Face

Loving Lanolips

October 23, 2009

It’s a long road to finding the perfect lipgloss - there are so many on the market and while some might outperform others in terms of staying ability, colour, hydrating qualities and taste, most of them excel at one thing and not others. Plus it is really hard to find a gloss that is natural and looks good. Which is why I was excited to trial the Lanolips glosses - the little tube of lanolin based gloss that has our Aussie sisters raving.

Lanolips, which launched in Australia in May, is the brainchild of Kirsten Carriol, who spent her childhood holidays at her Grandparents sheep farm in South Australia. Kirsten’s father is a Professor of Genetics and a molecular scientist based in Adelaide, he co-holds over 12 patents and has had numerous articles published. When he told Kirsten that the secret to moisturisation was in the structural format of lanolin - she listened.

But this is not just some kitchen brewed formula - lanolin in its raw state is actually not that palatable, which is why it is usually blended with other ingredients to improve its look and taste. Kirsten worked with cosmetic scientists to refine lanolin through a series of processes until it came out medical grade - the purest form. Thus the Lanolips Ointment $AU17.95 was born. Then they turned it into pretty glosses, $AU13.95 with four colours: apples, dark honey, sunshine and rose, 60% lanolin, pure pigment, vitamin E and some natural oils.

Which one is my favourite? Ah - too hard to pick. So far, I’m rocking the apples which has a nice red lipstain effect, but Dark Honey is also a goodie. And then there’s Sunshine which is a nice orange/coral. You can also vamp up your lipstick - simply put the 101 Ointment over your favourite lippie and turn your look from matte to shine. Genius.

Given the 101’s multipurpose, general Mr-DIY-fix-it status (give it to a breastfeeding girlfriend, use on wounds, dry hands, cracked heels, to nourish cuticles or to prevent chapped lips), it’s one of those must-have items for your handbag. It’s a multi-purpose balm in a tube. Oh and did I tell you that it’s natural?

But why lanolin?

Lanolin is one of nature’s most effective humectants - it attracts and holds water making it an excellent balm for sensitive skin that is dry or cracked. It’s great for eczema sufferers. It binds well, so it’s an awesome ingredient for cosmetics.

However, lanolin has been tarnished with the allergy brush with many claiming to be sensitive to it. The reality is that it is most likely to be the fragrances blended with the lanolin that is causing this irritation. The higher the quality of lanolin - the smaller the risk of sensitivity.

In her ingredients dictionary American beauty expert Paula Begoun reported that ‘in the British Journal of Dermatology (July 2001, pages 28-31) the study concluded “that lanolin sensitization has remained at a relatively low and constant rate even in a high-risk population (i.e., patients with recent or active eczema).” Based on a review of 24,449 patients who were tested with varying forms of lanolin, it turned out that “The mean annual rate of sensitivity to this allergen was 1.7%”-and it was lower than that for a 50% concentration of lanolin.’

Unfortunately Lanolips isn’t retailed in New Zealand - not yet - but you can buy from adorebeauty.com.au or from Duty Free counters.

Have you tried this yet? What do you think?

Tamsin xo