Vegetable Glycerol 99,5% USP/BP, 1000 ml

Vegetable glycerine 99.5% USP/BP is a humectant and solvent for the water phase that helps skin and hair bind and retain water. It is produced in Europe from rapeseed and sunflower oil of European origin, without palm or palm kernel oil. A purity of at least 99.5% meets the EP and USP pharmacopoeias and the FCC food codex, so the same raw material suits face and body cosmetics, lip products and oral care products, and in food it is known as the additive E422.

It is used in rinse-off and leave-on products, from creams and toners to shampoos, soaps and bath bombs, and it tolerates both acidic and alkaline formulations.

Key benefits

• Hydration – binds water and helps retain it in the skin. It works well in creams, body lotions and toners, and in hair care it supports hydration of the hair and scalp.
• Solvent – dissolves water-soluble active ingredients, salts and extracts and makes them easier to incorporate into the water phase.
• Broad tolerance – suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin and baby skin, and it contains no known skin allergens or fragrance allergens under Annex III of the Cosmetic Products Regulation.
• Stability in the formulation – tolerates a formulation pH of 3–10 and can be processed cold or hot.
• Vegetable origin – GMO-free raw material, not tested on animals and readily biodegradable.

Use in formulations

Glycerine belongs in the water phase. In emulsions it is weighed into the water or hydrosol before emulsification, and in cold processing it is mixed into the water component. Heating up to 80 °C does not harm it, but a higher processing temperature is not recommended. The recommended usage rate is 1–10%, and the formulator adjusts the exact amount to the product type and the desired texture.

The raw material has a syrupy consistency, and its viscosity at 20 °C is approximately 1 410 mPa·s. A measuring cup dispenses it imprecisely and slowly, so we recommend weighing it directly into the container. Below approximately 18 °C it may thicken or even solidify, and it returns to a liquid state once warmed to room temperature.

It mixes with water and alcohol and dissolves in glycols, but it is insoluble in oil. For this reason it is not added to purely oil-based serums and massage oils, where it would separate from the oil phase. It is used routinely in anhydrous formulations with a solid or loose structure, such as bath bombs, salts and soaps.

Suitable for products such as

• Creams, lotions and serums – the basic humectant of the water phase, combined with other moisturising ingredients.
• Toners and facial waters – a moisturising component of light water-based products, also suitable for alcohol-based toners.
• Shampoos, conditioners and shower gels – complements rinse-off products for all hair and skin types.
• Soaps, bath bombs and salts – a common ingredient in solid and loose formulations without water.
• Lip balms and glosses, oral care – also suitable for products that get into the mouth.
• Deodorants, intimate hygiene and baby care – products for sensitive areas, where a fragrance-free and allergen-free raw material is valued.

Good to know

The raw material contains at most 0.5% water. It is not a preservative, however, and formulations containing water or hydrosol need preservation regardless of the glycerine usage rate.

The pH of the raw material is 6.5–7, so it is almost neutral. We still recommend checking the pH and stability of the finished product. Glycerine is clear and odourless, and it does not change the appearance or scent of the product.

The raw material meets the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products, is registered under the REACH Regulation and contains no materials of animal origin.

Frequently asked questions