Lanolin is a by-product of sheep’s wool. It’s a waxy, yellow substance that gets secreted from their skin to protect and condition their wool, which is why it’s often used in cosmetics, skincare, and haircare products.
This ingredient is also sometimes called ‘wool fat’, although this is technically inaccurate because it doesn’t contain any triglycerides.
Lanolin is extracted from raw wool after the sheep has been sheared by kneading it in hot water, or by treating it with a soap solution. No part of this process harms the sheep in any way, so lanolin is a cruelty-free ingredient.