Lanolin (CAS 8006-54-0)

Lanolin (CAS 8006-54-0)

Lanolin oil is a secretion from sheep’s skin. It’s similar to human sebum, an oil secreted by the sebaceous glands that you may notice particularly on your nose. Unlike sebum, lanolin contains no triglycerides. Lanolin is sometimes referred to as “wool fat,” but the term is misleading because it lacks triglycerides needed to be considered a fat. The purpose of lanolin is to condition and protect sheep’s wool. This conditioning property is why the substance is now widely used in human cosmetics, skin care, and hair products. Lanolin oil is extracted by putting sheep’s wool through a centrifuge machine that separates the oil from other chemicals and debris. The process is performed after the sheep is sheared so the extraction of lanolin causes no harm to sheep.