Thread: anyone use plain glycerin?

it seems that trumpers coral skin food is a pretty popular product for post shave conditioning. Glycerin is one of the major components, the other being rose water, so I was wondering if anyone has ever just used plain old generic glycerin forpost shave. Like poor mans skin food

I just tried it and my face feels a little sticky (the same feeling a lot of products leave me feeling), but other than that I like the non-scented aspect of it. Now just combine menthol and glycerin and I got myself as good a post shave as anything

I heard that using pure glycerin was a no no for your skin as it draws the mositure from your skin in too high a concentration. I used to use a drop or so in lather but didn't notice much improvment so I gave up using it.
Maybe if you dilute it with something else then it will work ok, but I don't know the ratio necessary for glycerin to start moisturising as opposed to drying.

On a side note, are glycerin's moisturising properties due to it being a humectant and therefore if a small amount is absorbed into your skin the water is drawn in too, but if there is too much then it sits on top of your skin and draws water from the environment and your skin?

umm ok it might not be true as it was found in wikipedia but-

'It was once believed that when used as an emollient, glycerol should never be applied undiluted to the skin. It was thought that the same powerful hygroscopic property that draws moisture out of the air to moisten the skin will draw moisture out of the skin if the glycerol is too concentrated. This in fact has proven to be untrue.'

All very well but what is the proof? Anybody know?

My skin feels just fine today , alum block and witch hazel dry me out more...I think i'm gonna play around with adding stuff to make my own post-shave

I put a few drops on my soap before making lather. Seems to give it more lubrication.

You could probably buy a bottle of pure aloe vera and use it too. You can also add trace products to it. I think it would be more beneficial to your skin than pure glycerine.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

You could probably buy a bottle of pure aloe vera and use it too. You can also add trace products to it. I think it would be more beneficial to your skin than pure glycerine.

+1
I have used my own aftershave for a long time now:
70% witch hazel
28% Masters Bay Rum
2% Pure Glycerine

Works great and tones down the Bay Rum aroma to an acceptable level. I have found that excessive glycerine makes my face really sweat bad for about an hour. Just sucks the moisture out. Does not hurt/burn or dry, just makes my face a bit sticky and really wet. I like the mixture I use really well. I've thrown in some Pinaud, too, and I still like it. Soothes well.