The History of Lanolin

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Lanolin has been used by people for centuries, long before the substance was known by its modern name.

 

Ancient Greek writings describe the extraction of wool grease from sheep's wool as early as around 700 BC. In the first century AD, the Greek physician Dioscorides described a substance known as oesypum, obtained from sheep's fleece and used in preparations for the skin.

 

From wool grease to lanolin

 

For centuries, wool grease was obtained using relatively simple methods. The development of industrial wool processing in the nineteenth century created new opportunities to recover and refine the grease removed when wool was washed.

 

In 1882, German researchers Otto Braun and Oscar Liebreich developed a process using centrifugal separation to recover and purify wool fat from wool-washing liquids. Their process produced a purified material that they called lanolin. The name is derived from words associated with wool and oil, reflecting the material's origin, although lanolin is chemically a wax rather than a conventional oil or fat.

 

Lanolin in modern skincare

 

Following the development of reliable refining methods, lanolin became widely used in pharmaceutical preparations and cosmetic skincare products. Refining and purification techniques have continued to develop, and today lanolin is produced in different grades and forms for cosmetic, pharmaceutical and industrial applications. Lanolin-derived ingredients can also be produced by modifying or separating components of natural lanolin.

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