Glycerol: Difference between revisions
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'''Glycerol''' - a clear, viscous, odourless, slightly sweet, non-toxic | '''Glycerol''' - a clear, viscous, odourless, slightly sweet, non-toxic liquid | ||
: used e.g. as | : used e.g. as a solvent, a sweetener, a preservative, a thickening agent, a humectant | ||
: has some anti-freeze properties | : has some anti-freeze properties | ||
: has a few medical uses | : has a few medical uses | ||
: A specific compound (C<sub>3</sub>H<sub>8</sub>O<sub>3</sub>), and technically a triol (with three OH groups) | : A specific compound (C<sub>3</sub>H<sub>8</sub>O<sub>3</sub>), and technically a triol (with three OH groups) | ||
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If you're wondering how nasty or chemical it is: | |||
Glycerol is actually a small byproduct of your metabolism, and part of supporting your skin's moisture barrier {{verify}} | |||
Glycerin is one of the most common ingredients in cosmetics, moisturizers, and lotions, and some soaps. | |||
It also has a few uses around food and baking. | |||
But in any of those uses, the concentration matters. | |||
Being a dessicant, it is hygroscopic, basically meaning it draws in water that touches it. | |||
In moist air the net effect may be putting more water near your skin for more time. | |||
On skin, glycerin's small size also means it gets absobed, meaning it can act as a barrier. | |||
This seems to have the side effect of keeping moisture where it is. | |||
However, this is an interesting balance - higher concentrations act a little faster, but more importantly, | |||
if the only source of water is your skin, the net effect is actually drawing it out. | |||
In moisturizers, glycerin is combined with other things to avoid that. | |||
Pure glycerin can, under some coditions, dry out skin, sometimes even to the point of blistering. | |||
Under 10% or so - which also frequently means a bunch of the rest is already water - the drying effect should be minimal, | |||
and cosmetics tend to keep it even lower than that. | |||
In personal lube, it is mixed ''with'' water. That water evaporates so adding water or more lube later means it's . | |||
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Glycerol and '''glycerin''' (US) / '''glycerine''' (UK) refer to the same molecule, | Glycerol and '''glycerin''' (US) / '''glycerine''' (UK) refer to the same molecule, | ||
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* '''propylene glycol''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propylene_glycol], functionally somewhat similar to glycerol | * '''propylene glycol'''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propylene_glycol], functionally somewhat similar to glycerol | ||
:: E1520 when used for food | :: E1520 when used for food | ||
:: E490 when used for cosmetics | :: E490 when used for cosmetics | ||
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:: used in skin creams, [[personal lubricant]], used for larger and longer-lasting soap bubbles | :: used in skin creams, [[personal lubricant]], used for larger and longer-lasting soap bubbles | ||
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* propanediol can refer to a few different related things | |||
:: you mostly see it something very close to propylene glycol, but derived from corn {{verify}} | |||
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* '''ethylene glycol'''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylene_glycol] | * '''ethylene glycol'''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylene_glycol] | ||
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:: e.g. a solvent | :: e.g. a solvent | ||
:: treat as being bad for people | :: treat as being bad for people | ||
Latest revision as of 14:38, 16 October 2023
✎ This article/section is a stub — some half-sorted notes, not necessarily checked, not necessarily correct. Feel free to ignore, or tell me about it.
Glycerol - a clear, viscous, odourless, slightly sweet, non-toxic liquid
- used e.g. as a solvent, a sweetener, a preservative, a thickening agent, a humectant
- has some anti-freeze properties
- has a few medical uses
- A specific compound (C3H8O3), and technically a triol (with three OH groups)
Glycerol and glycerin (US) / glycerine (UK) refer to the same molecule, yet glycerin is a commercial term that typically refers to mixes that are >95% of it by volume.
See also:
More widely, you can look at diols and triols.
You may see the term glycol[1], which is the property/grouping of aliphatic diols, where
- aliphatic = non-aromatic
- diol = alcohols with two OH functional groups (triols have three)
Some compounds in this area include (but are certainly not limited to)
- glycerol/glycerin[2], as mentioned
- used as a sweetener (then also known as E422), humectant, preservant, and is used in personal lube
- propylene glycol[3], functionally somewhat similar to glycerol
- E1520 when used for food
- E490 when used for cosmetics
- polyethylene glycol[4]
- biologically inert
- used in skin creams, personal lubricant, used for larger and longer-lasting soap bubbles
- ethylene glycol[5]
- e.g. used in classical antifreeze
- treat as being bad for people
- diethylene glycol[6] (hydrolysed ethylene glycol)
- e.g. a solvent
- treat as being bad for people
Smoke machine fluids seem to often be glycerol or propylene glycol (sometimes other glycols, but not ethylene glycol) and water,
though there appear to be some newer formulations that leave less residue(verify).
Vaping liquid has a base that is often a mix of part glycerin (smoother, cloudier) and propylene glycol.