How we scored it
Complex mixture of esters of natural steroid, triterpenoid and aliphatic alcohols with natural fatty acids; every fragment animal/fat-derived → 1.00.
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.
Where it comes from
Refined from the greasy secretion washed out of sheep's wool during wool scouring. No synthetic route exists; it is always an animal-derived byproduct of wool processing.
In plain English
A rich, waxy moisturiser derived from sheep's wool grease, used to soften and protect skin. It is a natural animal byproduct of wool processing, not a synthetic ingredient.
CosIng definition: Lanolin is a refined derivative of the unctuous fat-like sebaceous secretion of sheep. It consists of a highly complex mixture of esters of high molecular weight aliphatic, steroid or triterpenoid alcohols and fatty acids
References
- 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
- 2LANOLIN. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 3LANOLIN. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=LANOLIN