Comparing E422 - Glycerol vs E1519 - Benzyl alcohol
Overview
Synonyms
Products
Found in 12,762 products
Found in 192 products
Search rank & volume
Awareness score
Search volume over time
Interest over time for 5 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.
Interest over time for 5 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.
Popular questions
What is vegetable glycerin?
Vegetable glycerin is glycerol (E422) derived from plant oils (e.g., soybean, palm, coconut); it’s chemically identical to other glycerin and commonly used as a humectant and sweetener.
Is glycerin bad for you?
Generally no—at typical food and cosmetic levels it’s considered safe (FDA GRAS; EFSA found no safety concern at reported uses); large amounts may cause bloating, diarrhea, or thirst.
Is glycerin good for your skin?
Yes—glycerin is a humectant that draws and holds water in the outer skin layers, helping hydration and barrier function; very high, undiluted use can feel sticky or occasionally irritate.
What is glycerin used for?
In foods it works as a humectant, mild sweetener, thickener, and solvent/carrier for flavors and colors to keep products moist and stable; it’s also used in pharmaceuticals and personal care as a moisturizer, solvent, and plasticizer.
What is glycerin made of?
It’s most often produced by hydrolysis, saponification, or transesterification of natural triglycerides from plant or animal fats; it can also be made by microbial fermentation of sugars or synthetically from petrochemical routes.
Is benzyl alcohol bad for hair?
Not inherently—at the low levels used as a solvent or preservative in hair products, it typically doesn’t damage hair, though some people may find it slightly drying or irritating to the scalp.
Is benzyl alcohol bad for skin?
It’s widely used in cosmetics and is generally safe at permitted levels, but it can cause irritation or allergic contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals (it’s a listed fragrance allergen in the EU).
Is benzyl alcohol safe?
Yes—E1519 is permitted as a food additive/solvent and considered safe at approved use levels; very high exposures can be harmful (notably in premature infants), and some people may be allergic.
Does benzyl alcohol dry out hair?
It can be mildly drying because it’s a solvent, but typical small amounts in formulations usually don’t cause noticeable dryness for most users.
Does benzyl alcohol dry out skin?
It may feel drying or stinging at higher concentrations or on sensitive/broken skin, though at common cosmetic levels (often up to about 1% as a preservative) most people tolerate it well.