Ingredient decoder

PEG-16 lanolin: is it comedogenic? What it does in skincare

INCI name: PEG-16 Lanolin

Acne verdict High clog risk

Rated a pore-clogger

  • Comedogenic4 / 5
  • Irritancy3 / 5

What it does

Water-friendly lanolin that softens skin and helps mix oil and water.

  • Emollient
  • Emulsifying
  • Surfactant - emulsifying

PEG-16 lanolin in plain English

PEG-16 lanolin is lanolin that has been ethoxylated so it mixes with water and can act as an emulsifier and softener. Ethoxylated lanolins like this were singled out as problem ingredients in rabbit-ear testing. Its rating comes from old rabbit-ear tests of the raw ingredient, which can overstate what happens with a finished product on human skin.

Is PEG-16 lanolin bad for acne?

It can be. PEG-16 lanolin has a high clog risk rating for acne-prone skin. In Fulton's 1989 rabbit-ear test it scored 4 out of 5 for clogging pores and 3 out of 5 for irritation. That test used the raw ingredient, so a small amount in a finished product may behave differently. If you break out easily, check where it sits on the ingredient list: the higher it appears, the more of it the product usually contains.

Why it is flagged: An ethoxylated lanolin. These were singled out as problem ingredients in rabbit-ear testing.

Clean routine and still breaking out? The cause may be internal. See what is driving it

Also called

  • PEG-16 Lanolin
  • Ethoxylated lanolin
  • Solulan 16
  • Polyoxyethylene (16) lanolin

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Frequently asked questions

Is PEG-16 lanolin comedogenic?

PEG-16 lanolin scored 4 out of 5 for comedogenicity in Fulton's 1989 rabbit-ear study, where 0 means no clogging and 5 means severe. That is a high rating. The test used the raw ingredient, so a finished product may behave differently.

What does PEG-16 lanolin do in skincare?

In short: water-friendly lanolin that softens skin and helps mix oil and water. In formulas it is used for emollient, emulsifying and surfactant - emulsifying.

What else is PEG-16 lanolin called on ingredient labels?

On ingredient lists, PEG-16 lanolin can also appear as Ethoxylated lanolin, Solulan 16 or Polyoxyethylene (16) lanolin.

Sources