What is PEG-16 Lanolin?
PEG-16 Lanolin falls into the lanolin derivative category — a lanolin-derived ingredient (from sheep's wool). An ethoxylated lanolin derivative that scores high on both comedogenicity (4) and irritancy (3).
You may see it on labels as Peg-16 Lanolin, Peg 16 Lanolin, Solulan 16, so it can hide under more than one name in an ingredient list.
Where PEG-16 Lanolin shows up
As a lanolin-derived ingredient (from sheep's wool), PEG-16 Lanolin typically appears in lip products, rich balms, and heavy moisturisers. Separately from clogging, its irritancy is rated 3/5 — high enough to be worth noting for sensitive skin.
Is PEG-16 Lanolin bad for acne-prone skin?
For breakout-prone skin, a rating this high is a genuine flag. What matters most is where PEG-16 Lanolin sits on the label: near the top it's a real consideration, near the bottom it's usually a trace amount.
Note for fungal-acne (malassezia) sufferers: PEG-16 Lanolin is commonly avoided in fungal-acne routines, since it falls into the fatty-acid or ester families the yeast can feed on. The evidence there is looser than for comedogenicity — see our fungal-acne checker for context.
Non-comedogenic alternatives
If you're avoiding PEG-16 Lanolin, these lower-risk ingredients serve a similar role and are gentler on pore-prone skin:
- Squalane — rated 1/5 (Low risk).
- Petrolatum — rated 0/5 (Low risk).