A salt or ester formed from the reaction of boric acid with glycerol, used in cosmetics and pharmaceutical preparations.
Combines 'boro-' (boron-related) + 'glycerate' (from glycerol, ultimately from Greek glykys meaning sweet). This compound class emerged in the early 20th century as chemists explored boron's ability to form complexes with polyols.
Your grandmother might have used boroglycerate in old-fashioned cosmetics because boron and glycerol together create compounds that are both moisturizing and preserve products from spoiling—a natural preservative long before modern chemistry.
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