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Lanolin
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Lanolin
Lanolin (from Latin lāna 'wool', and oleum 'oil'), also called wool fat, wool yolk, wool wax, sheep grease, sheep yolk, or wool grease, is a wax secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool-bearing animals. Lanolin used by humans comes from domestic sheep breeds that are raised specifically for their wool. Historically, many pharmacopoeias have referred to lanolin as wool fat (adeps lanae); however, as lanolin lacks glycerides (glycerol esters), it is not a true fat. Lanolin primarily consists of sterol esters instead. Lanolin's waterproofing property aids sheep in shedding water from their coats. Certain breeds of sheep produce large amounts of lanolin.
Lanolin in nature protects wool and skin from climate and the environment; it is also involved in skin (integumental) hygiene. Lanolin and its derivatives are used in the protection, treatment, and beautification of human skin.
A typical high-purity grade of lanolin is composed predominantly of long chain waxy esters (approximately 97% by weight) with the remainder being lanolin alcohols, lanolin acids and lanolin hydrocarbons.
An estimated 8,000 to 20,000 different types of lanolin esters are present in lanolin, resulting from combinations between the different lanolin acids and alcohols; about 200 acids and 100 alcohols had been identified by 1986.
In addition to being useful itself, lanolin's complex composition of long-chain esters, hydroxyesters, diesters, lanolin alcohols, and lanolin acids makes it a starting point for the production of a whole spectrum of lanolin derivatives with wide-ranging chemical and physical properties. The main derivatisation routes include hydrolysis, fractional solvent crystallisation, esterification, hydrogenation, alkoxylation and quaternisation. Lanolin derivatives obtained from these processes are used widely in both cosmetics and skin treatment products.
Hydrolysis of lanolin yields lanolin alcohols and lanolin acids. Lanolin alcohols are a rich source of cholesterol, an important skin lipid, and are powerful water-in-oil emulsifiers; they have been used extensively in skincare products for over 100 years. Approximately 40% of the acids derived from lanolin are alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs). The use of AHAs in skin care products has attracted much attention.[citation needed] Details of the AHAs isolated from lanolin can be seen in the table below.
Crude lanolin constitutes about 5–25% of the weight of freshly shorn wool. Wool from one Merino sheep produces about 250–300 ml of recoverable wool grease. Lanolin is extracted by washing the wool in hot water with a special wool-scouring detergent to remove dirt, wool grease (crude lanolin), suint (sweat salts), and anything else stuck to the wool. The wool grease is continuously removed during this washing process by centrifuge separators, which concentrate it into a waxlike substance which melts at approximately 38 °C (100 °F).
Lanolin and its many derivatives are used extensively both for personal care (e.g. cosmetics, facial cosmetics, lip products) and healthcare (topical liniments). Lanolin is also used in lubricants, rust-preventive coatings, shoe polish, and other commercial products.
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Lanolin
Lanolin (from Latin lāna 'wool', and oleum 'oil'), also called wool fat, wool yolk, wool wax, sheep grease, sheep yolk, or wool grease, is a wax secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool-bearing animals. Lanolin used by humans comes from domestic sheep breeds that are raised specifically for their wool. Historically, many pharmacopoeias have referred to lanolin as wool fat (adeps lanae); however, as lanolin lacks glycerides (glycerol esters), it is not a true fat. Lanolin primarily consists of sterol esters instead. Lanolin's waterproofing property aids sheep in shedding water from their coats. Certain breeds of sheep produce large amounts of lanolin.
Lanolin in nature protects wool and skin from climate and the environment; it is also involved in skin (integumental) hygiene. Lanolin and its derivatives are used in the protection, treatment, and beautification of human skin.
A typical high-purity grade of lanolin is composed predominantly of long chain waxy esters (approximately 97% by weight) with the remainder being lanolin alcohols, lanolin acids and lanolin hydrocarbons.
An estimated 8,000 to 20,000 different types of lanolin esters are present in lanolin, resulting from combinations between the different lanolin acids and alcohols; about 200 acids and 100 alcohols had been identified by 1986.
In addition to being useful itself, lanolin's complex composition of long-chain esters, hydroxyesters, diesters, lanolin alcohols, and lanolin acids makes it a starting point for the production of a whole spectrum of lanolin derivatives with wide-ranging chemical and physical properties. The main derivatisation routes include hydrolysis, fractional solvent crystallisation, esterification, hydrogenation, alkoxylation and quaternisation. Lanolin derivatives obtained from these processes are used widely in both cosmetics and skin treatment products.
Hydrolysis of lanolin yields lanolin alcohols and lanolin acids. Lanolin alcohols are a rich source of cholesterol, an important skin lipid, and are powerful water-in-oil emulsifiers; they have been used extensively in skincare products for over 100 years. Approximately 40% of the acids derived from lanolin are alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs). The use of AHAs in skin care products has attracted much attention.[citation needed] Details of the AHAs isolated from lanolin can be seen in the table below.
Crude lanolin constitutes about 5–25% of the weight of freshly shorn wool. Wool from one Merino sheep produces about 250–300 ml of recoverable wool grease. Lanolin is extracted by washing the wool in hot water with a special wool-scouring detergent to remove dirt, wool grease (crude lanolin), suint (sweat salts), and anything else stuck to the wool. The wool grease is continuously removed during this washing process by centrifuge separators, which concentrate it into a waxlike substance which melts at approximately 38 °C (100 °F).
Lanolin and its many derivatives are used extensively both for personal care (e.g. cosmetics, facial cosmetics, lip products) and healthcare (topical liniments). Lanolin is also used in lubricants, rust-preventive coatings, shoe polish, and other commercial products.
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