Ethylene glycol is a useful industrial compound found in many consumer products, including automotive antifreeze, hydraulic brake fluids, some stamp pad inks, ballpoint pens, solvents, paints, plastics, films, and cosmetics; it also is used as a pharmaceutical vehicle. Ethylene glycol has a sweet taste and is often accidentally or intentionally ingested. Ethylene glycol is chemically broken down in the body into toxic compounds. It and its toxic byproducts first affect the central nervous system (CNS), then the heart, and finally the kidneys. Ingestion of sufficient amounts can be fatal. Ethylene glycol is odorless; odor does not provide any warning of inhalation exposure to hazardous concentrations.

Tricaprylin is a triester of glycerin and caprylic acid. It is used as a fragrance ingredient, solvent, and primarily as an emollient in a variety of personal care products, including makeup, creams and lotions, deodorants, sunscreens, hair conditioners, and skin cleansers. Tricaprylin is an ingredient of Axona, a prescription medical food intended for the clinical dietary management of the metabolic processes associated with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Axona provides a simple and safe method to induce hyperketonemia, thus providing an alternative energy substrate to glucose in the brain of patients with AD. After oral administration of Axona, Tricaprylin in Axona is processed by enzymes in the gut, and the resulting medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) are absorbed into the blood supply leading to the liver. The MCFAs rapidly pass directly to the liver, where they undergo oxidation to form ketones. Since the liver does not use ketones, they are released into the circulation to be used by nonliver tissues. Some ketones can cross the blood-brain barrier and are then taken up by brain cells. While glucose is the brain’s chief energy source, ketones normally serve as the "backup" energy source. Ketones the body produces after Axona is consumed, act as an alternative energy source for brain cells that have lost their ability to use glucose (sugar) as a result of Alzheimer’s disease.

1,2-Dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylglycerol sodium salt (DPPG) is phosphorylglycerol acylated with palmitic acid, that can be used for the preparation of liposomes with negatively charged hydrophilic head groups.

Tribehenin is composed of glycerin and behenic acid, a naturally-occurring long-chain fatty acid. Tribehenin is found in animal and vegetable fats and oils such as tallow, palm-nut and coconut oils. It is used as a conditioning agent in a wide variety of skin care products, including makeup formulas, creams and lotions, sunscreen products, and skin care and skin cleansing products. Tribehenin is considered a low hazard ingredient by the Cosmetics Database, which notes that it can be a penetration enhancer and assist other chemicals in reaching lower levels of the skin.

Glyceryl 1-oleate (1-O-Oleyl-rac-glycerol, Glyceryl oleate, Monoolein), is a surfactant that releases free glycerol and oleic acid upon hydrolysis. Monoolein has been used in liquid crystal studies and research shows that in the presence of monoolein, the penetration of the drug cisplatin (sc-200896) is doubled. Monoolein (1-Oleoyl-rac-glycerol) is used in the development of monoolein-based nanoparticulate liquid dispersions as possible vehicles for drug delivery. Glyceryl oleate is the monoester of glycerin and oleic acid. It's part of the hair lipids and skin lipids and has re-fating properties. Used as emulsifier and nonionic co-surfactant in various skin and hair care products. Creates water-in-oil emulsions (HLB value 3.5) but can also be used as a co-emulsifier and thickener for oil-in-water formulations. Add to oil/emulsifier phase of formulas. Typical use level: 0.5-3%. If used in surfactant systems, typical use level is 0.5-1% which should still keep shampoos clear and transparent.

Tristearin is a chemical compound from the group of simple triglycerides. All three hydroxy groups of glycerol are esterified with stearic acid. It was shown that in tristearin treated human umbilical vein smooth muscle cells (HUVSMCs), the saturated fatty acid content was increased, and the compositions of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and monounsaturated fatty acid were decreased significantly. Tristearin had significant promotion effects on the proliferation of HUVSMCs induced by oxidized‐LDL. Tristearin is a triacylglycerol commonly found in dietary fats. It increases serum cholesterol levels in rats. Tristearin is also used to form the lipid matrices of solid lipid nanoparticles. Formulations containing tristearin are used in cosmetic products to condition skin and as thickening agents.

Tripalmitin is a triglyceride obtained by formal acylation of the three hydroxy groups of glycerol by palmitic (hexadecanoic) acid. It derives from a hexadecanoic acid. Tripalmitin is used as a skin conditioning agent.