Humectants: What's the Deal?

Rosewater and Glycerin 

As an avid reader of the NaturallyCurly forums and several blogs and ladies forums, I've read a lot about humectants for both skin and hair. Humectants are hygroscopic substances that help retain water. Glycerin and rosewater is one of the more popular ones.

When my boyfriend asked me if I wanted a bottle of rosewater and glycerin, I said, "No, thanks." not knowing what it was used for. When he opened the bottle and let me smell it (the scent was just like a rose garden) and said I could use it for baths, I was in. The bottle said it was for "chapped skin of the face and hands" and listed the ingredients as 28.7% vegetable glycerin. I asked a nurse friend of mine if it would make me break out and she said glycerin was a very benign substance with low toxicity. 

Rosewater is touted as a natural toner and moisturizer and is supposed to remove impurities and help heal blemishes.

For people with dry, coarse hair humectants are a godsend: glycerin takes the moisture out of the air around it and retains it in your hair. But there's a catch: in lower dew points (e.g. winter), glycerin will actually suck up the moisture in your hair making it dryer. When it's really humid, it will make your hair frizzy. The most successful time to use glycerin is when the dew points are between 4-15 C (or 40-60 F). You can find out the dew points in your area by looking up your area on Wunderground.

To use, mix a tablespoon or so with your regular styling product and distribute through your hair. It should make your hair soft and shiny. I tried it and loved the effect, although it was about 23 C that day and it made my hair a bit frizzy. 

Now for skin, glycerin does the same thing: helps it retain moisture. It's an ingredient in a lot of creams and lotions under an array of different names: gylcols and glycerol. It is used in everything from soap to toothpaste and "topical pure glycerol is an effective treatment for psoriasis, burns, rashes, and calluses" according to Wikipedia.

I bought a spritz bottle from the dollar store (note the fancy barbershop design) and mist my face at night. Then I take a cotton pad and wipe off the excess. It takes off all my leftover makeup my cleanser didn't catch and leaves a light layer of moisture. It also smells heavenly. Since it's summer, it's a little bit sticky. But, I bet in autumn and spring it will be perfect. I just rinse it off in the morning and apply my makeup. I haven't broken out from it and it's left my skin soft and moisturized.

You can purchase rosewater and glycerin from any health food store. You can also make your own rosewater and mix it with glycerin from the drug store. I'm not sure of the ratio, maybe 70 % rosewater to 30 % glycerin.

Have fun!