Home :: What is lanolin?
What is lanolin?
Lanolin, also called wool fat or wool wax, is made by the oil glands of sheep and is extracted from their wool.
Where is it found?
Lanolin is used as a moisture-barrier and/or emollient in skin care products, diaper rash creams, nipple creams, cosmetics and medicines.
Why should I be concerned?
Lanolin is a known allergen. The Skin Deep database ranks it a 4 (moderate hazard). If it is obtained from factory-farmed or otherwise conventionally-raised sheep, the lanolin may contain trace pesticide and antibiotic residues.
The raising of sheep for their wool is:
- cruel and exploitive to the sheep, even when they are raised "organically", and to other animals (such as kangaroos, who are killed by the thousands each year in Australia to protect sheep farms)
- a highly inefficient use of resources and energy (animal agriculture uses massive amounts of resources and energy when compared to the farming of plants)
- seriously damaging to the environment (waste from sheep farms pollute our air, water, and soil) animal agriculture is the #1 biggest contributor to global warming
For more information, please see the PETA FactSheet: Inside the Wool Industry and the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database ingredient report for lanolin, the FAO report Livestock's Long Shadow, and the University of Chicago study: Vegan Diets Healthier for Planet, People Than Meat Diets.
