DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register
 

DPChallenge Forums >> General Discussion >> Simulating sweat - Where to buy glycerin?
Pages:  
Showing posts 1 - 25 of 45, (reverse)
AuthorThread
08/19/2009 05:49:04 PM · #1
I've got a shoot coming up tonight and wanted to mix some fake sweat with ye'ole' water+glycerin formula... But I can't find anyone who sells glycerin around here (Phoenix, Arizona) to save my life. I swore when I lived in NC, I could pick it up an any drug store of pharmacy... I've looked around yesterday, and made phone calls today to several local pharmacies, etc -- nuthin'.

Anyone bought any lately? If so, where?

Alternatively, does anyone have any other effective ways to simulate sweat for a photograph?
08/19/2009 05:51:09 PM · #2
A quick workout, running on the spot, that sort of thing. Or, turn the heating on or up.

Might work??
08/19/2009 05:55:38 PM · #3
The last time I got it, I went to Hobby Lobby.
Go to some place where you can get cake decorating supplies.
08/19/2009 05:59:16 PM · #4
Grocery store, look in the cake aisle.
08/19/2009 06:13:02 PM · #5
You can also buy suppositories, melt them in the microwave and add some water to thin it out a bit.
08/19/2009 06:18:13 PM · #6
If you check about 1/4 of the way through Jules Verne's novel The Mysterious Island you will find the recipe for making glycerin(e) ...
Originally posted by The Mysterious Island:

Neb and Pencroft had taken away the fat from the dugong, and placed it in large earthen pots. It was then necessary to separate the glycerine from the fat by saponifying it. Now, to obtain this result, it had to be treated either with soda or lime. In fact, one or other of these substances, after having attacked the fat, would form a soap by separating the glycerine, and it was just this glycerine which the engineer wished to obtain. There was no want of lime, only treatment by lime would give calcareous soap, insoluble, and consequently useless, while treatment by soda would furnish, on the contrary, a soluble soap, which could be put to domestic use. Now, a practical man, like Cyrus Harding, would rather try to obtain soda. Was this difficult? No; for marine plants abounded on the shore, glass-wort, ficoides, and all those fucaceae which form wrack. A large quantity of these plants was collected, first dried, then burnt in holes in the open air. The combustion of these plants was kept up for several days, and the result was a compact gray mass, which has been long known under the name of "natural soda."

This obtained, the engineer treated the fat with soda, which gave both a soluble soap and that neutral substance, glycerine.
08/19/2009 06:18:13 PM · #7
Originally posted by Spazmo99:

You can also buy suppositories, melt them in the microwave and add some water to thin it out a bit.
take them out of the metal packaging first!!

drugstore is where i got my glycerin
08/19/2009 06:22:39 PM · #8
I was looking for some a while back ... the pharmacist told me that there was a recall on the larger bottles and she had no clue when/if they'd be back in stock ... I ended up buying a box of 4 single use suppositories instead of the bottle ...
08/19/2009 06:25:43 PM · #9
Originally posted by pamelasue:

I was looking for some a while back ... the pharmacist told me that there was a recall on the larger bottles and she had no clue when/if they'd be back in stock ...

I'm guessing someone at DHS has read the several paragraphs surrounding those I quoted ... :-(
08/19/2009 06:35:39 PM · #10
Awesome -- thanks everyone. I've tried a couple of grocery stores and called every drug store and pharmacy in nearly a 20 mile radius. Geeze O Pete. I think I have a lead on a health food store nearby that carries it. If I strike out there, I'll just break down get the suppositories and cut/melt/whatever it takes... but probably won't mention any of that to my model. :D

"So, okay, close your eyes and relax for a moment -- I'm going to spritz a little water [mumble]and suppository-juice[/mumble] on your face..." :P
08/19/2009 06:50:46 PM · #11
the ones I got were already liquid ... just in a small single use tube ...
08/19/2009 06:53:31 PM · #12
You really need to FAKE sweat in Phoenix in the Summer? I lived there 25 years. Just turn off the AC: Instant Sweatâ„¢

seriously, though, good luck. somebody mentioned the grocery store--that would be for gelatin, I think--dunno if that would work well or not.

I have also heard of spritzing a mix of olive oil and water for this purpose, though I suspect you get more of a sheen than coherent droplets
08/19/2009 07:09:49 PM · #13
Any high school science lab should have some, as should whatever supplier they use ...
08/19/2009 07:24:43 PM · #14
Originally posted by chromeydome:

You really need to FAKE sweat in Phoenix in the Summer? I lived there 25 years. Just turn off the AC: Instant Sweatâ„¢

seriously, though, good luck. somebody mentioned the grocery store--that would be for gelatin, I think--dunno if that would work well or not.

