesn’t state how the glycerin was made. Most commercial glycerin is produced either by saponification of natural fats and oils or via complex chemical synthesis from petroleum-derived precursors like propylene. In natural processes, triglycerides are heated with alkali (120-270°C) under controlled pressures, resulting in crude glycerol that is separated and purified through vacuum distillation, filtration, and carbon treatment to remove salts, impurities, and color. Synthetic glycerin involves chlorination and hydrolysis steps at moderate temperatures (60-200°C) with subsequent multi-stage vacuum distillation to yield pure glycerin while removing chemical contaminants. Both methods carry risks of residual impurities such as salts, organic residues, and chemical by-products if not refined properly. Alternative sources emphasize that the highest quality glycerin is rigorously purified to meet regulatory standards, but lower-grade or poorly controlled manufacturing may leave contaminants harmful to health or environment.

glycerin-free brands

I want everyone to experience glycerin-free products, even if they are not mine. If your skin or hair has been a struggle, it could be just what you need. Here is a list of glycerin-free or partly glycerin-free brands:

skin

• PURE SKIN FOOD: Offers 100% organic cleansing oils, moisturizers, body oils, and specialty treatments—all completely free of glycerin.

• Vanicream: Known for simple, hypoallergenic creams and cleansers that avoid glycerin, ideal for reactive or dry skin.

• Beauty Affairs Australia: Sells a curated selection of glycerin-free skincare products for various skin types.

• SkinSort: Features a list of moisturizers and oils without glycerin, such as The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane and Good Molecules Squalane Oil.

hair

• Giovanni: Their Direct Leave-In Conditioner and LA Hold Gel are popular glycerin-free choices for curly or frizz-prone hair.

• Jessicurl: Spiralicious Gel and Stimulating Scalp Massage Oil are options for those seeking glycerin-free styling and scalp health.

• Kinky Curly: Knot Today Leave-In and Curling Custard are widely recommended in curly hair communities as glycerin-free staples.

• Curlsmith: Hydro Style Flexi Jelly for hold and humidity control is glycerin-free.

makeup

• Omiana: Specializes in sensitive skin-friendly, glycerin-free makeup and skincare for ingredient-savvy users.

• NYX: Their Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Foundation is noted as a reliable glycerin-free makeup base.