From the skin of sheep, lanolin oil is produced. It resembles human sebum, an oil produced by the sebaceous glands and commonly seen on the nose.

There are no triglycerides in lanolin, unlike sebum. Although lanolin is occasionally referred to as “wool fat,” this term is inaccurate because it lacks the triglycerides necessary to qualify as a fat.

Lanolin is used to preserve and treat sheep’s wool. The chemical is currently widely used in human cosmetics, skin care, and hair products due to its conditioning properties.

By running sheep’s wool through a centrifuge to separate the oil from other compounds and debris, lanolin oil can be recovered. Since the procedure is carried out after the sheep are sheared, there is no risk involved with the lanolin extraction.

Is Lanolin safe for skin?

Lanolin is one of the safest ingredients for our skin, it closely resembles our own natural skin oils that protect and soothe our skin.

Lanolin oil resembles our own skin oil almost exactly, it forms a protective layer (skin barrier) like our own skin oil does.

Health benefits of Lanolin

The health benefits of lanolin are well known in skincare, and are especially beneficial for those prone to chronically dry skin, dermatitis, psoriasis or eczema.

Lanolin has three main health benefits:

1. Lanolin protects and repairs your skin’s natural barrier. Lanolin
closely resembles the natural oils made by our own skin to create
the skin barrier.

2. Lanolin can hold multiple times its own weight in moisture, this helps
skin to recover from moisture loss.

3. Lanolin has the ability to penetrate deeply into multiple skin layers.
Bringing moisture deep into the lower skin layers.

Lanolin oil uses

Humectant ingredients actually pull moisture in from the air. Lanolin itself is not a humectant. It can trap water once skin and hair is moist, however.

Lanolin is classified as an emollient and an occlusive moisturizer, which means it has the ability to slow water loss from the skin.

Lanolin for face wrinkles

Many products that are touted for their “anti-aging” benefits contain lanolin oil or lanolin alcohol. This may lead buyers to believe the lanolin oil has the ability to fight fine lines and wrinkles.

While there’s little scientific evidence that this is the case, lanolin can hold twice its weight in water. This can plump skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Lanolin oil for hair

Because of the emollient, moisture-retaining quality of lanolin oil, it can be a powerhouse ingredient in fighting dryness when applied to wet or moist hair. It won’t work when applied to dry hair because there’s no moisture to trap.

Lanolin oil has a waxier texture than other oils designed for hair, and
washing with a cleansing shampoo or apple cider vinegar may help to
thoroughly remove it from the hair.

Lanolin oil for dry lips

Lanolin oil is effective on the lips for the same reasons it helps treat dry skin and hair.

One 2016 studyTrusted Source found that a lanolin cream proved effective in people who were experiencing dry lips as a side effect of chemotherapy.

Lanolin is able to penetrate the lip barrier, instead of other ingredients that deliver moisture only to the top layer of the lip. It’s generally considered safe to use on newborns with chapped lips, however it’s always a good idea to first check with a pediatrician.

Lanolin oil for cracked nipples

The Mayo Clinic recommends lanolin to restore moisture and soothe cracked nipples in people who are breastfeeding.

People who are actively breastfeeding should look for 100 percent pure and refined lanolin. Lanolin that isn’t purified may cause an allergic reaction when ingested by the child.

Side effects and precautions

Lanolin oil can be very effective for people who aren’t allergic to it. But if enough was ingested, it can be poisonous, and its waxy nature can build up in the intestines.

Risks of Lanolin

If you’re allergic to wool, you’re especially likely to be allergic to lanolin, so it’s probably safest to avoid it.

Lanolin allergies may cause the following symptoms:

• Rash or itching where it was applied
• Shortness of breath
• Swelling of the throat, lips, eyes, or mouth

If you’ve never tried skin creams with lanolin before, consider testing a small patch of skin first to determine whether you have a sensitivity to it. Even if you’re not allergic, lanolin can be irritating for some people.

Self care routines using Lanolin

Lanolin can be used on its own or in combination with other ingredients to create self-care routines using lanolin.

Use 100% lanolin on elbows, knees and other areas of the body where you can leave it soak in during the day or night.

100% lanolin takes a long time to soak into the skin, and can remain greasy or sticky, which is impractical for applying on the hands or undesirable for the face.

Lanolin can be combined with other emollient ingredients such as olive oil, beeswax and shea butter to create face creams, body butters or lip balms.