• Family
  • Food
  • Beauty & Health
  • Style
  • Entertainment
  • Deals
  • Family
    • Family
    • Deals
    • Parenting
    • Sex & Marriage
    • Travel
  • Food
    • Eating Out
    • Cooking Tips
    • Festive Food
    • Asian Recipes
    • Food
    • Celebrity Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Quick & Easy Recipes
    • Western Recipes
  • Beauty & Health
    • Beauty & Health
    • Skincare
    • Makeup
    • Hair
    • Awards
    • Diet & Nutrition
    • Fitness
    • Wellness
  • Style
  • Entertainment
  • Deals
  • SPA AWARDS 2023
  • Best Beauty Buys 2023
  • Great Women
    • Career
    • Great Women of Our Time
    • Real Life
  • EVENTS/WIN
  • Subscribe
Privacy Menu
SPH Media

Copyright © 2023 SPH Media Limited. Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. All rights reserved.

  • Family
  • Food
  • Beauty & Health
  • Style
  • Entertainment
  • Deals

Beauty & Health

What Is Lanolin And Why Should You Include It In Your Skincare?

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Beauty & Health

What Is Lanolin And Why Should You Include It In Your Skincare?

Look out for this if you have dry, flakey skin

November 28, 2019

The word sebum has a bad rap in skincare because it conjures up images of a greasy complexion and breakouts. But there is such a thing as good sebum, which is oil that keeps skin in a balanced state so that its barrier functions are not disrupted. Like how cod fish liver oil, which is rich in omega fatty acids, is good for health, good sebum is required to maintain the oil-water ratio of skin at its optimum level, to reduce what we call transepidermal water loss so that skin doesn’t get dry, scaly, rough and itchy.

It is not enough to just pile on the hydrating skincare when your skin doesn’t have enough good sebum to effectively lock in the moisture. That’s where lanolin comes in handy.

READ NEXT

Is Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) The New Darling Of The Beauty Industry?

The Best Two-in-One Skincare Products That Will Save You Money

The Best Skincare Products Which Contain Caffeine

What is lanolin?

Lanolin is a type of animal-derived fat. Essentially, it is sebum that comes from sheep. We know that sounds revolting, but hear us out. Lanolin is sebum that is produced by the oil glands of sheep. It helps keep their skin and wool conditioned and water-resistant, and is generally extracted from the wool after the sheep is sheared. So, lanolin products can be cruelty-free, if the product is not tested on animals. It is considered a natural ingredient, but it is not vegan-friendly.

What does lanolin do?

In its raw form, lanolin is a soft, waxy substance that looks like petroleum jelly. Beauty brands have their different ways of processing lanolin into different forms to include in their products. But its main purpose is to moisturise skin and act as an emollient – by forming a layer on skin, to prevent moisture loss. It is therefore used in many types of skincare products, such as face creams, body creams and lotion, and even in nipple cream to help soothe sore, dry and chapped skin.

Are there any drawbacks?

Lanolin is generally safe to use for most people. But if you are allergic to wool, you will want to avoid this because, well, it does come from wool.

Some studies have shown that frequent exposure to lanolin can result in sensitised skin and cause allergies, which is why you see that some products have a “lanolin-free” label. But the evidence is not strong or substantial enough to cause concern. If you are still worried, it’s always wise to do a patch test on your skin before using the product on larger areas of your body.

Who is lanolin best for?

Because of its emollient properties, lanolin works best for people with dry to very dry skin. Its primary purpose is to lock in moisture, so your skin doesn’t lose as much moisture to the environment. Thus, it prevents the onset of itchy, rough and scaly skin.

Here are five products that have lanolin that you should add to your skincare routine:

Text: Kayce Teo/Her World, Additional reporting: Engracia Ang

https://www.womensweekly.com.sg/gallery/beauty-and-health/what-is-lanolin-and-why-should-you-include-it-in-your-skincare/
What Is Lanolin And Why Should You Include It In Your Skincare?
Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+, $60, from Clinique and Sephora
image

This classic moisturiser from Clinique is suitable for those with dry, sensitive skin. On top of lanolin, a blend of sunflower seed, barley extract and cucumber extract also helps strengthen the skin moisture barrier to improve moisture absorption and retention.

Frank Body Lip Balm, $18, from Sephora
image

Lanolin is a great natural alternative to petroleum jelly, so it’s used in this petroleum-free lip balm, which can also be applied to your nail cuticles, brows and any dry patches on your skin.

Blackmores Natural Vitamin E Cream + Lanolin, $19, from Guardian
image

This fragrance-free cream moisturises and protects dry, cracked skin. It also has vitamin E and avocado oil, both great at combating free radical damage that can damage skin barrier functions.

Australian Lanolin Oil Moisturising Cream, $7.95, from Fairprice
image

This body cream has a blend of natural Australian lanolin and vitamin E that helps smooth and soften skin. It is also suitable for all skin types.

Lanolips 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm, approx. US$31.68 (S$43.40) for a pack of two 15g tubes, from Net-a-Porter
image

This multi-purpose balm is super dense, and helps intensely hydrate and soothe skin. It can be used on many areas, from your lips to your cuticles. It is also suitable for use on minor burns, and safe for nursing mothers and babies too.

  • TAGS:
  • hydrating ingredient
  • hydrating skincare
  • Ingredient Know How
  • lanolin
  • lanolin skincare
  • natural skincare
SHARE THIS ON

What’s Hot

Beauty & Health

30+ Quick And Easy Half-Up Hairstyles Fo...

Beauty & Health

10 Fruits To Eat In The Morning For A He...

Beauty & Health

10 Dangerous Foods Every Pregnant Woman ...

Beauty & Health

How To Tell If You're Going Through Peri...

Beauty & Health

8 Most Popular Biotin Shampoos For Hair ...

Beauty & Health

Get Thicker, Fuller Hair: Address Your H...

Beauty & Health

Good Things Come In Pairs: How To Match ...

Beauty & Health

Is Your Skin Barrier Damaged? Here's How...

Beauty & Health

15 Halloween Nail Ideas You'll Love

Beauty & Health

What To Eat And Avoid During Menopause, ...

Beauty & Health

Everything You Need To Know About Bacter...

Beauty & Health

6 Common Habits That Can Hinder Your Wei...

Don’t Miss These
  • Festive Food Edible Christmas Trees, Spicy Roast Turkeys: Feast On Uni...
  • Festive Food From Classic Roast Turkey To Creamy Laksa Seafood Boil: Y...
Editor’s Picks
  • Beauty & Health 30+ Quick And Easy Half-Up Hairstyles For Any Occasion
  • Beauty & Health 10 Fruits To Eat In The Morning For A Health Boost
  • Beauty & Health 10 Dangerous Foods Every Pregnant Woman Should Avoid
  • Makeup Birthing Makeup Can Be Dangerous For You
  • Beauty & Health How To Tell If You're Going Through Perimenopause
  • Entertainment 12 Celebs Who Have Battled Breast Cancer
Don't Miss Out Ever Again!
Tips & tricks to stay sane + win invites to our events!

By submitting my information above and clicking "Sign Me Up Now", I confirm I understand and accept SPH Media Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy as amended from time to time.
Footer Menu
  • About Us
  • ADVERTISE WITH US
  • Contact
  • Conditions of Access
  • PDPA
  • Privacy Policy
?>">
SPH Magazine

Copyright © 2023 SPH Media Limited. Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. All rights reserved.