What does Glycerin do?#
Glycerin is a powerful humectant that helps keep skin feeling soft, smooth, and comfortably hydrated. It helps the complexion look plumper and feel more comfortable.
Benefits
- Attracts and holds moisture in the skin's outer layers for long-lasting hydration
- Helps skin feel and look more balanced by supporting its natural moisture levels
- Helps maintain a smooth, supple skin surface with improved texture over time
How it works
Glycerin is a humectant that helps skin look and feel plumper, softer, and more comfortable by maintaining moisture at the surface. With consistent use, glycerin supports a smoother, more supple skin texture and helps keep the complexion looking fresh and well-hydrated throughout the day.
How to use Glycerin#
How often
There is nothing to ease into, and most people have no adjustment period to wait out.
Reapply whenever skin feels dry through the day, especially after washing your face.
Where it goes
A toner goes on straight after cleansing, a serum after that, a cream last.
Where to apply
Across the whole face, including around the eyes.
How to apply
Best applied while skin is still slightly damp from washing.
How much
A little goes a long way; 2-3 drops are usually enough for the full face.
Alongside others
Follow it with something richer — a cream or a balm. Glycerin draws water in, and an occlusive step is what keeps it there.
It sits comfortably between your other steps and does not need an evening of its own.
Glycerin is well tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive skin.
Forms you will see it in
Hydrating toner
- Where it goes
- After cleansing, morning or evening
- How often
- Daily
- Strength
- Gentle
- Sun sensitivity
- None
Hydrating serum
- Where it goes
- Before moisturizer, morning or evening
- How often
- Daily
- Strength
- Gentle
- Sun sensitivity
- None
Hydrating moisturizer
- Where it goes
- As your moisturizer, morning or evening
- How often
- Daily
- Strength
- Gentle
- Sun sensitivity
- None
Using Glycerin with other ingredients
Pairs well with Glycerin
Hyaluronic acid
Works well togetherTogether they provide multi-level hydration, with both glycerin and hyaluronic acid holding water at the skin's surface.
Ceramides
Works well togetherGlycerin draws water in while ceramides help prevent it from escaping, addressing both sides of the hydration equation.
Petrolatum
Works well togetherGlycerin attracts moisture into the skin and petrolatum seals it in.
Niacinamide
Works well togetherNiacinamide supports the look and feel of the skin's moisture barrier while glycerin provides the water it retains.
Urea
Works well togetherBoth are humectants that help skin hold on to moisture, working together for a hydrated, comfortable feel.
Ferments / Probiotics
Works well togetherBoth help skin stay hydrated, complementing each other for a lasting, comfortable feel.
Oat Extract
Works well togetherTogether they support multi-level moisture retention for a well-hydrated appearance.
Allantoin
Works well togetherTogether they support moisture from multiple angles for well-hydrated skin.
What not to use with Glycerin
Nothing flagged. None of the ingredients this wiki covers needs to be kept apart from Glycerin — check the label of anything not covered here.
Who should avoid Glycerin?#
Six situations change whether Glycerin suits your skin right now. Each one is either a reason to skip it, a reason to go slowly, or nothing to watch for.
