Cited skincare — every flag names its source, no upsell.
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Lanolin

Lanolin · Lanolin AlcoholBarrier

A very effective moisture sealer from sheep’s wool that feels more flexible than petrolatum. It’s also a common allergen.

What it does

It’s the wax sheep make to waterproof their wool. It’s one of the best ingredients at sealing moisture in: it holds about twice its weight in water and forms a flexible film without petrolatum’s heaviness. It’s also one of the more common cosmetic allergens. If you’ve reacted to balms or pharmacy moisturizers before, patch test first.

The EU’s ingredient database lists it as an emulsifier (helps oil and water mix) and an emollient (gives skin a soft, smooth look).European Commission, CosIng (© European Union, CC BY 4.0) · uses put in plain words by Drop ↗

The evidence, graded

expert consensusFungal acne is Malassezia folliculitis — an overgrowth of a yeast already living in normal skin flora, commonly mistaken for ordinary acne. In a culture dish the yeast grows only when fatty acids longer than C10 are added, because it cannot make its own. That is why Drop holds lipid-rich products back while you have this flagged. No source Drop has read tested an oil on skin, set an upper chain length, or showed squalane, MCT or mineral oil to be safe.Rubenstein 2014 · Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology ↗

Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.

Also known as

wool wax, wool grease

Pairs worth knowing

Ceramides · works together ↗Shea Butter · works together ↗Petrolatum · works together ↗

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