10 Key Facts About Lanolin
Natural Lanolin Skin Care
10 Key Facts About Lanolin
1. Composition
Lanolin is a highly purified and refined substance recovered from virgin wool. It is a unique, complex mixture of natural waxes, not related to the ordinary body fat of the sheep.
2. Origin
Lanolin is not obtained directly from a living sheep, instead collected from new wool, which has been shorn periodically from the animals as the first stage of wool production. The skin-protecting properties of Lanolin were proven by Twort & Twort in 1935. Lanolin accelerates the skin's ability to repair natural barrier functions, and far from being something that causes issues- Lanolin is a proven counterirritant.
3. Absence of Cruelty
The production of Lanolin is achieved entirely without cruelty to or direct contact with the animal. Since the source is renewable, there is no depletion of the environment.
4. Environment Friendly
Lanolin is entirely organic and of natural origin. It is non-toxic, non-hazardous, and fully biodegradable, thus being environmentally friendly.
5. Positive action on the skin
Lanolin has an unequalled moisturizing and emollient action on the human skin. It protects in the same way as the wax on sheep's wool protects it from the ravages of severe weather and climatic conditions.
Its beneficial properties have been known and utilized since the time of ancient Greeks.
Lanolin is absorbed by the stratum corneum, where it reduces excessive moisture loss and thereby restores softness and elasticity, especially to dry or chapped skin.
Shepherds and industrial workers in constant contact with Lanolin or wool wax are renowned for the softness of their hands.
Lanolin is used at high levels in baby creams because of its soothing, emollient, and water-resistant properties.
6. Safety
Lanolin is entirely safe and probably the most tested of all cosmetic ingredients. It is included in all medical pharmacopoeia, and the EEC cosmetics Directive second Amendment allows Lanolin to be freely used in cosmetics with no restrictions whatsoever.
The cosmetic safety assessment panel in the USA reported that lanolin and related lanolin materials are safe for topical application to humans.
7. Allergenicity
Contrary to a false myth, Lanolin is not a significant allergen so far as the general healthy population is concerned. With an incidence of allergy of less than about 6 per million, Lanolin is probably less of an allergen than fish, eggs, strawberries, etc. Moreover, super-refined RA type lanolin is available with an even lower incidence of allergy, ideal for use in hypo-allergenic cosmetics.
8. Weight
Lanolin is popularly known for holding more than 200% of its weight in water which acts as moisture storage to help maintain the skin's hydration.
9. Longevity
In 1999, Beiersdorf AG displayed skin bioengineering studies, which demonstrated the durational effect and the skin emulsifying/smoothening effects of Lanolin. These studies proved that Lanolin lasts for many hours on the skin, and it has the capacity of staying more than eight hours once applied.
10. All Ages
The whole family can use lanolin cream to treat or prevent a considerable range of different skin irritants. Lanolin has been shown to lower water loss from your skin for up to 8 hours from an extensive range of skin irritants. To name a few; eczema, psoriasis, cracked heels, ragged cuticles, radiation therapy burns, diaper rash, cracked nipples, sunburn, peeling, dry lips, brow balm, shaving cuts, red noses from colds, chaffing, scraped knees, acne scars and flaky skin with many more on the list. It is a winning product for the family.