- Maternity & Nursing
- No caution
- Fragile or Sensitive
- No caution
- Recent Facial or Laser
- No caution
- Prone to Redness
- No caution
- Dry or Itchy Patches
- No caution
- Recent Shave or Wax
- No caution
Cosmetic strength limits for Glycerin where you live#
| Region | Most a cosmetic may contain | |
|---|---|---|
 United States | No explicit cap | |
The FDA restricts a short list of ingredients and sets no general strength ceiling on the rest. A figure marked "guidance, not law" is the Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel's recommendation. 21 CFR part 700, subpart B — Requirements for Specific Cosmetic Products (FDA) | ||
 Canada | No explicit cap | |
One list does the work — Health Canada's Hotlist of prohibited and restricted cosmetic ingredients. | ||
 European Union | No explicit cap | |
The Cosmetics Regulation's annexes, consolidated to 1 May 2026. A figure marked "guidance, not law" comes from the EU's cosmetic safety committee rather than from the annexes. | ||
 Great Britain | No explicit cap | |
Great Britain kept the annexes as its own law and updates them only when it chooses; Northern Ireland follows the live EU Regulation, which is why some rows read differently for each. Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 as it applies in Great Britain · Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annexes II–VI | ||
 India | No explicit cap | |
India writes its own standard, aligned to the European rules as they stood in 2012. Mandatory since 9 February 2026. IS 4707 (Part 2):2025 — restricted and prohibited cosmetic ingredients · IS 4707 (Part 3):2025 — preservatives · Cosmetics Rules, 2020, Ninth Schedule | ||
 Brazil | No explicit cap | |
ANVISA rewrote its restricted list in June 2026, and a companion act amended the prohibited list at the same time. RDC 1.029/2026 — restricted ingredients · RDC 529/2021 — prohibited ingredients, as amended by RDC 1.030/2026 · RDC 528/2021 — preservatives | ||
 Japan | No cap (diethylene glycol impurity limit applies) | |
Japan's cosmetics standard keeps drug ingredients out of cosmetics, so most of its figures sit in the ministry's list of the ones a cosmetic may still contain. Cosmetics Standards (化粧品基準), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare · Cosmetics Standards — the ministry's own English translation · Drug ingredients permitted in cosmetics — 2007 notification | ||
 South Korea | No explicit cap | |
One MFDS regulation carries both the prohibited list and the restricted list, in force 18 March 2026. Sunscreens and a few other categories are cleared product by product instead. Regulation on Safety Standards for Cosmetics (MFDS Notification 2026-19) · Regulation on the Review of Functional Cosmetics (MFDS Notification 2025-88) | ||
 Kenya | No explicit cap | |
Kenya's standard applies the EU annexes as they stand rather than copying them, so its ingredient limits are the EU's — including the 2024 additions. A figure marked "guidance, not law" sits outside the annexes and does not carry over. KS EAS 377-1, -2 and -3:2022 — cosmetics safety requirements, published by KEBS · Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annexes II–VI | ||
 Namibia | No explicit cap | |
Namibia sets no ingredient limits at all. Its cosmetic rule is a single line requiring a product to be free of any harmful ingredient. Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Ordinance 18 of 1979, and the regulations under it | ||
 Ukraine | No explicit cap | |
Ukraine's own transposition of the EU annexes, as they stood before the 2024 additions, fully in force since 3 August 2026. A further revision is due on 1 February 2027. Technical Regulation on cosmetic products — Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 20 January 2021 | ||
 Georgia | No explicit cap | |
Georgia has no cosmetics rulebook — its register of technical regulations carries no cosmetics entry — so only the general product-safety duty applies. | ||
 Australia | No explicit cap | |
Australia writes no cosmetic ingredient list. A figure here is the point at which a substance becomes a medicine or a scheduled substance carrying Caution labeling, so its numbers sit well above other markets'. Poisons Standard — June 2026 · Therapeutic Goods (Excluded Goods) Determination 2018 | ||
 United Arab Emirates | No explicit cap | |
The Gulf standard points at the EU annexes as amended, so its ingredient limits are the EU's. A figure marked "guidance, not law" sits outside the annexes and does not carry over. GSO 1943:2024 — Cosmetic products: safety requirements (Gulf technical regulation) · Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annexes II–VI | ||
 Kuwait | No explicit cap | |
The Gulf standard points at the EU annexes as amended, so its ingredient limits are the EU's. A figure marked "guidance, not law" sits outside the annexes and does not carry over. GSO 1943:2024 — Cosmetic products: safety requirements (Gulf technical regulation) · Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annexes II–VI | ||
 Hong Kong | No explicit cap | |
