Lanolin – Cosmetic Uses in Skin Care and Cleansing Products

What Is Lanolin?

Lanolin is extracted from sheep wool grease. It is a complex mixture consisting mainly of esters of high-molecular-weight lanolin alcohols and lanolin acids. Free lanolin alcohols, acids, and lanolin hydrocarbons are present in smaller quantities.

Lanolin and its derivatives provide formulators with a broad range of emollient and conditioning properties.

Cosmetic Applications

Lanolin alcohols and lanolin oil are traditionally used as superfatting agents in soaps. Lanolin derivatives can also be incorporated into skin cleansers and other personal care products to provide emolliency and moisturisation.

Depending on their chemical modification, lanolin derivatives can be used as:

• Emollients
• Skin conditioners
• Superfatting agents
• Refatting agents
• Foam-stabilising agents

Lanolin Derivatives

Ethoxylation of lanolin or its derivatives produces more hydrophilic and water-soluble compounds. Moderately to highly ethoxylated lanolin derivatives can provide good emolliency and moisturisation while having limited effects on the foam profile of liquid cleansing products.

For example, 75 mol ethoxylated lanolin can be used as a skin conditioner in soaps, liquid body cleansers, and bubble baths.

Propoxylated lanolin alcohols are more lipophilic emollients and can be used in soap bars and synthetic-surfactant-based cleansing products. Alkoxylated derivatives can also function as refatting and foam-stabilising agents.

Ingredient Information

INCI: Lanolin
Source: Sheep wool grease
Functions: Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Superfatting, Refatting, Foam Stabilising

References

Handbook of Cosmetic Science and Technology – André O. Barel, Marc Paye, Howard I. Maibach.