Thread: Pure Glycerin?

Pure Glycerin? Where can I buy some. Thanks guys.Don.

Try your local Pharmacist first. I've been able to find some in Boots Chemists, and I've also seen smaller bottles of it in the bakery section at the supermarket.

Good luck!

It's usually in with the first aid supplies at your local pharmacy

Originally Posted by CarrieM

It's usually in with the first aid supplies at your local pharmacy

Thanks for the help.I will check it out.Don.

Hello, Blazinrazor:

I ordered mine, pure vegetable glycerin, online from a vendor called vitacost.com. I have seen other glycerin at Walmart here in the States. I am sure you can find it in your local pharmacy, as well, as others have suggested.

Regards,
Obie

Originally Posted by Stubear

Try your local Pharmacist first. I've been able to find some in Boots Chemists, and I've also seen smaller bottles of it in the bakery section at the supermarket.

Good luck!

Thanks,I will start my hunt.Don.

Originally Posted by Obie

Hello, Blazinrazor:

I ordered mine, pure vegetable glycerin, online from a vendor called vitacost.com. I have seen other glycerin at Walmart here in the States. I am sure you can find it in your local pharmacy, as well, as others have suggested.

Regards,
Obie

Since glycerin is a chemical ( H2COH-HCOH-H2COH ) in its pure form, it really does not matter where it comes from, it's all glycerin.

Originally Posted by fccexpert

Since glycerin is a chemical ( H2COH-HCOH-H2COH ) in its pure form, it really does not matter where it comes from, it's all glycerin.

Thank you for your explanation, but I am well aware of that.

Since, however, for some reason, the local pharmacies were out of glycerin, including Walmart's, I ordered mine it online.

I used the vendor's description of the product in my post to help SRP members identify it in the vendor's catalog, should they wish to order it.

Obie

A couple of things:

If anything else fails, you can probably find glycerin (glycerol) at your local supermarket or baking supplies store as glycerin is commonly used to make fondant icing, etc..

It is always good to make the distinction of "pure" when it comes to chemicals, and this applies to any and every chemical. In fact, glycerin is not the name of a chemical, glycerol is. Also, there is no such thing as a "pure" chemical, even the purest of chemicals always has impurities. Chemicals are manufactured in "grades", which means that a set of standards is used to ensure that they conform with certain regulations. it is important to have the word "grade" as reference. I always suggest that people use USP grade for cosmetics or food applications. Perhaps this link would help to understand what I mean with grades:

Glycerin Specifications, Crude Glycerin, Technical Grade Glycerin, USP Grade Glycerin

As you can see, the word glycerin, has not purity attached, the grade, determines the purity and no all "glycerins" are created equal. Low grade synthetic glycerin can contain, among other things, methanol. This link also explains why one may want to buy USP grade:

www.cleaning101.com/oleo/USPGlycerin.pdf

I hope that this brief explanations help to clarify the issue of purity in chemicals, particularly of glycerol.

Al raz.

Originally Posted by Blazinrazor

Pure Glycerin? Where can I buy some. Thanks guys.Don.

My dear Alraz:

Thank you for your in-depth and sound explanation.

I think it should be included somewhere in the Wiki to answer future questions which, I am sure, will arise on the topic.

Regards,
Obie