References & Resources

The information on lanolin.com.au is intended to provide a clear and practical introduction to lanolin, its origins, properties and uses.

For readers who would like to explore the subject in greater detail, the following scientific, regulatory and industry resources provide further information about lanolin and lanolin-derived ingredients.

General Scientific & technical information resources

Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)

Independent scientific assessments of the safety of cosmetic ingredients, including lanolin and numerous lanolin-derived ingredients.

PubChem – National Library of Medicine

Chemical and technical information about lanolin and individual lanolin-derived substances.

National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)

Published scientific and medical literature covering lanolin, its composition, properties, uses and contact sensitivity.

Cosmetic ingredient information

COSMILE Europe

A European cosmetic ingredient database providing information about the functions and uses of lanolin and many lanolin-derived ingredients found on cosmetic labels.

European Commission – CosIng

The European Commission database for cosmetic ingredients and substances used in cosmetic products.

Sources cited on this website

Links to these sources appear on the relevant pages alongside the content they support.

DermNet — Contact reactions to lanolin

RSPCA Australia — Sheep shearing and animal welfare

ACCC Product Safety — Cosmetic ingredients labelling guide

Te Ara — Wool production and processing

Dioscorides — Historical account of wool grease

CIR 2024 lanolin safety assessment

Historical information

Braun & Liebreich Lanolin Patent – 1883

The original United States patent describing Otto Braun and Oscar Liebreich's process for recovering and refining wool fat and the material they called lanolin.

Historical and scientific literature also records much earlier use of wool grease, including descriptions dating back to the ancient Greek world.