Whether you call it glycerin, glycerine or glycerol, odds are you have ingested or used it at some point today. Glycerin is a simple sugar alcohol compound used in a vast number of products and applications. It can be synthesized or derived from plants and animals and finds uses as diverse as toothpastes to precursors in explosives manufacturing. Phosphorous and iodine on glycerin can create allyl iodide, a chemical building block for polymers, preservatives, organometallic catalysts and pharmaceuticals. Where glycerin most commonly touches our lives is in foods and beverages, pharmaceuticals and personal care products. In foods and beverages glycerin can act as a humectant, solvent, thickener and sweetener to replace sugar. It finds uses in pharmaceuticals to improve lubricity and hygroscopic qualities. Glycerin can be found in toothpaste, mouthwash, skin care products, shaving cream, hair care products and soaps.