Glycerinum

[SuziQ]

SuziQ: Oh, excuse me. Did not want to offend you. It´s just that my country only exists for a couple of years and has a population of a half of a big city...

Not offended at all.
Guess where the rest of the population are living.

[Frankie]

A good reason to be using glycerol, if you don't want to admit to its actual purpose, is to make your own hand lotion "because I don't like the additives in the commercial ones" or some such guff.

I wanted to avoid this, because I was looking for something that was safe to inhale, not just put on your skin. In the pharmacy where I finally succeeded I used the excuse of making my own "aromatherapy". Which is even technically true

And I did visit all the pharmacies I encountered. I only called to those far from my usual routes.

[frazzledglispa]

There really is nothing dangerous about glycerin (proper name is glycerol). It is simply an alcohol that is derived from fats or oils - primarily animal or vegetable (I think it can be derived from petroleum, but this isn't done frequently.)

In the past the majority of glycerin was created by the soap making industry. Take a fat or oil, add lye to it and the saponification process creates soap and glycerin. Now the majority of glycerin comes from the biofuel industry.

Glycerin is a humectant, and a sweetener. I have a lot of skin sensitivities, and I use a lot of glycerin as it is a product that I can add to home-made skin products to help keep my skin from getting dry without causing chemical reactions.

I am a big fan of glycerin, and I never understand why some people who should know better (pharmacists, etc...) act like it is something that should be restricted

[PeteMcArthur]

It's very strange the way some countries seem to think glycerin is some sort of controlled substance, just weird. In the UK it is available off the shelf (literally - self service) in pharmacies, also freely available in the baking section of the supermarkets. Is it perhaps the name glycerine people think of nitro-glycerine ?

[Frankie]

It might be a demand/supply problem. The only pharmacy that was willing to sell the glycerin did so from its own wholesale supply for in-house use. They just poured some in a smaller bottle. I do not think it is a controlled substance or anything of the sort here. It is just not sold in retail. You could probably buy a cistern, but not a 100 ml bottle - unless somebody breaks the rules, pours some off the cistern and imagines a price for the amount sold. Imagines, because theys are not licenced to sell individual ingredients bought for preparing some of their goods. And, of course, they did not know the origin. They just had "glycerinum" for lotions and ointments and stuff. Knew it was safe for skin contact, which was enough as far as they were concerned.

[Tetsab]

Hi Frankie, thought I'd let you know that you could try this supplier for glycerine on eBay:

1/2L GLYCERINE GLYCEROL Vegetable Grade / Kosher Grade on eBay, also Chemicals, Lab Supplies, Medical Lab Equipment, Business, Office Industrial (end time 12-Dec-08 19:47:18 GMT)

It is specified as being vegetable and kosher! Half a litre should last you for ages. Doesn't say if they would ship to Slovakia but you could always ask the seller. It couldn't hurt to try and nothing ventured nothing gained.

Good luck with your search.

[yvilla]

SambucaLu, is there a Michaels or Hobby Shop or other similar arts and crafts store near you? I saw a bottle of Glycerin just yesterday in the cake decorating area of Michaels.

[SuziQ]

I had a look at that ebay auction...cannot get the enlarge pic to work, but glycerin should be colourless and that stuff looks slightly green, unless its the camera. Also, is quite expensive really. Ebay items are more often than not cheaper than what you can buy in the shops, not twice the price (before postage).

Tetsab:I am not having a go at your efforts to help frankie, btw. :-)

[PeteMcArthur]

I had a look at that ebay auction...cannot get the enlarge pic to work, but glycerin should be colourless and that stuff looks slightly green, unless its the camera. Also, is quite expensive really. Ebay items are more often than not cheaper than what you can buy in the shops, not twice the price (before postage).

Tetsab:I am not having a go at your efforts to help frankie, btw. :-)

I think it's just a duff photo

[SuziQ]

yeah, you could be right, esp. with the green background