Acetylated lanolin alcohol (sometimes known as sheep alcohol, lanolin alcohol, or wool alcohol) is a non-drying

organic compound In chemistry, organic compounds are generally any chemical compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen or carbon-carbon bonds. Due to carbon's ability to catenate (form chains with other carbon atoms), millions of organic compounds are known. The ...

produced from

lanolin Lanolin (from Latin 'wool', and 'oil'), also called wool yolk, wool wax, 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 fo ...

, the fat of wool shearings, which has been reacted with

acetic acid Acetic acid , systematically named ethanoic acid , is an acidic, colourless liquid and organic compound with the chemical formula (also written as , , or ). Vinegar is at least 4% acetic acid by volume, making acetic acid the main component ...

and a small amount of

lye A lye is a metal hydroxide traditionally obtained by leaching wood ashes, or a strong alkali which is highly soluble in water producing caustic basic solutions. "Lye" most commonly refers to sodium hydroxide (NaOH), but historically has been us ...

. There are synthetic variants available; however, the animal-derived product has more anti-allergenic tendencies. Acetylated lanolin alcohol is used as an

emollient A moisturizer, or emollient, is a cosmetic preparation used for protecting, moisturizing, and lubricating the skin. These functions are normally performed by sebum produced by healthy skin. The word "emollient" is derived from the Latin verb ''mo ...

, to soften skin, but is mildly

comedogenic The term acne cosmetica refers to acne caused by or aggravated by cosmetics. The mechanism is thought to be chemically induced plugging of the pilosebaceous orifice. This became a significant problem for dermatologists in the 1970s and 1980s, bu ...

, with a rating of 0-2 out of 5. For this reason, those who are prone to whiteheads and blackheads should patch test before using on a large scale. Acetylated lanolin alcohol can also be inflammatory to those with wool or lanolin allergies, and should be avoided in such cases.

References

External links

{{HPD, 061788-49-6 Alcohols Acetate esters