Is lanolin vegan?

What is lanolin?

Lanolin is a yellow, fatty substance obtained from sheep's wool. In skincare, it is used as an emollient, an ingredient that softens skin. It also helps mix ingredients in cosmetic preparations. The substance is extracted from wool, then cleaned and refined. Lanolin is therefore an animal ingredient, not a plant oil, even when the finished product is described as natural. For a vegan choice, the deciding detail is where the ingredient comes from, not whether it has been processed into a cosmetic.34

Is lanolin vegetarian?

Lanolin can fit vegetarian preferences when it comes from living sheep that will not be slaughtered. Vegetarian diets exclude substances that require an animal's death, whereas vegan diets exclude substances of animal origin. These are different tests: obtaining an ingredient from a living animal does not make that ingredient vegan. If the conditions under which lanolin is obtained matter to your vegetarian choice, ask the manufacturer about the particular product rather than assuming the ingredient name settles those conditions.1

How do you spot lanolin on a label?

Use the full ingredient list for this check, giving the front of the pack a brief holiday from making the decisions. Lanolin and its components or derivatives have several names, so searching only for the word lanolin can miss a relevant entry.3

• Lanolin or anhydrous lanolin.
• Lanolin alcohol or wool alcohols.
• Wool fat, wool wax or wool grease.
• Amerchol.
• Alcoholes lanae or adeps lanae anhydrous.

Which products should you check?

Lanolin can appear in lotions, skin creams, baby oils, diaper rash products, medicated shampoos, shaving creams and makeup removers. Makeup can contain it too, including lipstick, powder and foundation. These are categories to check, not categories to reject: the ingredient list determines whether a particular product contains lanolin. Check makeup as well as skincare, because the bathroom audit has declined to stay in one drawer.5

Does no lanolin mean the whole product is vegan?

Removing lanolin answers only the lanolin question. Other ingredients can also have animal origins, so check the rest of the formula before treating the whole product as vegan. For medicines, both the active ingredient and the inactive ingredients matter. An ingredient's origin is not always obvious from product information; contact the manufacturer when you need clarification.1

What if your medicine contains lanolin?

Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about a suitable alternative. Another manufacturer or formulation can offer an option, but any replacement needs to remain safe and clinically effective. Avoiding animal ingredients in medicines is not always possible or practicable; taking necessary medicine is compatible with following a vegan lifestyle as far as possible and practicable.1

What if lanolin irritates your skin?

Lanolin can cause irritation or allergic contact dermatitis, an allergic skin reaction. Broken skin and existing dermatitis increase the risk of sensitisation. Stop using a product that causes itching, swelling or blistering, and seek medical advice about a suspected reaction. A clinician can investigate lanolin allergy with patch testing. Once lanolin is identified as the cause, avoiding it and its derivatives is central to preventing further reactions.3