Glycerin, also known as glycerol or glycerine, is a colorless, odorless, viscous liquid derived from oils but is soluble in water due to having three hydrophilic hydroxyl groups on the molecule. Glycerin forms the backbone of all lipids/oils, known as triglycerides, and therefore can be extracted from any oil. Most mass-market skincare products that contain this moisturizing ingredient derive their glycerin cheaply from petroleum oils, but we only use glycerin that is extracted from vegetable oils.

In personal care products it is used during the extraction of certain extracts that are soluble in glycerin or in which glycerin makes the extract more stable (i.e. less prone to separation). Fortunately, when an extract that contains glycerin is added to skincare products it provides oil-free moisturizing properties in addition to the beneficial effects of the extract itself. In our products we never add glycerin but rather list it in the ingredients list when we include extracts that have vegetable derived glycerin as part of their composition.