I have also heard of spritzing a mix of olive oil and water for this purpose, though I suspect you get more of a sheen than coherent droplets


no , there are two types of this, one for cooking (fondant etc) and one solvent, emollient, pharmaceutical agent
08/19/2009 08:56:52 PM · #15
Originally posted by JulietNN:

Originally posted by chromeydome:

You really need to FAKE sweat in Phoenix in the Summer? I lived there 25 years. Just turn off the AC: Instant Sweatâ„¢

seriously, though, good luck. somebody mentioned the grocery store--that would be for gelatin, I think--dunno if that would work well or not.

I have also heard of spritzing a mix of olive oil and water for this purpose, though I suspect you get more of a sheen than coherent droplets


no , there are two types of this, one for cooking (fondant etc) and one solvent, emollient, pharmaceutical agent


ah--okay. Thanks. the thought of gelatin seemed messy, sticky, and hard to clean up to me :-)
08/19/2009 09:33:06 PM · #16
Originally posted by pamelasue:

I was looking for some a while back ... the pharmacist told me that there was a recall on the larger bottles and she had no clue when/if they'd be back in stock ... I ended up buying a box of 4 single use suppositories instead of the bottle ...


do they make suppositories that can be used multiple times????? 8-)
08/19/2009 09:42:24 PM · #17
while any drugstore 'should' have glycerin and that's where I found mine, (Walgreen's springs to mind) a variety store or craft store that sells kids bubble making supplies might well have small bottles. It's great for making your own bubble solution when used with dishwashing liquid, like "Dawn."
08/19/2009 10:20:57 PM · #18
Baby oil might work. they use it in movies sometimes.
08/20/2009 05:13:08 AM · #19
I got mine at Walmart somewhere in the pharmacy/medicine area.
08/20/2009 08:09:01 AM · #20
Originally posted by karmat:

Originally posted by pamelasue:

I was looking for some a while back ... the pharmacist told me that there was a recall on the larger bottles and she had no clue when/if they'd be back in stock ... I ended up buying a box of 4 single use suppositories instead of the bottle ...


do they make suppositories that can be used multiple times????? 8-)


I sure hope not! guess I should have read that more carefully before I posted, eh?! ;)
08/20/2009 11:00:46 AM · #21
Originally posted by chromeydome:

Originally posted by JulietNN:

Originally posted by chromeydome:

You really need to FAKE sweat in Phoenix in the Summer? I lived there 25 years. Just turn off the AC: Instant Sweatâ„¢

seriously, though, good luck. somebody mentioned the grocery store--that would be for gelatin, I think--dunno if that would work well or not.

I have also heard of spritzing a mix of olive oil and water for this purpose, though I suspect you get more of a sheen than coherent droplets


no , there are two types of this, one for cooking (fondant etc) and one solvent, emollient, pharmaceutical agent


ah--okay. Thanks. the thought of gelatin seemed messy, sticky, and hard to clean up to me :-)


A while ago I had to simulate semen (don't ask), and I used water, sugar and gelatin (gelatin for texture, sugar for coloring), but it was use on strawberries, not skin, I guess it would be a pain to clean it. Hope you'll find the perfect recipe

Edited for Typo

Message edited by author 2009-08-20 11:01:22.
08/20/2009 11:05:41 AM · #22
this has to be the weirdest thread yet!! ; )
08/20/2009 11:44:49 AM · #23
Originally posted by aliqui:

I got mine at Walmart somewhere in the pharmacy/medicine area.


Yup, our Walmart has currently has it.
Also try any store with soap-making supplies, though it would probably cost at least twice as much there.

And Merchillo.... I won't ask, since you said not to, but I'm dying of curiosity!
08/20/2009 11:54:38 AM · #24
Originally posted by merchillio:

... A while ago I had to simulate semen (don't ask)...

:-X
08/20/2009 01:50:56 PM · #25
I swear Slippy has a searchbot loaded with strange words, since he always turns up in any thread mentioning not only him but anything that could in ANY way be construed as kinky.
Pages:  
Current Server Time: 08/27/2025 03:44:08 PM

Please log in or register to post to the forums.


Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 08/27/2025 03:44:08 PM EDT.