Glucosamine is an amino sugar, a derivative of glucose (D-glucose). Glucosamine differs from glucose in that the hydroxy group on the second carbon is substituted by an amino group.
Glucosamine is used in cosmetic formulations as a hair conditioning agent (makes the hair easy to comb, smooth, soft and shiny and gives it volume). It also acts as an antistatic agent (reduces static electricity by neutralizing the electrical charge on the surface of skin and hair).