Is it better to use glycerin or vaseline in winter? Don't use glycerin alone for skin care in winter

Glycerin and Vaseline are both relatively pure and well-reviewed skin care products. Many people have heard of them. They are almost must-have items in the home during the dry winter. So, is it better to use glycerin or Vaseline in winter?

Is it better to use glycerin or vaseline in winter?

When the area is particularly dry, it is recommended to use vaseline. Vaseline is a mineral wax that forms a protective film on the surface of the skin. It is essentially a layer of oil that prevents moisture from being lost. Glycerin retains moisture by absorbing moisture from the air. When the weather is particularly dry, such as in the north, it is not very suitable to use glycerin. There is not much moisture, and glycerin may actually absorb the moisture on your face. Vaseline is effective in wrapping moisture. In the south where the weather is slightly dry, you can use skin care glycerin.

Difference Between Glycerin and Vaseline

1. Essence

Glycerin: A water-based humectant that attracts water. Glycerin is not oil. Its chemical name is propylene glycol. It is a very good moisturizer. Its moisturizing effect is that it can absorb water from humid air to maintain the water content of the skin's stratum corneum. This is the mechanism of action of water-based moisturizers. Glycerin absorbs moisture from the humid air to maintain the moisture content of the skin's stratum corneum, but it also absorbs moisture from the skin.

Vaseline: Oil-based moisturizer that locks in moisture. Vaseline is a mineral wax, an extract from petroleum, with the scientific name: petroleum grease. It can form a protective film on the skin surface. Its moisturizing function is to prevent the evaporation of skin moisture, which is also the mechanism of action of oily moisturizers. Compared with other more expensive skin care products on the market, Vaseline's chemical inertness makes it non-irritating to any type of skin, so Vaseline is a broad-spectrum skin care product that can be used by anyone. Because of this, cheap Vaseline is still the most widely used and most cost-effective skin care product in the world.

2. Water solubility

Glycerin is water-soluble, extracted from animal fat, is relatively sticky, and can absorb moisture from the air. Vaseline is fat-soluble and is a natural chemical product, similar to oil. It is insoluble in water and has no breathability, so it can isolate moisture.

3. Usage

Glycerin is breathable, so there are also food-grade glycerin and cosmetic glycerin carriers, while vaseline is mostly used as a carrier for high-quality medicines or oily cosmetics and is not breathable. However, the safety of pure glycerin to the skin is relatively poor. Pure glycerin can damage the skin, but Vaseline does not have this problem.

Don’t use glycerin alone for skin care in winter

The skin becomes increasingly dry. Pure glycerin cannot be applied directly to the skin. Before using glycerin, you must first understand whether it is aqueous glycerin or pure glycerin. If it is pure glycerin, you must add 20% water before use, otherwise it will make the skin drier and cause burns. It is recommended not to use glycerin alone for skin care in winter. You can first apply lotion on the skin surface, keep it on for a few minutes, and then apply glycerin. The skin care and moisturizing effect will be better. In short, glycerin must be diluted before being used directly on the skin. Otherwise, the strong water absorption of high-concentration glycerin will irritate the skin, especially the facial skin, causing burning and pain, which is not conducive to alleviating dry skin in winter.