Cutting or shaving the wool off of a sheep is called shearing. Shearing doesn’t usually hurt a sheep. It’s just like getting a hair cut. However, shearing requires skill so that the sheep is shorn efficiently and quickly without causing cuts or injury to the sheep or shearer.

Unlike other animals, most sheep are unable to shed. If a sheep goes too long without being shorn, a number of problems occur. This can cause sheep to become overheated and die. Urine, feces and other materials become trapped in the wool, attracting flies, maggots and other pests.

So it is cruel to shear sheep (Shortcuts, G2, 26 November), according to Peta. The inability of sheep to shed their fleece has come about as a result of human intervention over thousands of years, making them forever reliant on humans for this part of their welfare. Shearing has to be done.

Shearing requires sheep to be handled multiple times – mustering, yarding, and penning – which is stressful to sheep. In addition, shearing itself is an acute stressor. The potential for pain is present where sheep are wounded or injured during shearing.

In Australia, the most commonly raised sheep are merinos, specifically bred to have wrinkly skin, which means more wool per animal. This unnatural overload of wool causes animals to die of heat exhaustion during hot months, and the wrinkles also collect urine and moisture.

Sheep are purposely stepped on. They’re shorn bloody. Some are so stressed by the experience that they die on the shearing floor. Others often die from heat exhaustion or a lack of shelter from the elements.

After a few years, the wool production declines and it is no longer deemed profitable to care for these older sheep. Sheep raised for wool are almost always killed for meat. Sheep raised for wool and meat also face a variety of painful mutilations. The larva can then enter the sheep’s body and cause a painful death.

BUT DO SHEEP DIE IN THE PRODUCTION OF LANOLIN, SPECIFICALLY? Technically-speaking, sheep do not die as a direct result of lanolin production because it is obtained from their wool. However, as sheep age, their wool production gradually slows (just as humans lose density in eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair).

Lanolin has long been used in the skin care and cosmetics industry as an effective emollient, commonly used in body creams and lotions to lock in much-needed moisture and prevent water loss. But lanolin also has a bad rep for irritating sensitive skin and causing allergic reactions.

Many people believe that lanolin is a cruelty free item that comes from the wool of sheep as they are shorn. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The majority if the time, the sheep have been slaughtered for their meat and the lanolin is a by product of this meat industry.

Lanolin cream is safe to use on intact skin while breastfeeding and is non-toxic for both mother and baby. You do not have to wipe it off or remove it before your baby breastfeeds. Lanolin products should be avoided in people with a known allergy to wool.

Side effects of lanolin include:

• Skin burning, stinging, redness, or irritation.
• Unusual changes in the skin (e.g., turning white/soft/soggy from too much wetness) (rare)
• Signs of skin infection (rare)

It is 100% natural and safe for your baby – you do not need to remove before breastfeeding.

Medical-grade lanolin is not very poisonous. Nonmedical grade lanolin sometimes causes a minor skin rash. Lanolin is similar to wax, so eating large amounts of it can cause a blockage in the intestines.

Lanolin oil is known as an emollient, which means it helps soothe dry or dehydrated skin. A 2017 study indicated that lanolin can reduce water lost through the skin by 20 to 30 percent.

The key difference between lanolin and petroleum-based products lie in their properties. Lanolin is classified as an emollient whereas Petrolatum is classified as an occlusive. Occlusives form a layer on the surface of the skin and moisturize by retarding the evaporation of water (Rawlings et al., 2004).

As long as you’re in the eye vicinity, Taylor also likes lanolin under the eyes, to fill in fine lines before applying concealer. I’ll mix it with a pinch of lanolin to thin it out and make it really creamy.” The resulting concoction “moisturizes the undereye area and prevents seeping.”

If the environment is right – on skin that isn’t properly exfoliated, for instance – lanolin and other oils can clog pores more quickly than less fatty substances. The two most likely versions to consistently clog pores regardless of your skin type: acetylated lanolin and acetylated lanolin alcohol.

Lanolin. “Lanolin is the sebum, or skin oil of sheep,” he explains. “Unfortunately, lanolin is highly comedogenic and can cause more skin breakouts.” Other names for lanolin are, acetylated lanolin alcohol, ethoxylated lanolin, PEG 16 lanolin and solulan 16.

“Moisturizing is a very important part of skin care, including skin that is acne-prone, as hydration allows sebum buildup to loosen and clear the pores,” says Sadick. As a result, this could lead to clogged pores and more acne.

The Best Acne-Fighting Ingredients

• RELATED: The Dermatologist’s Guide to Healthy Skin and the Exposome [Ad]
• Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs).
• Benzoyl peroxide.
• Clay.
• Salicylic acid.
• Sulfur.
• Tea-tree oil.
• RELATED: Best Drugstore Face Masks for Acne-Prone Skin.

8 Key Ingredients To Avoid If You’ve Got Acne Prone Skin!

• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, also known as SLS, is a foaming agent.
• Silicones: Silicones are often found in products like primers, sunscreens and many more.
• Mineral Oil: Mineral oils are also comedogenic.
• Alcohol:
• Coconut Oil:
• Fragrance:
• Isopropyl Myristate:
• Lanolin:

Ingredients That Can Cause Breakouts:

• Acetylated Lanolin.
• Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol.
• Algae Extract.
• Algin.
• Avocado Oil/Butter.
• Argan Oil.
• Almond/Sweet Almond oil.
• Butyl Stearate.

Here’s to clearer skin days ahead!

• Neutrogena Oil-Free Salicylic Acid Acne Fighting Acne Wash.
• La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Acne Face Wash.
• AcneFree Oil-Free Acne Cleanser with Benzoyl Peroxide.
• Clarisonic Mia Smart 3-in-1 Sonic Facial Beauty Device.

Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, is known for fighting free radical damage to skin cells and may help treat acne. Topical vitamin C products may improve hyperpigmentation and reduce acne-induced inflammation, but further research is necessary.