INGREDIENT
Why We Use Lanolin
The most occlusive moisturizer in nature — cruelty-free, sourced from New Zealand
The most occlusive moisturizer in nature — and one of the most underused
Lanolin is the natural wax produced by sheep to waterproof their wool. Sheep groom themselves with it; it protects them from rain, cold, and dry air. As a skincare ingredient, lanolin is one of the most effective natural occlusives available — it reduces transepidermal water loss by up to 30%, locking moisture into the skin barrier better than almost any plant alternative.
Why lanolin works for lips and chronically dry skin
Lanolin's molecular structure is unusually similar to human skin lipids. It absorbs into the outer layer of the skin while simultaneously forming a flexible, breathable seal on the surface. For chapped lips, dry hands, eczema patches, and cracked heels — lanolin works where lighter moisturizers fail.
What lanolin does for your skin
- Highly occlusive — locks in moisture with one of the lowest transepidermal water-loss rates of any natural ingredient
- Holds 200% of its weight in water — acts as both an occlusive AND a humectant
- Closely matches skin lipids — recognized and absorbed by the skin barrier
- Used in nipple care during breastfeeding — generally considered safe enough for infants to ingest in trace amounts
- Soothes cracked, peeling, weather-damaged skin
About lanolin allergies
A small percentage of people have a contact sensitivity to lanolin (estimated under 2% of the population). Modern medical-grade lanolin is highly purified to remove the alcohols and impurities that cause most reactions. If you have a known lanolin sensitivity, patch test before use.
Why we use it
Lanolin is an ingredient in Tau Tau Skin's lip balm formulation. For lips — which have no oil glands of their own and lose moisture rapidly — lanolin's combination of occlusion and humectancy is hard to beat with a plant-based alternative.
Shop lanolin skincare
- Nourishing Lip Balm — Tau Tau Skin's only product with cruelty-free New Zealand lanolin