Glycerin & Hydrating Humectant Skincare

The world is never short of glitzy new ingredients that promise you your dewiest self. In the humectants category (water-loving ingredients that hydrate your skin), you may have heard of hyaluronic acid, snail mucin, or other exotic seaweed extracts. These ingredients usually come with impressive claims (ie. “holds up to 1000x its weight in water!”) or exotic origin stories with extra skin benefits (filled with 57819473 amino acids and minerals!). But recently, an unlikely candidate has become a buzzy hydrator on the interwebs – good ol’ glycerin. And in our chemists’ opinion, this unassuming ingredient is actually pretty deserving of the buzz. So! Is this simple little guy the BEST humectant all along?! How much glycerin do you really need? How does it compare with other sexier-sounding ingredients like hyaluronic acid? Let’s dive into the data shall we?