What is Vegetable Glycerine? We list the best uses and benefits of Vegetable Glycerine.

Vegetable glycerine, also called glycerol, is a dynamic natural product that is used for a lot of purposes in cosmetics and personal hygiene products, food, and even pharmaceuticals. 

Our favorite thing about vegetable glycerine is that it has humectant and emollient properties — which are fancy words for saying that it is great at preventing moisture loss and it does wonders for softening and smoothing skin. It is water-soluble, so it is great for many cosmetic uses, including lotions, soaps, toothpaste, deodorants, makeup, and more.

Vegetable glycerine is typically made from either soybean, coconut, grapeseed, or palm oils. Our vegetable glycerine is made from GMO free soy. The glycerine is created by applying heat and pressure to these vegetable oils so that they can be separated into their components: oil, water, and glycerine.

The result is a clear, thick liquid that is almost syrup-like in nature. It naturally has a long shelf life and does not oxidize easily, so you don’t have to worry about it going bad. It is completely odor-free, and we do not add any fragrances to our products. 

Vegetable glycerine is a great, dynamic skin product that is safe for many skin types and many different applications. Here are some of our favorite reasons to incorporate vegetable glycerine into your routine. 

Vegetable glycerine is a great moisturiser because it helps create a barrier on the skin, therefore protecting against the wind and the cold and preventing moisture loss. As we come into the cooler months in Australia, we are exposed to dry or cold environments. Thus, locking in moisture is a key to keeping your skin hydrated and healthy. 

In addition to moisturising skin, vegetable glycerine also helps the skin feel naturally softer and smoother, potentially reducing signs of rough, dull, or aging skin, so you’ll look and feel more youthful and radiant.  

Vegetable glycerine may promote better skin health by soothing irritation, protecting against infection and other skin irritants, and even helping with wound healing. Just as it creates a barrier on the skin to protect against wind and cold, it may also create a barrier that protects against irritants and harmful microbes. Furthermore, it may be effective at soothing various skin conditions such as eczema.

In addition to being a great moisturiser, you can also add vegetable glycerine to your diet as a natural sweetener. 

Vegetable glycerine is a sugar alcohol, so it does not affect blood sugar levels the same way that other sugars do, and it is a low-calorie alternative to other sweeteners. It has a lightly sweet taste and has the consistency of a thick syrup, so it is great for uses like beverages and smoothies. 

Just as vegetable glycerine can help hydrate the skin and prevent moisture loss, it can also help hydrate the rest of the body and improve water retention when consumed. It has been shown to be more hydrating than water or electrolyte sports drinks alone. 

Because vegetable glycerine helps with hydration, it also pulls water into the gut. This can help food move more easily through the digestive system and therefore have a mild laxative effect. It is often used as a suppository or enema.