Skin-loving Goodness

What gives lotion its glide? Why does body wash slip over your skin like silk charmeuse? What makes bubble bath such a wonderful caress for your whole-body complexion?

The answer practically slides off your tongue: glycerin.

Glycerin (GLISS-uh-rin) is a sugar alcohol derived from natural sources, as in Thymes products, or synthesized. Sweet to the taste, it is a clear, colorless, odorless, nontoxic food substance that has long played a starring role in commercial products, including soaps, toothpaste, shaving cream and skin and hair care goods, along with serving as the anti-freezing agent in window-wiper solution.

According to the Personal Care Products Council, a consumer safety group, glycerin is a component of all animal and vegetable fats and oils. (In its pure chemical state, it is referred to as glycerol.)

At Thymes, we use vegetable glycerin. Indeed, most Thymes soaps, lotions and bath products take advantage of this skin-friendly über moisturizer. That’s because it’s non-irritating, safe and gentle enough for children’s skin.

Many Thymes products take advantage of this skin-friendly über moisturizer.

Better yet, glycerin is a refreshing fount of moisture for skin. In chemical terms, it’s hygroscopic, which means it absorbs water from the air. This quality—described as humectant—helps it draw moisture to the skin, keeping it hydrated, soft and supple.

Such benefits are a special boon for aging skin. With diminishing natural reservoirs of moisture, skin loses elasticity and develops wrinkles over time. The application of glycerin forms a barrier against moisture loss and attracts new moisture to the epidermis. Your smoother, softer, more youthful-looking skin will thank you for it.

Glycerin lends its skin-loving slip to many signature Thymes products, including Agave Nectar Bubble Bath, the 2011 Best of Beauty Award-winner for Best Bath Product by Allure magazine. Read about it here. And give a cheer for glycerin!