For many of us, the chasing of smooth and soft hair feels like a never-ending journey. When referring to softening ingredients, lanolin is well-known for what it can do for the skin. So can lanolin do the same for your natural locks? Have you ever considered using lanolin for hair? Is lanolin good for hair? Read on to find out if adding lanolin to your hair care regimen have positive impacts on your curls. 

What is lanolin oil?

Lanolin is a waxy substance that is secreted from sheep’s skin. Put simply, it is similar to the human sebum that is produced by the sebaceous glands. To extract lanolin oil, people put sheep’s wool through centrifuge machines to separate the oil from other chemicals. This process will not cause harm to these breeds because sheep’s wool is sheared before. 

Lanolin is referred to as wool fat that does not contain triglycerides. The purpose of this oil is to condition and create a shield to protect sheep’s wool. Due to this conditioning property, it is now widely utilized in the beauty industry. You can see it in the ingredients list of some cosmetics, skincare, and hair care products. For example, women use it as a skin moisturizer that can prevent dry and rough skin. You can use lanolin oil for hair to limit the evaporation of water from your hair. It maintains your hair moisturized and keeps it more manageable.  

Benefits of lanolin for hair

Keep the hair moisture

The biggest advantage of lanolin comes from its moisturizing properties. Consider adding lanolin for hair care routine, and it can create a protective layer to prevent your curls from damage and other harmful factors. It will minimize the risk of hair breakage and damage efficiently. Hence, lanolin is beneficial for those with curly hair as their hairs tend to be drier than those with straight ones.  

Condition your natural locks

As we mentioned, lanolin act like human sebum which keeps our skin and hair soft. And lanolin can do the same way. When you apply the oil to your mane, it will work as a natural conditioner to prevent hair from dryness and offer healthy and shiny hair. Thereby, it can encourage your natural hair to grow quickly. 

Protect the scalp from inflammation 

Lanolin has anti-inflammatory properties that can mix and blend with other emollients to reduce and soothe inflammation and irritations. It can go deeply within to keep the scalp moisturized and protect your skin from any reoccurrence of such conditions. 

Besides, this will not mess the pH level on the scalp when you apply lanolin to the skin. Bear in mind that natural hair growth can be slow without a healthy scalp. 

Minimize dandruff and itching

Not only use lanolin for hair repair, the wax also works to condition your scalp, reducing dandruff and itching feeling. It acts to control frizz and give hair definition. 

However, it is recommended that you blend lanolin oil with other emollients to get the best result. Be mindful of how much the amount of essential oils lanolin for hair care you should use. If you use too much, it will weigh your hair down and leave buildup to your curls.  

How to use lanolin oil for hair

Note that raw lanolin is a thick waxy substance that cannot dissolve in water. If you want to use it easily, you should choose processed lanolin, such as liquid lanolin for hair, to treat your hair problems.  

Firstly, you apply a dime-size amount of lanolin oil to your tresses and scalp as a pre-shampoo treatment. Remember to use it on your damp hair. If you have pure lanolin, you should heat it in an oven for about 15 seconds. Make sure that you coat a thin layer to every hair strand that helps lock in the moisture well. 

Lanolin will not act negatively with other common oils or butter, such as coconut oil. So you can apply coconut oil to your curls to seal moisturizer first, then top up with lanolin. But you should not use it regularly to avoid the buildup of the oil. 

This oil is an alternative option to castor oil. If you don’t like castor oil since it is thick and sticky, consider using lanolin oil instead. It will not weigh your hair down, not leaving greasy hair. 

You can find lanolin in many commercial hair care products out there, in shampoos, conditioners, pomade, or moisturizing lotions. The amount of this substance in shampoo is small and you can use it like other clarifying shampoos. You apply the right amount of the product to your locks, gently massage, and rinse thoroughly with water.  

Where to buy it?

Lanolin oils and products containing this substance are widely available out there. You can find and buy it in stores near you and online. Consider using some products containing lanolin, like Dax Super Lanolin Hair Conditioner, Lanolin Oil USP Grade by Velona, etc. However, you had better ask the seller or experienced users whether which one is best suited for your curls before deciding to go for it. Or do a test on a patch of your skin to see whether it is allergic. If not, you can apply lanolin product on your strands. 

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Risks

Using lanolin for natural hair can be beneficial. But it also has some drawbacks. You should find out carefully about lanolin uses before taking it. For example, the ingestion of lanolin may cause poisoning. It has some symptoms like:

– Diarrhea

– Skin rashes and redness

– Or vomiting

Additionally, lanolin can cause allergy symptoms, like shortness of breath, swelling, rash, or itching skin. You also keep lanolin and products containing this substance out of children’s reach. 

In summary

Lanolin is an excellent conditioning agent for natural hair, especially for those with curly hair such as 3C and Type 4. Add lanolin for hair care regimens and enjoy smooth, soft hair without losing curl or leaving greasy hair. 

We recommend you test a small patch of skin before you apply it to your hair to avoid allergy. Or ask your dermatologist whether you can use any products containing this substance.