Thread: Why Glycerin Exactly?

Several people have mentinoed that glycerin has added a lot to their shaving experience. What does glycerin DO exactly? WHY does it do what it does? Why should someone incorporate it into their routine exactly? Obviously, all things in the shaving world are up to preference and all, but what would I gain from bringing into my lineup?

Glycerin is a humectant, a substance that extracts water from the air. This moisture is imparted to your shaving lather and to your skin. I don’t understand how or why, but it seems to work. Your lather will whip up very smooth and creamy and fast. Lather will not dry out nearly as quickly after applied to your face..Glycerin itself is thick and syrupy and very slick. Incorporated into shaving soap, that slickness makes your blade glide over your skin easier. Some folks put a few drops on their soap pucks and lather up. I dump in a dollop about a quarter sized when I use it. If you are having trouble getting tallow soaps to lather up (Mitchell’s Wool Fat in specific), glycerin will make most of your problems go away. Kroger Company chain stores sells small, inexpensive bottles of glycerin in their pharmacies. Good cheap way to give it a try. I was big on the stuff for about 2 months when I started the wet shaving trick, but have not bothered with it since. I think my lathering skills got better and the fad passed.

Glycerin or Glycerol has three hydroxyl groups (these are polar) while the rest is hydrophobic and it is the backbone of triglycerides. This makes a perfect surface active compound, that is, one that would mediate interaction between polar and non-polar compounds. This is why it enhances lather formation, etc. There are other surfactants that can be used for shaving, this one is just perfect because it is "not" toxic, is available although not cheap (this is of course relative), etc. Glycerin is highly hygroscopic so depending on how much you use it would act as a moisturizer by retaining water in your skin (this is the other advantage for shaving) . However, if used in excess, it could also dry your skin.

Al raz.

When I have my freshly heated shave bowl ready, it has a slight film of water on the bottom. When I put in a squirt of glycerin I can clearly see it "suck up" the water film from the surrounding area. It is clearly hydrophilic. It then keeps that water in the lather which helps keep it nice and moist for your shave.

Originally Posted by kahunamoose

I dump in a dollop about a quarter sized when I use it.

I'm pretty sure you are reaching a point of diminishing returns using that much. I think a few drops are all you need.

Ill use 2-4 drops with cetain soaps that dont hold as well as I like. It makes them thicker and richer and wetter ... BUT I only use it on a a few I have. Not all need it and it is a personal thing I feel.

Its cheap and I know CVS sells it so it's worth a try to see if its for you.

Originally Posted by OLD_SCHOOL

I have a different view than others. In my experience adding glycerin does nothing to aid a shave. My first shave soap was a non glycerin (or extremely low) base one, and the lather produced was just lousy. I was encouraged by members to add glycerin to it, so did, and nothing changed. When I finally came across a puck of soap here, it was just as bad, a non glycerin soap and so I followed the same advice, again no luck.
I thought bugger it, it must just be the crappy soaps, so I tried it with TGQ soaps which are very very good. There was nothing thicker, creamier or slicker about the soap, with the addition of glycerin, than without.

Everybody else seems to swear by it though, so YMMV.

Do you have hard water where you live?

I have had some lousy lathering experiences from time to time when in Japan due to the hard water I've often encountered. Perhaps that is why you don't see much difference between one or the other, as it's tough to get a decent lather in the first place with hard water?

whatever you do, don't apply it directly to you skin thinking it will make your skin super slick (similar to a pre-shave oil) - as it can seriously burn your skin.

Where do you guys even get Glycerin? I tried looking at Walgreens and Walmart today but all they had was glycerin in pill form and not a liquid in a bottle

Good freakin question!!!!