Differentiation between glycerol and glycolic acid

Glycerol, also known as glycerol, is a colorless, odorless and sweet viscous liquid with strong hygroscopicity. It often exists in animal and vegetable oils and can be obtained by hydrolysis. Its molecular structure contains three hydroxyl groups, which are chemically active and have applications in many fields. In medicine, it can be used as a lubricant and moisturizer to assist in drug absorption; in the food industry, it can retain water and thicken, prolonging the shelf life of food; in industry, it is an important chemical raw material, and is needed for making explosives, plastics, etc.

And glycolic acid, the smallest α-hydroxy acid, is colorless and crystalline, soluble in water, ethanol, etc. Its molecules contain carboxyl and hydroxyl groups, and have unique chemical activities. In the cosmetics industry, because it can accelerate the renewal of the stratum corneum and make the skin tender and smooth, it is often used as a skin rejuvenating ingredient; in the chemical industry, it can be used as a cleaning agent and rust remover to remove rust and dirt on metal surfaces.

Although both glycerol and glycolic acid are organic compounds, the differences are obvious. From the structure point of view, glycerol is a polyol, glycolic acid is a hydroxy acid, and the functional groups have different chemical properties and reactivity. In terms of physical properties, glycerol is a liquid at room temperature, glycolic acid is a solid, and the melting point and boiling point are also different. In terms of use, although the cosmetics field has been involved, the emphasis is different, glycerol is tremendous support wet, and glycolic acid is exfoliating and rejuvenating.

Therefore, glycerol and glycolic acid are by no means the same thing. They each develop their strengths in different fields, and their efficacy characteristics are distinctly different.