Vegetable glycerin is a viscous, colorless, clear or semi-clear, non-toxic, sweet-tasting liquid produced from vegetable fates. It is an emollient (makes soft and supple) and adds a soothing cooling effect to your skin. It is also a humectant which means that it retains moisture. These great properties make it a natural choice for skincare products. Who doesn’t want soft, supple, moisturized skin?
I was first introduced to how magical glycerin is as a small child. All of the kids in the neighborhood had these big bottles of bubbles with different bubble wands. I thought we were too poor to buy bubbles because my mom made me her own version from some stuff we had in our kitchen. I was feeling kind of weird about it until I blew my first set of bubbles and they were bigger and better than any others by far! I asked what her secret was and she said GLYCERIN!
Mom’s Bubble Recipe
1 cup of water
2 TBSP Dawn Dish Soap
1 TBSP Glycerin
Mix well - insert a bubble wand and use immediately!
Since then, I find myself adding glycerin to my skincare recipes almost all of the time! I also use a lot to make liquid soap from scratch but we will get into that process on another day. Below are some of my other favorite uses for glycerin.
- Disperse powdered micas or colorants in glycerin. It makes them much easier to work with so they don’t clump in your recipes
- Make glycerites - use glycerin to infuse powdered botanicals for your own extracts
- Use as a moisture enhancer to your lotions and creams. A dab of glycerin with your lotion will help it spread easier and make your skin soft and silky smooth. Using too much can make your skin sticky so a little goes a long way.
- Add glycerin to clay masks for extra moisture
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Simple Facial Toner
2 oz. your favorite Hydrosol (Rose and Lavender are popular)
1 tsp. Vegetable Glycerin
Mix in a spray bottle and use right away. For oily or acne prone skin - use 1 tsp. Witch hazel and tea tree hydrosol
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Castile Foaming Face Wash
⅓ cup Castile Liquid Soap
⅔ cup water, aloe juice or hydrosol (Hydrosol gives it some scent without becoming oily)
1 tsp. Glycerin
½ tsp. Preservative (Leucidal, Germaben, Optiphen etc.)
Package in foamer bottle, mix well and can be used immediately.
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All Purpose Cooling Gel - use for sunburn, bug bites, rashes etc.
2 TBSP Aloe Vera Gel
4 tsp. Glycerin
2 TBSP Lavender Hydrosol
Package with spray or treatment top.
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All-Time Favorite Facial Serum Base
1 oz. Your Favorite Hydrosol
¼ tsp. Glycerin
¼ tsp. Hyaluronic Acid
3 ml Leucidal or other preservative
Mix all ingredients well and allow 24 hours for everything to marinate nicely together.
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Poo Spray - it’s a good time of year for stocking stuffers like this! :)
50 drops of Fragrance or Essential oil - your choice
2 TBSP Everclear or denatured alcohol
1 tsp. Glycerin
4 oz. Water
Mix all ingredients and package in a spray bottle.