Does lanolin contain petroleum?

What is lanolin made from?

Sheep produce the wax that coats their fleece. Lanolin is extracted from the wool, then cleaned and refined for use in products. It is mainly made of esters, alongside alcohols, fatty acids, sterols and hydrocarbons. Despite names such as wool fat and wool oil, lanolin is classified as a wax. The word 'hydrocarbons' describes part of its composition; it does not mean that the lanolin came from petroleum.12

Does a lanolin product contain other ingredients?

Lanolin is an ingredient, not a complete formula. For example, preparations used for allergy testing include lanolin alcohols in petrolatum, while Amerchol L101 combines lanolin alcohols with mineral oil. Those mixtures are different from lanolin itself. If you are avoiding petroleum ingredients, check the complete ingredient list for the particular product rather than deciding from the word 'lanolin' alone. Read beyond the large lettering, because the front of a jar is not its autobiography.12

Which names should you check on the label?

Lanolin and its components can appear under names including anhydrous lanolin, lanolin alcohol, wool alcohols, wool fat, wool wax and wool grease. Derivatives also include acetylated lanolin and hydrogenated lanolin. These names identify lanolin or related ingredients, rather than telling you everything else in the preparation. Keep the wool names handy when checking labels, because lanolin has enough aliases to turn shopping into a roll call.12

Does its natural origin make lanolin gentler?

Natural origin does not prevent a contact reaction. Lanolin can cause irritation or allergic contact dermatitis, an immune reaction that inflames skin after contact. People with eczema, wounds or otherwise damaged skin have a higher risk of becoming allergic to lanolin. A reaction can develop even after a product was previously well tolerated. Petroleum avoidance and lanolin allergy are therefore separate reasons to check a formula.2

Stop using a product if it causes itching, redness, swelling or blistering. Lanolin reactions can appear hours to days after application. If symptoms persist or recur, seek medical assessment; patch testing can help identify a contact allergy. Other cosmetic ingredients can also cause reactions, so a rash after using a mixture does not automatically identify lanolin as the cause. Once lanolin allergy is identified, avoid lanolin and its derivatives.23