Kirsten Carriol ‘s childhood memories of lanolin’s wonders on her family’s farm inspired the creation of Lanolips. Their bestseller, the Original 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm, is celebrated worldwide. Based in Sydney, Lanolips is committed to ethical beauty, responsibly sourcing lanolin from Australian and New Zealand wool to support local farmers.
In this exclusive interview for DSCENE Beauty, Kirsten Carriol, the visionary founder of Lanolips, shares her insights into the philosophy driving the brand’s success. With a passion for ethical beauty and a commitment to harnessing the power of nature, Kirsten provides valuable insights into Lanolips’ ethos, interviewed by beauty editor Anastasija Pavic.
INTERVIEWS
What guiding principles shape your approach to beauty and skincare?
My beauty and skincare approach mirrors Lanolips’ philosophy: less is more, inspired by the simplicity of Australian culture. I prioritise minimalist, multifunctional products with clean, high- performing ingredients. Embracing the Australian aesthetic, I believe in fresh, sun-kissed skin with vibrant pops of color, both in our products and personally.
What motivated the development of a lip line centered around lanolin?
The birth of Lanolips centered around lanolin, which is rooted in my childhood experiences on the farm. Witnessing how lanolin transformed my grandfather’s hands during wool shearing left a lasting impact. Guided by my father, a DNA scientist, I learned about lanolin’s remarkable ability to nourish dry skin due to its molecular similarity to human skin cells. I’m also drawn to lanolin’s cruelty-free and sustainable nature as a by-product of the wool industry. It’s a timeless, nature-perfected ingredient with a rich history of many thousands of years.
How does Lanolips responsibly source its lanolin, and what steps are taken to guarantee cruelty-free practices?
Sheep’s wool continuously grows, and if not sheared, their wool becomes too hot and heavy and also gathers debris – sheep will die without farmers shearing them every year. Our lanolin is sourced only from Australian and New Zealand wool (due to their ethical farming practices, and excellent merino wool) and it is the by-product of washing wool after shearing. It means that we know that the sheep are dealt with in a certain way that we can get the Leaping Bunny certification for animal Animal Cruelty Free. Once lanolin is extracted from the sheared wool under high heat, our lanolin goes through a highly specialised and patented cleansing process, which makes it the purest, creamiest, most luxurious and decadent lanolin in the world. Lanolips goes through strict protocols to get the Leaping Bunny Animal Cruelty Free certification for all products.
Could you provide further insight into your strategy for minimizing
consumerism?
I like to create products that have multiple purposes. Lanolips hero product 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm has 101 Uses. It’s a super dense balm that penetrates and seals in moisture to give extreme hydration for extremely dry and chapped lips, skin patches, cuticles, elbows and more. Wear it by itself or on top of lipstick, to keep eyebrows in place, highlight cheekbones or supercharge any moisturizer. Another multipurpose favourite is the Lano Everywhere Cream that can be used for face and all over the body, I use it as an eye cream, a hydrating mask (especially if I’m skiing!) and all over my body. If you want to reduce 8 products to two, it’s our 101 Ointment plus Everywhere Cream.
In a highly competitive lip product market, what do you consider crucial for a
brand’s success?
An ability to be able to live up to the hype and stick to doing hydration better than anyone else. Everyone wants to go ‘viral’ but if your product doesn’t deliver on every promise, then it’s pointless. We’re a classic because we really work.
In the age of social media feedback, how does Lanolips embrace and integrate
customer input into its operations?
We read everything! We have an amazing customer fan base, who we often turn to for feedback, including gathering feedback from all our social media platforms and customer emails. We love to hear what our customers have to say and they inform every product we make.
How do you define and prioritize self-care in your life?
I prioritise who I spend my time with as a base-line. My Boys, family and friends that feed my soul. Then exploring new friendships when I have time. If I do that, then I’m happy!
Are there any upcoming products or developments that customers can look
forward to from your brand?
We’ve just launched in Germany our best-selling 101 Multipurpose Balms in a new range of gourmand flavours: 101 Delicious which includes Glazed Donut and Raspberry Shortcake. Also just launched is our new cult favourite the 12 Hour Overnight Lip Mask perfect for overnight hydration, leaving your lips feeling nourished and replenished by morning. Available in a Day and Night Lip Heroes pack (with our hero 101 Ointment), along with a new Lip care routine – Lip Rituals with a new Coconut Lip Scrub and Multi-Balm. We are always working on new launches and have some exciting new flavours that we hope to bring to market soon too!
