lanolin

     

Lanolin, also calle Adeps Lanae, wool wax, wool fat, anhydrous wool fat or wool grease, a greasy yellow substance from wool-bearing animals, acts as a skin ointment, water-proofing wax, and raw material (such as in shoe polish). Chemically akin to wax, lanolin is secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool-bearing animals, such as sheep. These glands are associated with hair follicles. Lanolin's ability to act as a waterproofing wax aids sheep in shedding water from their coats. Certain breeds of sheep produce large amounts of lanolin, and the extraction can be performed by squeezing the wool between rollers. Most or all the lanolin is removed from wool when it is processed into textiles, such as yarn or felt.

Trivia about lanolin

  • The name of this wax is from the Latin for "wool oil"
  • (Sarah of the Clue Crew reports from the San Diego Zoo.) Commonly called woolfat, this substance obtained from the greasy coating on wool is used in cosmetics

Found pages about lanolin