Hong Kong writes no cosmetics rulebook. Its Poisons List (Cap. 138A, Schedule 10) decides which substances may be sold only as medicines, and general safety is judged case by case against whichever overseas standard the enforcer considers reasonable. Pharmacy and Poisons Regulations (Cap. 138A), Schedule 10 — the poisons list · Pharmacy and Poisons Board — Guidance Notes on classifying pharmaceutical products, April 2026 | ||
 Singapore | No explicit cap | |
Singapore writes the ASEAN annexes into its own schedule, and its regulator tells companies to check the current ASEAN release as well — which is why a figure here can read "guidance, not law". Health Products (Cosmetic Products — ASEAN Cosmetic Directive) Regulations 2007, Third Schedule · ASEAN Cosmetic Directive annexes — release 2026-1, 22 June 2026 | ||
 Brunei | No explicit cap | |
Brunei carries the 2007 ASEAN annexes in its own schedule and has not updated them since, so it reads differently from Singapore on several ingredients. Medicines (Cosmetic Products) Regulations (Cap. 285 Rg 1), Schedule 1 — revised edition 2024 | ||
 Jordan | No explicit cap | |
Jordan's cosmetic rules defer to "the approved references" and name none of them, so there is no Jordanian figure to read. The only number in the instrument governs the ingredient list on the pack. JFDA instructions on cosmetics and pharmaceutical cosmetics, 2026 | ||
 Trinidad & Tobago | No explicit cap | |
Trinidad and Tobago has had the power to set cosmetic standards since 1960 and has never used it. The regulations made under the Act cover food and drugs, with no cosmetics part; what binds is the Act's general rule against selling a cosmetic that may injure the user. Food and Drugs Act, Chap. 30:01 · Food and Drugs Regulations | ||
Where a figure appears, that is the maximum strength allowed or advised for glycerin in that market — some are set in cosmetics regulation, others are the ceiling a cosmetic safety panel recommends. Where no figure appears, the market either sets no cosmetic maximum or handles this ingredient outside its cosmetic rules. These are limits, not targets — the right strength for a formula is the formulator's decision.
Open a market to see the rulebook its figure comes from. Those notes describe each market's own rules as we read them, current to August 24, 2026; the linked documents are the authority, and nothing here is legal advice.
Sample products with Glycerin#
A few well-known products, not a full list — product names are each brand's own. We don't sell them — the shop prices them in US dollars and ships from Hong Kong, so delivery and duties come on top. It may not ship everywhere.
We may earn a small commission when you buy through these links.
Toners · 4
Serums · 4
Moisturizers · 1
Already have one? Check how it fits your skin with Pick.
Common questions about Glycerin#
What is Glycerin?
- A hydrating ingredient that holds water at the skin's surface, so skin looks plumper and feels softer.
What else is Glycerin called?
- On a label you may see Glycerol and Glycerine.
When should you apply Glycerin?
- Morning or evening.
Which form of Glycerin should you use?
- Hydrating toner — after cleansing, morning or evening, daily. Hydrating serum — before moisturizer, morning or evening, daily. Hydrating moisturizer — as your moisturizer, morning or evening, daily.
How often can you use Glycerin?
- Daily.
Where do you apply Glycerin?
- All over the face. Keep it away from your eyes and lips.
Can you use Glycerin around the eyes?
- Yes. Glycerin goes all over the face, the skin around the eyes included — keep it out of your eyes and off your lips.
Does Glycerin make skin more sensitive to the sun?
- No. Glycerin is not flagged as increasing sun sensitivity.
What should you not use with Glycerin?
- Nothing flagged. None of the ingredients this wiki covers needs to be kept apart from Glycerin — check the label of anything not covered here.
Is there a cosmetic limit for Glycerin?
- No. No cosmetic regulator in the United States, Canada, the European Union or Great Britain sets a maximum strength for it. That is a limit on the rules, not a signal to use more.
Related ingredients#
How we check this#
Everything on this page traces to the sources listed below — regulators' own publications and published studies. Where the evidence does not answer a question, it is left unanswered.
Some sources below are the official product information for prescription medicines, cited for how they interact with this ingredient. We use them for their safety and handling detail only. A cosmetic product is not one of those medicines and is not intended to treat any condition.
Our review is AI-assisted and is not a named expert's opinion. Last reviewed August 4, 2026.
Think something here is out of date or wrong? Email us at wiki@skinintelligence.ai with your reasoning and where you read it. We read what people send, and we update the page when the sources support it.
Regulators and official bodies · 14
- S1Becker LC, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Hill RA, Klaassen CD, Liebler DC, Marks JG Jr, Shank RC, Slaga TJ, Snyder PW, Gill LJ, Heldreth B. "Safety Assessment of Glycerin as Used in Cosmetics." Int J Toxicol 2019;38(3_suppl):6S-22S. PMID 31840548. (Same assessment as the CIR Final Report, release date 14 January 2015, panel meeting 8–9 December 2014.).
