PERSONAL CARE

GLYCERINe
The ability to hold and attract water, the humectancy, of glycerine is stronger than that of a
polyol such as sorbitol. It contributes to the stability of the products and supplements the skin’s
water content. Glycerine is miscible with water and alcohol. It is a solvent for lower alcohols,
glycols, a partial solvent for low molecular weight esters and ethers and it is insoluble in oils
and higher alcohols. Among the various other properties related to the hygroscopicity and
solubilization characteristics of glycerine are: plasticizing, binding and the enhancement of
smoothness and gloss. Glycerine can also act as a preservative, as a barrier for oily materials,
as a fixative for perfumes and as a carrier of pigments and other ingredients. Many personal
care products contain glycerine: all types of barrier and protective creams, cleansing lotions,
shaving lotions; liposome formulations; barrier and protective gels, clear gels and sticks; nail
hardeners, cuticle removers; toothpaste, mouth wash; eye shadows, face powders, make-up
creams; transparent cleansing compounds; clear toilet soaps; perfumes; etc. Our pharmaceutical
and chemically pure glycerines meet the requirements of the U.S. and European Pharmacopoeia.
Table 2 / typical values of pharmaceutical and chemically pure glycerines
Code number
Type
Glycerol content
by refractive
index, %
Water
(Karl Fischer),%
Color Apha
(Hazen)
Refractive index
at 20°C
Relative
density at 20° C
4813 mixed ≥ 99.5 ≤ 0.5 ≤ 10 ≥ 1.4732 ≥ 1.2620
4823 mixed 86 - 88 12 - 14 ≤ 10 1.4524 - 1.4554 1.2271 - 1.2325
4818 mixed ≥ 99.8 ≤ 0.2 ≤ 10 ≥ 1.4737 ≥ 1.2632
4810 vegetable ≥ 99.5 ≤ 0.5 ≤ 10 1.4732-1.4740 ≥ 1.2620
4827 vegetable 84 - 88 12 - 16 ≤ 10 1.4524 - 1.4554 1.2271 - 1.2325
4833 kosher ≥ 99.7 ≤ 0.3 ≤ 10 ≥ 1.4735 ≥ 1.2629
4808 vegetable ≥ 99.7 ≤ 0.3 ≤ 10 1.4735 -1.4740 ≥ 1.2620