Key Takeaway
BigBasket.pk doesn't stock a standalone propylene glycol cream — it's usually a pharmacy-compounded item, not a fixed retail product. Here's what it is and safer alternatives.
Propylene glycol cream price in Pakistan isn't something we can quote as a fixed BigBasket.pk product cost, because we don't stock a standalone propylene glycol cream — it's typically a pharmacy-compounded or prescription formulation rather than a packaged retail SKU. Propylene glycol itself is a humectant and solvent that shows up as an ingredient inside dozens of everyday moisturizers, cleansers and medicated creams, so most people searching this term are really trying to find out what it does, whether it's safe, and what to buy instead.
Below we break down what propylene glycol actually is, why chemists in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad sell it differently from branded skincare, what really drives its price when you do find it compounded, and which verified, Cash-on-Delivery products on BigBasket.pk solve the same dryness, cracking or rough-texture problems it's usually bought for.
What Is Propylene Glycol, and Why Does It End Up in Creams?
Propylene glycol is a small, colourless, odourless synthetic alcohol that skincare and pharmacy formulas use for three jobs at once: it pulls moisture into the skin as a humectant, it dissolves active ingredients that don't mix well with water, and it helps those actives penetrate deeper through the skin barrier. That third property is exactly why it's a workhorse in medicated creams — corticosteroid ointments, antifungal creams and keratolytic (skin-softening) preparations often use propylene glycol as a carrier because it makes the active ingredient more effective, not because it treats anything on its own.
In cosmetic skincare, propylene glycol usually sits low on an ingredient list at around 1-5%, working alongside glycerin or hyaluronic acid to keep a formula's texture light and non-greasy. At the higher concentrations used in compounded or prescription creams — commonly around 40-60% in water — it's applied under occlusion (plastic wrap or socks overnight) to soften very thick, dry or scaly skin such as cracked heels, calluses or psoriasis plaques. This higher-strength use is the "propylene glycol cream" most Pakistani searchers mean, and it's almost always mixed to order rather than sold as a shelf product.
Why We Don't Stock a Standalone Propylene Glycol Cream
We'd rather tell you plainly than list something we don't genuinely carry: propylene glycol cream is not on our shelves. The reason is structural, not a supply gap — high-strength propylene glycol preparations are usually compounded fresh by a pharmacy or dispensed under a dermatologist's prescription for a specific condition, such as severe dry skin, ichthyosis or scalp psoriasis paired with salicylic acid, rather than manufactured and packaged as a consumer retail product with a fixed brand and barcode. That makes it fundamentally different from the finished, quality-controlled skincare we stock.
What we do carry are verified, brand-name products from our skin care category that solve the same underlying problems — dryness, flaking, rough texture and barrier damage — without needing a chemist to mix anything for you. If your goal is softer, better-hydrated skin, a finished formula like CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion or The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 gets you there with a known concentration, a sealed batch, and Cash on Delivery nationwide, which a loose pharmacy mix generally can't offer.
What Actually Drives Propylene Glycol Cream Pricing in Pakistan
Because it's compounded rather than branded, propylene glycol cream doesn't have one market price — what you're quoted at a Karachi chemist can differ sharply from Lahore or Islamabad, and even from one pharmacy to the next in the same city. Four factors move the price: the concentration mixed (a 40% dilution costs less to prepare than 60%), the volume dispensed, whether it's combined with an active like salicylic acid or urea for a specific skin condition, and simple pharmacy markup on a made-to-order item with no fixed MRP printed on a box.
This is also where counterfeit and quality risk creeps in. An unlabelled chemist-mixed cream has no batch number, no verifiable listed concentration, and no accountability if it's diluted incorrectly or stored badly — a real concern in Karachi's humidity, where a poorly preserved compounded cream can spoil faster than sealed cosmetic packaging. If price transparency and authenticity matter to you, a sealed, brand-verified product with a printed price and nationwide Cash on Delivery removes that guesswork entirely, which is the main reason we point buyers toward finished alternatives instead of chasing a compounded cream's shifting price.
| Product | What It Is | Price (PKR) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion – 87ml | Ceramide barrier lotion | See current price on the linked product page | Dry, flaky skin daily use |
| The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 – 30ml | Humectant hydration serum | See current price on the linked product page | Layering under moisturizer |
| The Ordinary Peeling Solution AHA 30% + BHA 2% | Weekly AHA/BHA peel | See current price on the linked product page | Rough, bumpy facial texture |
| Ponds Super Light Gel – 50G | Lightweight budget gel | See current price on the linked product page | Humid weather, oily-combo skin |
Prices correct as of July 2026. Cash on Delivery available across Pakistan.
Best Verified Alternatives for Dry, Cracked or Rough Skin
If you were searching for propylene glycol cream because of persistent dryness, flaking or rough patches, CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion – 87ml (See current price on the linked product page) is the closest finished-product match. It uses three essential ceramides plus hyaluronic acid in a lightweight, fast-absorbing lotion that rebuilds the skin barrier over hours rather than relying on a single humectant, and it's fragrance-free, which matters if propylene glycol itself has ever irritated you.
For a lighter, budget-friendly daily option — especially through Karachi's humid months when a heavy cream feels wrong — Pond's Super Light Gel – 50G (See current price on the linked product page) absorbs quickly and keeps combination or oily skin comfortable without the greasy after-feel some occlusive creams leave. If you want deeper humectant hydration layered underneath either of these, The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 – 30ml (See current price on the linked product page) draws water into the skin much like propylene glycol does at low strength, but with a well-studied, non-irritating molecule that suits most skin types, including sensitive skin common through Lahore and Islamabad's dry winters.
