User:Bradyk1/sandbox

Humectants are often found in beauty products because of their moisturizing abilities. Once applied to your skin, humectants attract water to the stratum corneum or the top layer of your skin. These humectants tend to only last from 6-10 hours. The most common humectant is glycerin which is a sugar compound. When more than 5% is used in a product a sticky residue is left on the skin when applied. There are no health hazards known in association with glycerin. The second most common humectant is sorbitol which is usually used in toothpastes. Like glycerin there are no side effects on ones health with the use of sorbitol. The third most common is propylene glycol. It is an alcohol based humectant. In 1984 it was decided that concentrations of propylene glycol over 50% were hazardous. The most common place to find high concentrations of propylene glycol is in deodorant. More recent studies have determined that the highest concentration of propylene glycol before it becomes hazardous is 7.5%. These numbers are only relevant when propylene glycol is applied to the skin. When it is taken orally, there are no health hazards.