Lanolin (anhydrous)

Lanolin is obtained from the fleece of sheep after shearing. The name is derived from the Latin words »lana« (wool) and »oleum« (oil). Natural lanolin keeps sheep's wool soft and supple while also protecting it from the elements. Lanolin is a yellow, waxy substance secreted by the sebaceous glands of domestic sheep. It is sometimes called wool grease, although this is inaccurate as lanolin is not a fat but a wax. It is obtained by pressing the shorn sheep's wool between the rollers of a press.

 

Lanolin is inherently very similar to sebum secreted by human skin. This similarity allows the skin to tolerate it exceptionally well. By forming a moisturising barrier, lanolin allows the skin to re-hydrate from within, thereby slowing the evaporation of the skin's own natural moisture.

 

Some mothers also swear by lanolin as the only true remedy for stretch marks during pregnancy.

 

Lanolin can be used in the making of homemade ointments, lotions, lip balms, solid and liquid soaps,…

 

Lanolin is packaged in PET jars and is intended for cosmetic use.

 

 

For those with dry skin, lanolin is added to the cream as an emulsifier, and urea for moisturising. If you have oily or blemish-prone skin, omit the lanolin from the recipe and replace it with shea butter.

INGREDIENTS:

10 g tegomuls
10 g lanolin (for dry and normal skin) or
10 g shea butter (for oily, normal, and combination skin)
90 ml distilled water
10 g urea
40 drops natural essential oil of your choice
20 drops preservative (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Prepare all ingredients. Place tegomuls and lanolin (dry skin), or tegomuls alone (oily, normal, and combination skin) in a glass bowl. Place distilled water and urea in a second glass bowl. Heat both in a water bath until the solid ingredients melt. Then remove both from the heat. For oily skin, add shea butter to the tegomuls and stir until melted. While stirring constantly and vigorously, add the water base drop by drop into the »oil« base. It may happen that the forming cream suddenly looks like curdled cream. At that point, start stirring even more vigorously. Once the mixture turns into a cream and cools to body temperature, stir more slowly. Stir in your chosen natural essential oil drop by drop, and optionally a preservative.

Fill the cream into jars and store in a cool place.