recipes with glycerin

[archel]

I just found a big bottle of glycerin that I'd bought to make my own setting spray for my makeup. I'm now wondering how I can use it for my hair? I have some pretty major dryness happening on my ends right now. Any suggestions welcome.

[whitestiletto]

Hi, I have the Peace Love and Planet Let it Be Cherry Almond leave in conditioner (http://www.amazon.com/TIGI-Planet-Leave-Conditioner-Cherry/dp/B002UD52IU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=beauty&qid=1309309609&sr=8-1) and plan to make my own when I run out because I love it so. The top ingredients are

Aloe Vera Juice, Glycerin, Shea Butter, Sweet Almond oil, Bergamot Oil, Grapefruit Oil, Water, Olive Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, Jojoba Oil

There are a bunch more ingredients you can see through the link above.

I'll copy it without the bergamot and grapefruit oil since I read on LHC those are photosensitizers (make your hair easier to damage by sun). I will substitute Jasmine oil and Rose water.

[Sundial]

You can substitute glycerin into any recipes that use honey since both are humectants. One recipe that I remember off the top of my head which uses glycerin is the Kimberlily's Defrizz Spray.

Sometimes I just use glycerin straight on wet hair and I find that it tames frizzies. Using it on dry hair seems to make my hair look greasy.

[Rosake]

what exactly IS glycerin may I ask?

[whitestiletto]

it's a simple organic compound. it has 3 oxygens and 3 carbons. it's the piece that would hold together the ends of lipid (fat) molecules. it is entirely non-toxic and naturally occurring in our own bodies. it tastes sweet. it's used in a bunch of food, agricultural, beauty, and industrial settings because its properties are useful in many ways... we like it for our hair because its slippery, clear, and a humectant (holds in water).

i use it at my work to preserve bacterial cells when i freeze them. it provides a safe, non-toxic environment that prevents cell damage.

"In foods and beverages, glycerol serves as a humectant, solvent, and sweetener, and may help preserve foods. It is also used as filler in commercially prepared low-fat foods (e.g., cookies), and as a thickening agent in liqueurs. Glycerol and water are used to preserve certain types of leaves. As a sugar substitute, it has approximately 27 calories per teaspoon and is 60% as sweet as sucrose. Although it has about the same food energy as table sugar, it does not raise blood sugar levels, nor does it feed the bacteria that form plaques and cause dental cavities. As a food additive, glycerol is labeled as E number E422."

"Glycerol is used in medical and pharmaceutical and personal care preparations, mainly as a means of improving smoothness, providing lubrication and as a humectant. It is found in allergen immunotherapies, cough syrups, elixirs and expectorants, toothpaste, mouthwashes, skin care products, shaving cream, hair care products, soaps and water-based personal lubricants. In solid dosage forms like tablets, glycerol is used as a tablet holding agent. For human consumption, glycerol is classified by the U.S. FDA among the sugar alcohols as a caloric macronutrient."

Source: Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycerol)