Provided are polyglyceryl compositions comprising one or more polyglyceryl compounds having: (a) a node structure comprising at least three contiguous glyceryl remnant units; (b) one or more cationic groups each linked to the node structure by an independently selected linking group; and (c) one or more hydrophobic moieties each independently (i) linked to the node structure by a linking group, or (ii) constituting a portion of one of the one or more cationic groups, wherein the composition has an average degree of polymerization determined by hydroxyl value testing (DP OH ) of from about 3 to about 20. Also provided are polyglyceryl compounds which may compose such compositions, and uses of the polyglyceryl compositions and compounds.