- S2FDA. OTC Monograph M016 — Skin Protectant Drug Products for Over-the-Counter Human Use, 24 September 2021. §§ M016.10(h), M016.50(b)(2), (b)(9), (c)(1)–(c)(4), (d)(1), (d)(5).
- S3FDA. Skin Protectant Drug Products for Over-the-Counter Human Use; Final Monograph, 4 June 2003, 21 CFR parts 347 and 352.
- S4Health Canada. Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist — Prohibited and Restricted Ingredients. Glycerin, CAS 56-81-5; Diethylene glycol, CAS 111-46-6.
- S5Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products, consolidated text of 1 September 2025 (CELEX 02009R1223-20250901).
- S6Retained Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 as it applies in Great Britain, Annex II (prohibited substances) and Annex III (restricted substances), legislation.gov.uk.
- S18NICE. Atopic eczema in under 12s: diagnosis and management (CG57), recommendations 1.5.1.4, 1.5.1.5, 1.5.1.9, 1.5.1.10 and the stepped-care table.
- S19WHO EML Expert Committee 2025 submission A.30, Inclusion of urea- and glycerol-based topical moisturizers on the EML and EMLc for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in adults and children. An application document submitted to the committee, not a WHO mandate decision — weighted accordingly throughout.
- S21Glycerin Suppositories BP 4g Adult Size — Summary of Product Characteristics, MA PL 12965/0015, text revised 2 January 2015. Glycerol 70.0% w/w. Sections 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 5.1.
- S22Roaccutane 10 mg soft capsules — Summary of Product Characteristics, section 4.4.
- S23Differin Cream (adapalene) — Summary of Product Characteristics, sections 4.2, 4.4, 4.5.
- S25National Rosacea Society. Coping With Rosacea — Coping With Common Triggers, Skin Care Products section.
- S26National Rosacea Society. Rosacea Skin Care & Cosmetics; All About Rosacea, Skin Care section.
- S27National Rosacea Society. Seal of Acceptance — Guidelines for Approval.
Studies and references · 25
- S7Lodén M, Wessman W. "The influence of a cream containing 20% glycerin and its vehicle on skin barrier properties." Int J Cosmet Sci 2001;23(2):115-9. PMID 18498456.
- S8Breternitz M, Kowatzki D, Langenauer M, Elsner P, Fluhr JW. "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. PMID 18025807.
- S9Atrux-Tallau N, Romagny C, Padois K, Denis A, Haftek M, Falson F, Pirot F, Maibach HI. "Effects of glycerol on human skin damaged by acute sodium lauryl sulphate treatment." Arch Dermatol Res 2010;302(6):435-41. PMID 20043170.
- S10Ventura SA, Kasting GB. "Dynamics of glycerine and water transport across human skin from binary mixtures." Int J Cosmet Sci 2017;39(2):165-178. PMID 27566278.
- S11Batt MD, Fairhurst E. "Hydration of the stratum corneum." Int J Cosmet Sci 1986;8(6):253-64. PMID 19457222.
- S12Wiechers JM, Barlow T. "Skin moisturisation and elasticity originate from at least two different mechanisms." Int J Cosmet Sci 1999;21(6):425-35. PMID 18503456.
- S13Fluhr JW, Gloor M, Lehmann L, Lazzerini S, Distante F, Berardesca E. "Glycerol accelerates recovery of barrier function in vivo." Acta Derm Venereol 1999;79(6):418-21. PMID 10598752.
- S14Bettinger J, Gloor M, Peter C, Kleesz P, Fluhr J, Gehring W. "Opposing effects of glycerol on the protective function of the horny layer against irritants and on the penetration of hexyl nicotinate." Dermatology 1998;197(1):18-24. PMID 9693180.
- S15Rawlings A, Harding C, Watkinson A, Banks J, Ackerman C, Sabin R. "The effect of glycerol and humidity on desmosome degradation in stratum corneum." Arch Dermatol Res 1995;287(5):457-64. PMID 7625857.
- S16Korponyai C, Szél E, Behány Z, Varga E, Mohos G, Dura Á, Dikstein S, Kemény L, Erős G. "Effects of Locally Applied Glycerol and Xylitol on the Hydration, Barrier Function and Morphological Parameters of the Skin." Acta Derm Venereol 2017;97(2):182-187. doi:10.2340/00015555-2493.