Gentle Exfoliation for Rough, Bumpy or Thickened Skin
High-strength propylene glycol is sometimes used specifically to soften very rough, scaly or thickened patches — the kind of texture people also treat with chemical exfoliation. The Ordinary Peeling Solution AHA 30% + BHA 2% (See current price on the linked product page) is a once- or twice-weekly at-home peel that lifts dead, built-up skin cells on the face and can noticeably smooth rough texture over a few weeks, though it's formulated for facial skin and should be patch-tested first, especially on deeper or melanin-rich skin tones that are more prone to post-inflammatory marks if overused.
This isn't a direct swap for a body-strength propylene glycol treatment on heels or elbows, and we won't pretend it is — but for facial rough patches, clogged pores and dull texture, it's a genuinely stronger, well-studied active than propylene glycol alone, which only softens skin rather than exfoliating it. Start with once-weekly application for around ten minutes before rinsing, and always follow with a barrier-supporting moisturizer to offset the temporary dryness the acids can cause.
Buying Genuine Skincare Safely Across Pakistan
Whatever you choose, buy from a source that can guarantee authenticity — counterfeit and relabelled skincare circulates widely in local markets, and unlike a sealed cosmetic product, a compounded cream gives you nothing to verify against. BigBasket.pk ships nationwide with Cash on Delivery to Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and beyond, so you're not limited to whatever a single local chemist happens to have mixed that week, and every product linked in this guide goes to a listing with its real, current price rather than an estimate.
If you're treating a diagnosed skin condition — severe psoriasis, ichthyosis, or cracked heels that bleed or don't respond to moisturizer — that's a dermatologist visit, not a shopping decision, and any propylene glycol formulation should be mixed and dosed under their guidance. For everyday dryness, rough texture and barrier maintenance, though, the verified options in our skin care category cover the same ground with none of the sourcing uncertainty.
Common Mistakes
- Assuming "propylene glycol cream" is a single branded product with one fixed price, when it's usually pharmacy-compounded and priced differently at every chemist.
- Buying an unlabelled, chemist-mixed cream with no listed concentration or batch number for a diagnosed skin condition.
- Confusing propylene glycol, which is a solvent and humectant, with an active treatment ingredient — it carries other actives, it doesn't treat anything by itself.
- Applying a high-strength propylene glycol mix to facial or sensitive/eczema-prone skin without a patch test first.
- Expecting a body-strength keratolytic cream to fix facial texture issues that actually need chemical exfoliants like AHA/BHA.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is propylene glycol cream used for?+
It's mainly used as a humectant and solvent that helps other active ingredients penetrate the skin. In cosmetics it appears at low strength (1-5%) for texture and hydration, while pharmacy-compounded versions at 40-60% are used under occlusion to soften very dry, cracked or scaly skin such as heels or psoriasis patches.
Does BigBasket.pk sell propylene glycol cream?+
No, we don't stock it as a standalone product because it's typically compounded by a pharmacy or dispensed on prescription rather than sold as a fixed branded SKU. Instead we carry finished, verified moisturizers such as CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion (See current price on the linked product page) and Pond's Super Light Gel (See current price on the linked product page) that treat the same dryness.
Is propylene glycol safe for the skin?+
At the low concentrations used in most cosmetics it's generally considered safe and non-irritating for the majority of people. A small percentage of people, especially those with eczema or reactive skin, can develop irritation or allergic contact dermatitis, particularly at the higher strengths used in compounded creams, so patch-testing is worth doing first.
How much does propylene glycol cream cost in Pakistani pharmacies?+
There's no fixed price because it's compounded to order — concentration, volume, and whether it's combined with salicylic acid or urea all change the cost, and pharmacy markup varies by city. We don't stock it so we can't quote an exact figure, but our verified skincare starts from See current price on the linked product page for Pond's Super Light Gel up to See current price on the linked product page for The Ordinary's exfoliating Peeling Solution.
What can I use instead of propylene glycol cream for cracked heels or dry skin?+
CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion – 87ml (See current price on the linked product page) rebuilds the skin barrier with ceramides and hyaluronic acid and is a strong finished-product alternative for everyday dryness. For deeper humectant hydration layered underneath it, The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 – 30ml (See current price on the linked product page) works similarly to how propylene glycol behaves at low strength.
Is propylene glycol the same as glycerin or hyaluronic acid?+
No. Propylene glycol is a synthetic petroleum-derived humectant and solvent, glycerin is a simpler plant- or animal-derived humectant, and hyaluronic acid is a much larger sugar molecule that can hold many times its weight in water. The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (See current price on the linked product page) is a hyaluronic-acid-based alternative if you want humectant hydration without propylene glycol.
The Short Version
TL;DR: BigBasket.pk doesn't sell a standalone propylene glycol cream — it's usually a pharmacy-compounded, prescription-strength item with no fixed retail price, not a packaged product we stock. For the dryness, cracking or rough texture it's normally bought for, a finished, verified formula like CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion or another pick from our skin care category gives you a known concentration, a sealed batch and Cash on Delivery — without the pharmacy pricing guesswork.
Related Reading
- → Eventone C Cream Price in Pakistan – Full Buying Guide
- → Skinoren Cream Price in Pakistan: Full 2026 Guide
- → CeraVe Night Cream Price in Pakistan: Full Guide
- → Conaz Cream Price in Pakistan: Full Guide + Alternatives
- → Johnson's Baby Cream Price in Pakistan: Full Buying Guide
- → Rezulin C Cream Price in Pakistan: Full Buying Guide
Price note: Prices mentioned in this guide are snapshots and may change. The linked product page shows the current BigBasket.pk price and availability.
