Lanolin vs. Petroleum Jelly: Which is Better?

In the world of lip care, you’ve likely come across a lot of products with petroleum jelly as the main ingredient. From lip balms to paw paw ointments, petroleum jelly often promises to help hydrate and heal sensitive skin. However, it may not be as great for your lips as you think, especially when compared to other all-natural ingredients.

Read on to learn why lanolin for lips is a better alternative to petroleum-based lip balms so you can clean up your lip care routine once and for all.

The inside scoop on petroleum jelly

Petroleum jelly has been around for over a century since oil rig workers noticed the gel-like byproduct of crude oil building up in the bottom of barrels. 

Essentially, petroleum jelly seals lips with a water-protective barrier to help keep moisture in. But as good as this sounds, it can actually be doing more harm than good. First and foremost, no matter how refined petroleum jelly is, it’s still a byproduct of crude oil and often contains parabens that can interfere with your body’s hormones. 

Did you know that petroleum jelly is the main ingredient in most paw paw ointments? If you’ve ever used a petroleum based lip product on your dry, chapped lips, you would have noticed that once it disappears, your lips still don’t feel hydrated. That’s because petroleum jelly is considered occlusive, which means it prevents additional water loss but doesn’t actively add moisture back into your lips.

So while it prevents moisture from evaporating from your lips it also keeps in everything else. In other words, petroleum jelly can trap bacteria and toxins your skin wants to naturally expel. If you have acne-prone or oily skin, this might not be ideal.

What about lanolin for lips?

A great, natural lip alternative to petroleum jelly–based balms and moisturisers is lanolin. Lanolin is a deeply moisturising oil naturally occurring in sheep’s wool, making lanolin ingredients all-natural and extremely hydrating. 

Lanolin is scientifically proven to mimic the hydrating oils of human skin, so it’s less likely to irritate even the most delicate, sensitive skin. Additionally, lanolin can hold up to 400% of its weight in moisture while still being semi-occlusive, which allows your lips to breathe. Unlike petroleum jelly which sits on top of your lips, lanolin moisturises and protects the skin without trapping in other toxins, for the ultimate healing hydration.

Lanolips: natural lips

Lanolin for lips isn’t like your old-school petroleum-based paw paw ointment! Lanolin allows your sensitive skin to breathe while providing the ultimate hydration year-round. You can trust lanolin to nourish your lips without any harmful parabens so you have the peace of mind that you’re treating your lips with only the best.

Learn more about lanolin and why we use it in all of our Lanolips products today, or purchase one of our natural lip balms and experience the power of our hero ingredient for yourself.