- S17Chen HJ, Lee PY, Chen CY, Huang SL, Huang BW, Dai FJ, Chau CF, Chen CS, Lin YS. "Moisture retention of glycerin solutions with various concentrations: a comparative study." Sci Rep 2022;12(1):10232. PMID 35715536.
- S20Gloor M, Gehring W. "Increase in hydration and protective function of horny layer by glycerol and a W/O emulsion: are these effects maintained during long-term use?" Contact Dermatitis 2001;44(2):123-5. PMID 11205397. No abstract available in the retrieved record; cited for existence of the question only, not relied on for any value..
- S24Okan G, Rendon MI. "The effects of a high glycerin content hydrogel premolded mask dressing on post-laser resurfacing wounds." J Cosmet Laser Ther 2011;13(4):162-5. PMID 21699364.
- S28Szél E, Polyánka H, Szabó K, Hartmann P, Degovics D, Balázs B, Németh IB, Korponyai C, Csányi E, Kaszaki J, Dikstein S, Nagy K, Kemény L, Erős G. "Anti-irritant and anti-inflammatory effects of glycerol and xylitol in sodium lauryl sulphate-induced acute irritation." J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2015;29(12):2333-41. PMID 26370610.
- S29Björklund S, Engblom J, Thuresson K, Sparr E. "Glycerol and urea can be used to increase skin permeability in reduced hydration conditions." Eur J Pharm Sci 2013;50(5):638-45. PMID 23643739.
- S30Björklund S, Andersson JM, Pham QD, Nowacka A, Topgaard D, Sparr E. "Stratum corneum molecular mobility in the presence of natural moisturizers." Soft Matter 2014;10(25):4535-46. PMID 24817485.
- S31Vaillant L, Georgescou G, Rivollier C, Delarue A. "Combined effects of glycerol and petrolatum in an emollient cream: A randomized, double-blind, crossover study in healthy volunteers with dry skin." J Cosmet Dermatol 2020;19(6):1399-1403. PMID 31532576.
- S32Milani M, Sparavigna A. "The 24-hour skin hydration and barrier function effects of a hyaluronic 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract moisturizing fluid: an intra-subject, randomized, assessor-blinded study." Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol 2017;10:311-315. PMID 28860834.
- S33Choi EH, Man MQ, Wang F, Zhang X, Brown BE, Feingold KR, Elias PM. "Is endogenous glycerol a determinant of stratum corneum hydration in humans?" J Invest Dermatol 2005;125(2):288-93. PMID 16098039.
- S34Fluhr JW, Mao-Qiang M, Brown BE, Wertz PW, Crumrine D, Sundberg JP, Feingold KR, Elias PM. "Glycerol regulates stratum corneum hydration in sebaceous gland deficient (asebia) mice." J Invest Dermatol 2003;120(5):728-37. PMID 12713573.
- S35Hara M, Verkman AS. "Glycerol replacement corrects defective skin hydration, elasticity, and barrier function in aquaporin-3-deficient mice." PNAS 2003;100(12):7360-5. PMID 12771381.
- S36Chularojanamontri L, Tuchinda P, Kulthanan K, Pongparit K. "Moisturizers for Acne: What are their Constituents?" J Clin Aesthet Dermatol 2014;7(5):36-44. PMID 24847408.
- S37Moisturizers. StatPearls / NCBI Bookshelf, NBK545171, "Clinical Significance — Humectants". Cited without author names: the retrieved record does not carry an author string, and per the fabricated-attribution rule the work is cited without one.
- S38Luna S, et al. "Bio-Revitalizing SkinGlow: Assessing the Efficacy of Microcannula-Assisted Treatment With Cohesive Polydensified Matrix Hyaluronic Acid With Glycerol (Belotero Revive)…" J Cosmet Dermatol 2025. PMID 41104764. Cited only to record that glycerol's appearance in the injectables literature is as a filler excipient, an injected exposure.
- S39A Guide to the Ingredients and Potential Benefits of Over-the-Counter Cleansers and Moisturizers for Rosacea Patients. PMC3168246. Cited at abstract level only — the retrieved record contains the abstract, which names humectants as a class and does not name glycerin.
