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Ingredient glossary

Lanolin

What Lanolin does for your skin, who it suits, and what to watch for.

INCI: Lanolin · Also: Wool Wax, Hydrous Wool Fat

Solid and proven

In short: Lanolin delivers barrier support and softening, suits most skin types, and the evidence behind it is strong. One thing to know: clear it with your doctor if pregnant; introduce it gently.

What it does
Barrier support, softening
Best for
Most skin types
Watch out
Clear it with your doctor if pregnant; introduce it gently
Evidence
Strong
How long
Straight away
how it was measured

Measured on Transepidermal water loss cut by the occlusive lipid film, instrument-measured; on contact, by mechanism.

See it on the timeline, beside the others →

Does it clash with what you use? Check it →

Written by Maya Faour, founder and sole writer; not a dermatologistHow we work →

What it actually is

Lanolin: A film, not a molecule. This is a spread of related chain lengths rather than one compound, which is why it behaves as a continuous film rather than as a molecule with somewhere to go.
There is no single molecule to draw here, and that is the useful part. Which layer things act on

The Glow take

Genuinely worth a spot in your routine.

When your goal is deep, lasting hydration, Lanolin pulls genuine weight, and the research properly backs it up. Introduce it gently, and pair it with something soothing if your skin runs sensitive.

— Maya

What it does

  • barrier support
  • softening

strong evidencePatch test and epidemiologic studies show lanolin allergy prevalence around one to seven percent in dermatitis populations leading to its designation as an…

Why we say this
  • Patch test and epidemiologic studies show lanolin allergy prevalence around one to seven percent in dermatitis populations leading to its designation as an allergen of the year despite long history of barrier benefit.
  • CIR safety review Annual Review of Cosmetic Ingredient Safety Assessments - 2002/2003
  • CIR safety review Final Report of the Safety Assessement for Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol and Related Compounds
  • CIR safety review Final Report - Amended Safety Assessment of Lanolin-Derived Ingredients

Who it's for, and who should skip it

Tends to suit

  • very dry
  • compromised barrier
  • normal

Approach with care

  • direct lanolin allergy
  • acne prone
  • very oily
  • fungal acne prone
  • Irritation riskModerate
  • Allergen originComes from wool

How it fits each skin type

  • DrySuits
  • CombinationSuits
  • OilyTake care
  • SensitiveSuits

Often chosen for compromised barrier. Take extra care if any of these apply to you: direct lanolin allergy, acne prone, fungal acne prone.

Where it fits in your routine

WhenMorning and evening
Where in the orderAfter your actives, to seal everything in

This one works on contact — there is nothing to wait for.

What that covers, and what it does not
  • Measured on: Transepidermal water loss cut by the occlusive lipid film, instrument-measured.
  • Lanolin is a wax- and sterol-ester mixture that forms a semi-occlusive film, so the reduction in water loss exists as soon as the film is spread — occlusive TEWL measurements read the drop within the hour and nothing is being remodelled.
  • The softening of thickened dry skin that users actually notice follows over days and has no dated human study specific to lanolin.
  • Its allergen status is a tolerance issue, unrelated to onset.

Mechanism plus standard occlusive TEWL measurement practice; no lanolin-specific onset trial identified.

Plays well with

  • ceramides
  • humectants

Lanolin, answered

Is Lanolin safe during pregnancy?

Clear it with your doctor first. Lanolin is flagged as use-with-caution during pregnancy and breastfeeding, so check with your doctor or midwife before adding it.

Who should avoid Lanolin?

Approach Lanolin with care if any of these apply to you: direct lanolin allergy, acne prone, very oily, and fungal acne prone. Its irritation risk is moderate, so introduce it slowly and patch test first.

What concentration of Lanolin actually works?

Its concentration is rarely printed on the label, so use the ingredient list as your clue: near the top third it is likely doing real work, near the bottom it is more of a sprinkle.

Does it clog pores?

2/5
Low

Plain lanolin rates low to moderate; acetylated lanolin derivatives rate high.

  • This rating comes from old lab tests on the isolated ingredient, not the finished product.
  • The full formula, how much is used, and your own skin all matter more than one number.
  • If you are acne-prone it is worth noticing, not a reason to avoid it on sight.

Checking a whole product? Paste its list into the pore-clogging checker →

And what "non-comedogenic" on a label actually promises →

During pregnancy

Treat Lanolin as a maybe rather than a yes for now. It is flagged as one to use with caution while pregnant or breastfeeding, so it is worth clearing before you carry on.

When in doubt, check with your doctor or midwife. They outrank any website, including this one.When it is worth booking →

Products with Lanolin

This, for every label you own

One ingredient is easy. A full label is where it gets confusing. The Ingredient Decoder reads any product and tells you the honest truth, ingredient by ingredient.

Decode my products →

Sources & how we reviewed this

  1. CIR safety review Annual Review of Cosmetic Ingredient Safety Assessments - 2002/2003summary page only, the document itself was not read
  2. CIR safety review Final Report of the Safety Assessement for Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol and Related Compoundssummary page only, the document itself was not read
  3. CIR safety review Final Report - Amended Safety Assessment of Lanolin-Derived Ingredientssummary page only, the document itself was not read

Last reviewed . Educational information about a cosmetic ingredient, not medical advice.

What changed on this page

  • : who should avoid it, whether it feeds Malassezia
  • : what the EU regulates
  • : sources

See the full changelog →