What is the most powerful humectant for your dry skin?

I am sure most people say hydraulic acid and that ingredient is a great humectant, however, it has its drawbacks. It has different weights, and manufacturers do not have to tell you what weight they are using in the product. Some weights or even formulations pull moisture out of your skin instead of the air when it cannot get enough. Living in low humidity in the winter is not going to help hydraulic acid to do its job. That is why I say the most powerful humectant for your dry skin is Glycerin. 

Skin dryness

Something that I am trying to work on with my skin is combating dryness, especially in the winter.   In my area, it is a dry climate at present, it is 24% to 28% humidity. There are heaters everywhere. It has been a very mild winter in my area, still, my skin is suffering from the dry weather, especially under my eyes. Premature aging cannot even describe it, it is bad. It is as if I have normal under eyes for my age in the summer and 85-year-old under eyes in the winter.  

What is glycerin and how can it be that powerful of a humectant

Glycerin is what they call an alcohol sugar. You would think that anything with alcohol in it would be dry but not so in this case. It is like a thick simple syrup that can form a protective layer over your skin to keep moisture in your skin.  It also draws moisture out of the air to your skin. By protecting your skin from water loss and bringing in more moisture, it brings relief to dry stressed-out skin. Glycerin also allows your moisture barrier to heal so that it can better protect you from the dry environment.   

I said it was sugar and we know that sugar can bring moisture to the skin and slight exfoliation (not so much the table sugar). Exfoliates like lactic acid is milk sugar. It exfoliates and moisturizes.

Exfoliation may sound like it would impair the moisture barrier more, but we need exfoliation to make other products penetrate the skin more without all the dead skin cells on top. Also, by removing dead skin cells, newer healthier skin cells can come to the top and protect the skin barrier better.  

Tip: If you nose gets dry the winter, put a little pure glycerin on a cotton bud and put it up your nose. It will bring moisture in your sinus

winter tip

Studies on powerful humectants

There are many studies out there on Glycerin and what it does for the skin. Also, quite a few studies on combining it with other ingredients to strengthen your skin. The study that I found interesting is linked here. It tested Vegetable glycerin with water only for different percentages to see its moisture retention for use in the cosmetic industry. What I got from it was that 60% is about the sweet spot for it on all fronts. However, even though this ingredient is in practically every beauty product. It is hard to know the percentages in the products and how the formulation affects the glycerin. So, sometimes making your formulation may be what is best for your skin.

A powerful protectant and humectant

I do like using glycerin and sometimes in its pure form of 100% Vegetable glycerin. As the study above stated at its 100% strength, it doubled its weight in moisture or water content in 3 days. That may not seem like a lot but if you try it, you will know just how moisturizing it can be. 

Things I know from this product

These are the things I have found out along the way with my use of glycerin. Glycerin can be my skin’s best friend. When it is so dry and tight or even after a skin peel. I will put glycerin on my face just full-on 100%. It is so gentle; it is like a honey mask on your face but absolutely no irritation. If your skin barrier is impaired this will not sting or hurt your skin at all.

The problem with high concentrations of glycerin is it is sticky. oh, so sticky. That may not be a feeling that you like on your skin. In the evening when I put it on, I must wait at least a couple of hours before I can go to bed and not stick to the pillowcase.

Dilution

Glycerin plays nicely with anything, so you can dilute it with any moisturizing ingredients and even plain water. That may reduce some of the stickiness.  

There is a commercially made product called Super Saturated by Experiment, this product contains 30% glycerin along with niacinamide (B3) and polyglutamic acid. This product feels nice on the skin, and I have even found I can wear it under makeup if I give it a few minutes to dry down a bit. Although, this brand has not done any independent studies on the combination of ingredients. There have been plenty of independent and double-blind studies on combining glycerin with niacinamide and polyglutamic acid. All had favorable results.

The thing that I do not like about this product is the price tag, I am not sure it is worth $28.00 for 1.35 ounces (about 39.92 ml). They do have a refill size for $25.00. It is a superior product but with glycerin, niacinamide, and polyglutamic acid being inexpensive ingredients, I am not seeing the price verification. 

Certified organic Vegetable Glycerin costs

Glycerin, as powerful humectant as it is, does not cost as much as you may think. It is $7.39 for certified organic vegetable glycerin by Now for 8 fl oz.  Good Molecules has a niacinamide serum for $6.00 on Amazon and Inkey List has a straight Polyglutamic serum for 15.00 for 1 oz (about 29.57 ml), but I prefer SeoulCeuticals Organic Polyglutamic Acid Serum – Korean Skin Care + Hyaluronic Acid + Cantella Asiatica ranging from $13.00 to $15.00 for 1 oz. because it has hyaluronic acid and Cantella Asiatica as well. There have also been some good studies with glycerin using those two ingredients.  

If you do not want to make your own, then I would go with the Super Saturated (above) because it does have a good formulation.

But if you do want to make your own,  there are web forums out there that have glycerin recipes from people more experienced than I am in using glycerin and formulation.

Mine are amazingly simple and I make small batches of about .25 ounces (about 7.39 ml) at a time. I may go to .50 ounces (about 14.79 ml) in the winter if I know I will use it quickly.  

Mister using glycerin for hydration 

I did not come up with this one myself, this was Dr. Pillow Talk Derm. She said to get this mister from Amazon and mix 30 to 50% glycerin and water just enough for one day because there is not a preservative in it.

Not that I cannot follow directions, but I did not. I made up a week’s worth which is still a small amount, but I added a preservative to the mix. Then after a week I dumped it out and cleaned the mister. 

This mister is good. It can get clogged slightly, just shake it gently. The mist is exceptionally fine, but you can still see it. Just a nice drink of water for your face. It is probably a lot like those personal humidifiers, except you can take this one with you everywhere. I wish the charger was a standard C plug but that is my only complaint. 

If you suffer from dry winter skin, I hope you will try out glycerin in a higher concentration and see if it doesn’t add comfort back to your skin.