Rich Lanolin Lip and Cheek Tint
What is lanolin?
Lanolin (Latin: Adeps lanae) is a thick, yellow waxy secretion that comes from the sheep’s sebaceous glands and naturally found on their woolly coat. You will also hear it referred to as wool fat, wool wax and wool grease. It adds a waterproof coating to the wool that keeps the sheep dry and protected from the elements.
The sheep are not harmed in the process of removing the lanolin as it is found in abundance on their coat and removed as a by product from shearing. Shearing season is normally at the end of spring/early summer, when the weather is warm; the activity cools the sheep down and keeps annoying flies at bay.
Lanolin is semi-solid at room temperature and often referred to as a “fatty base”. (1) It comprises a complex mixture of compounds, 87% of which are high molecular weight esters; because of this it is classified as a wax and not a fat. In addition, it contains 11% free compounds (aliphatic alcohols, hydrocarbons, sterols and hydrocarbons) and 2% of the compounds are unidentified. (2)
Lanolin in Cosmetics
Why would anyone want to use sheep excretions on their skin? Well, lanolin has been used for the last 8000 years for both skin and hair care because it is very similar to our sebum. It is also an effective solvent and is useful for dispersing pigments (3).
Because lanolin is similar to human sebum it acts in the same way on our skin as it does on sheep. It is classed as an emollient because it adds an occlusive layer that traps moisture in the dermis. You will find it in a wide variety of cosmetic products aimed at moisturising and protecting the skin. The use rate is typically 0.5-100%. You might see it in nipple creams and balms, hair pomades, nail treatments and moisturisers for very dry skin.
According to Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) lanolin and its derivatives have low toxicity to humans however there have been low incidence of sensitivity in some individuals; these have tended to be related to lanolin alcohols.
I was gifted a pot of Veggilanol Gold, a highly purified, allergy certified lanolin from LanEsters. It is certified by the Vegetarian Society, is COSMOS and Natrue approved so can be used in natural and organic products. The high level of purification means that it is free of contaminants. It is perfect to use as it is, straight from the pot. Because it is a product derived from an animal, it would not be appropriate in vegan certified products.
Rich Lanolin Lip + Cheek Tint
The following is an easy formula for a lanolin lip and cheek tint that is particularly suitable for dry skin types. It is shear when worn. It is a simple formula containing lanolin, iron oxide and coconut extract. If you do not have coconut extract, you can simply leave it out. In previous samples I used up to 2 grams of iron oxide per 12 grams lanolin. This level of pigment gave a strong, opaque colour. Because this is high in lanolin, you will find it glossy and highly moisturising.
I made only a 12.95 g sample and have calculated the percentages afterwards. Such a small sample size can have an effect on accuracy when making larger batches, so you may want to play around with the formula a little, however it will give you an idea of the ratios/percentages of each ingredient. Because the quantity was so small I simply added the ingredients directly to a 30 gram squat glass jar and heated it directly on the hotplate, this ensured better control of the ingredients when I weighed them out.
In addition to the lanolin I added AcquaSeal® Coconut, which I hoped would work synergistically with the lanolin. The manufacturer has this to say about it:
‘By implementing the coconut’s hydration retention strategy into skin and hair care formulations, we can capitalize on the undeniable and immediately perceivable benefits such as reduction in Transepidermal Water Loss, intense moisturization, and the sensorial experience that accompanies AcquaSeal® Coconut as it assimilates with the skin transforming it into a luxuriously soft, hydrated surface.” (4)
It is very similar to coconut oil in consistency and scent and will not add any flavour to the lip tint. You can buy it from Formulator Sample Shop in the US and Alexmo Cosmetics, Germany.
The colour comes from Australian red reef clay, which is an iron oxide. It is of a deep red-brown colour. You can replace this with any other red iron oxide or indeed any colour you like.
This balm works well in a squeeze lip balm tube and is easily dispensed at room temperature.
Method
Weigh the lanolin and coconut extract in a small heat proof glass pot/beaker.
Heat until melted and stir until uniform.
Add iron oxide and stir until combined.
Leave to cool and set
References:
Avi Shai, Howard I. Maibach, Robert Baran (2010) Handbook of Cosmetic Skin Care, Second Edition
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (2020) Final Report Of The Safety Assessment For Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol And Related Compounds
Harry’s Cosmetology, 9th Edition
Active Concepts, 2021