PEG-16 Lanolin
Lanolin derivative · INCI: PEG-16 Lanolin
Reviewed by Elysiana Aguilar, master esthetician
How we read it
Known to clog pores. If you break out easily, this is the one to skip.
Is PEG-16 Lanolin comedogenic?
Yes. PEG-16 Lanolin is a known pore-clogging ingredient, and we read it as highly comedogenic. If you're acne-prone, it's worth avoiding, especially when it sits near the top of an ingredient list.
Why we read it this way
PEG-16 lanolin is lanolin that has been ethoxylated so it disperses in water, letting it work as an emulsifier and conditioning agent in formulas where plain wool wax would not blend. Making it water-friendly does not change our call, and we read it as highly comedogenic, the same as plain lanolin.
The nuance
We do not flag most PEG ingredients, so the prefix alone says little. This one is flagged as a lanolin derivative, as is PEG-75 lanolin. In a shampoo or cleanser that rinses away it matters less than in a lotion that stays on.
Where it shows up
Shampoos, conditioners, styling products and body washes, along with some liquid cleansers, makeup removers and lotions that want lanolin's softness in a water-based formula.
Related ingredients
One ingredient rarely tells the whole story. The acne ingredient checker reads everything in a product at once, the pore-clogging ingredients list has the rest of what we flag, and there is more on what comedogenic means. Also in the guides: What causes acne.