Raw Materials 101: Glycerin Explained for Skincare, Hair Care, and Soap Making

A beginner-friendly guide to glycerin, how it works as a humectant, and how it's used in skincare, hair care, soap making, and small business formulations

Are you one of those people who read through a product’s ingredient list? You may have encountered “glycerin” while browsing through different skincare and hair care products in the grocery aisle. You might have even noticed that it shows up again and again—especially in cosmetics, personal care and soap. Pero ano nga ba siya, and why is it everywhere?

Let’s break it down. What is glycerin raw material in skincare, hair care and soap making?

Glycerin (also called glycerol) is a colorless, odorless sugar alcohol in liquid form. It is quite thick and sticky—medyo malapot siya compared to water. It is derived from plant oils, animal fats, or created through synthetic processes. The one we usually use in cosmetics formulations and soap making is cosmetic-grade glycerin, which makes it’s safe and suitable for topical applications.

So why is glycerin such a staple?

At its core, glycerin is a humectant. That means it attracts water and helps keep moisture in the skin. Kaya siya favorite ingredient in a lot of skincare formulations—it helps keep skin hydrated, soft, and healthy-looking.

This also explains why you’ll often see glycerin in products like:

• Moisturizers

• Serums

• Cleansers

• Hair Care

• Soaps

But here’s something important to understand—especially if you’re starting to formulate your own products.

Glycerin is quite water-soluble, which means it mixes with water-based ingredients well. However, if you’re planning to combine it with oils, hindi siya basta-basta maghahalo. You’ll need an emulsifier to blend water and oil phases in your formulation.

Pro tip: If your formulation feels too sticky, you might be using too much glycerin. A small percentage usually goes a long way.

Now, if you’re into soap making, glycerin plays a somewhat different role.

Sa soap making naman, glycerin is actually a natural byproduct of the saponification process—this is when oils react with lye (or caustic soda). So even if you don’t add glycerin as a separate ingredient, it’s already there in your soap.

Meanwhile, melt and pour (M&P) soap bases contain a much higher concentration of glycerin — kaya sila medyo soft and extra moisturizing. That's why M&Ps also tend to “sweat", and form tiny droplets. This is just glycerin pulling moisture from the air—parang humihigop siya ng tubig sa paligid, a sign that they're quite good for your skin.

So in soap making and skincare formulation, having a solid understanding of glycerin as a raw material goes a long way. Once you understand how it behaves, you will have control over how your product turns out—from texture and feel to performance and overall look.

For more information and conversations around Glycerin, Kimistri Labs —your local source for raw materials —is here for you.

→ Available at Kimistri Labs, an online store based in the Philippines.

Vegetable Glycerin (Cosmetic-grade Raw Material for Skin and Hair)

Propylene Glycol

Hope this helps—and happy crafting ✨

See Glycerin featured in our own projects.