If you have dry skin only in winter or even dry skin all year long, it’s not always easy to find something that helps your skin stay moisturized. When looking for skincare products, those that have lanolin could hold the answer to your soft, supple skin prayers!

Lanolin comes from the shorn wool of sheep. It’s an oil that keeps the coats of these creatures waterproof. While it might seem oily though, it is non-comedogenic. That’s why you’ll often find lanolin in winter formulas, especially for staving off chapped lips. Lanolin has been used since the times of the ancient Greeks. Because it’s so effective as an emollient, it is still used today.

If you’ve had no luck calming your dry, itchy, or even scaly skin, trying lanolin might just turn your luck around. Here are the benefits your skin will get if you use skincare products with lanolin!

Heals dry skin

The biggest benefit of lanolin is that it can heal all your dry skin problems day and night. Whether your skin just feels tight from the frigid winter winds or you have cracked and rough skin, a little lanolin can go a long way. It’s also incredibly effective for those chapped winter lips!

Surprisingly lightweight texture

Despite being oily, lanolin doesn’t have a heavy texture that makes your skin feel smothered. Instead, it smooths on and soothes on contact.

Fast healing action

As an emollient, it can soften and heal agitated skin quickly. It does so by creating an oily yet non-clogging layer on the surface of your skin to lock moisture in.

Fantastic moisture retention

Lanolin is capable of holding as much as twice its weight in water. This allows it to trap that moisture in your skin layers where it belongs.

Helps you look more youthful

Dry, parched skin makes you look older. With lanolin’s ability to lock that moisture in, it also serves as a plumping agent that naturally fills in lines and wrinkles. You’ll often see it in your anti-aging products because of this benefit.

Best of all, lanolin is largely safe for everyone. The only people who should avoid it are those that have allergies to wool. Ingesting it can be harmful in large amounts for anyone though, so if it’s in your lip products, be careful.

Since lanolin forms a barrier on the skin to lock that moisture in, if you have acne or clogged pores, you shouldn’t apply lanolin to those areas until they clear up. A chat with your dermatologist can help clear up the mystery as to whether you should use lanolin on your skin or not. However, most of us with dry, winter-weathered hands and lips will benefit beautifully. Still not sure? Spot-test it and wait 24 hours. If you have no adverse reaction, you should be able to use lanolin!

Looking for 100% chemical-free, all-natural nourishing face and body oils? Check out Earth & Elm Nourishing Face Oil and Earth & Elm Nourishing Body Oil. Subscribe to our Trusted Health Club newsletter for more information about natural living tips, natural health, oral health and skincare. If you are looking for more health resources check out the Trusted Health Resources list. 

Written By:

Jennifer Raskin is a freelance writer, wife and mom that loves cold weather despite her location in Florida, cooking, reading, watching ‘80s movies, weight-lifting, and wine tasting.

 Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.

Image by Jasmin Sessler from Pixabay