The Biggest Unsung Hero of the Skincare World
Glycerin! It’s been used in skincare for a gazillion years. In fact, you’re likely to find it in most of your products, and yes, many of your HIGHBORN favourites. Now it might not ooze glamour or have a fancy name that’s tricky to pronounce, but it deserves some serious credit for its hydrating, softening, protecting and strengthening benefits.
So, here's what you need to know about one of our favourite unsung skincare heroes. And why it should be an absolute must in your daily routine…
Oh So Many Questions!
Surely it's best kept for cooking? Wrong! And it's always animal derived? Wrong again! Also known as glycerine or glycerol, glycerin is an organic compound that’s a natural component of your skin. And ours is ALWAYS sourced ethically from vegetables and made into a transparent, odourless liquid.
Glycerin is basically one of the best moisturisers around. It's a humectant which means it attracts and holds onto water, whether from the air or from deeper layers within your skin, bringing moisture to the surface of your skin.
Any good moisturiser will contain a humectant, but most experts agree that the best of the bunch are glycerin, aloe and hyaluronic acid (HA). In fact, some studies suggest that glycerin is the true top dog...
How Exactly Does It Work?
Glycerin’s primary role is to hydrate your skin and help it hold on to moisture. This is essential for healthy, glowing skin because dehydration can cause all manner of issues including tightness, redness, inflammation and dullness.
Dehydration is also a killer on your skin’s barrier function. A compromised barrier means environmental stressors like pollution toxins and UV are able to more easily break through, causing irritation and damage in the form of lines, wrinkles, dark spots and the like.
FACT: Glycerin has been proven to replenish an impaired barrier function to help protect and shield your skin from the world around you, while also helping your skin heal itself, reduce long-term damage and minimise visible signs of premature ageing.
Need to know: Glycerin is found naturally in your skin and there are no known side-effects of topical glycerin ever discovered which is great news for all skin types. It a very tolerable ingredient in skincare!
Where can you find glycerin rich skincare products? Read on for some of the best HIGHBORNs to add to your regime quick-smart...
1. Pre-Eminent Beauty Serum
We try hard not to have favourites, but it’s impossible not to love Pre-Eminent Beauty Serum for its ability to be an all-round genius skincare product.
Vegetable glycerin is combined with aloe and hyaluronic acid for the ultimate boost of hydration, while vitamin C, vitamin E and retinol have also been added to fight off damaging free radicals, strengthen the skin and give your complexion that good old-fashioned glow we know you crave for.
Top Tip: Apply Pre-Eminent Beauty Serum underneath your moisturiser morning and night to help your skin look and feel its absolute best.
2. Imperial Eye Gel
Another all-time favourite of so many customers, Imperial Eye Gel. And aside from water, glycerin is the main ingredient of our world famous eye gel!
Instantly hydrating, soothing, repairing, perfect for sensitive skin and delicate areas. And protecting the thin skin barrier around your precious peepers.
It's no wonder really why glycerin is a core component of Imperial Eye Gel. You know you're in safe hands with this one and it's an absolute must for rejuvenating your eye area.
Top Tip: Keep your eye gel in the fridge to help ease puffiness. Dab gently around your eyes morning and night with your index finger.
3. Crystal Cleanser
Yes, you read that right. Just because glycerin is widely known as a ‘moisturiser’ this doesn’t mean it can’t be beneficial in other formulations. In fact, glycerin is awesome in cleansing products because washing your face not only removes dirt, oil, make-up and sweat, it can also strip away a lot of the good stuff in your skin – vital moisture.
Glycerin incredibly effective at counteracting moisture loss while boosting hydration in its own right. And our Crystal Cleanser not only contains vegetable glycerin to draw moisture back into your skin, but also comes chock full of botanical oils to ensure every drop of moisture stays put for as long as possible.
4. Night Elixir
Wonder why your skin feels drier and more dehydrated when you wake up in the morning than it does towards the end of the day? Well, your skin produces less sebum as you sleep, meaning you lose more water overnight when you don’t have that protective layer of oil to keep it locked in. Thank the beauty gods, then, for night creams, which help counteract this water loss from the surface of your skin.
And an even bigger thank you to Night Elixir which is the bee’s knees when it comes to hydrating and moisturising your skin as you sleep. It’s brimming with vegetable glycerin (and hyaluronic acid for extra measures!), as well as vitamin E to further boost healing.
Time to check your skincare regime is rich in glycerin! Head to the shop for even more HIGHBORNs featuring this essential yet unsung skincare superhero...
Tracey x