a substance that stops something losing moisture (= liquid): Use a moisturizing lotion with humectants to stop your skin getting dry. Glycerol is a humectant used to keep cake moist longer. Glycerine is a humectant, meaning it attracts moisture to your skin.

What makes something a humectant?

A humectant /hjuːˈmɛktənt/ is a hygroscopic substance used to keep things moist. ... A humectant attracts and retains the moisture in the air nearby via absorption, drawing the water vapor into or beneath the organism's or object's surface.

What are humectants give example?

Humectants are hydroscopic organic compounds such as polyethylene or propylene glycols with or without alkyd ether capping groups on one or both ends, glycerol, sorbitols, etc.