Summary On 26 July 1976, the European Directive relating to cosmetics products added lanolin to the list of substances which cannot be used in these products beyond previously fixed restrictions and conditions (annexe III) with the obligation that labelling bears the wording 'contains lanolin'. The French legislation laid down the term 'Important' with the above condition, thus drawing attention to the presence of one of the most used substances in the cosmetic industry. Without making an account of the comments which have led to that decision, it is admitted that some dermatologists have noticed for 20 years allergic reactions on few persons, after using ointments containing lanolin or lanolin derivatives. Two facts have been noted after a thorough survey of the observed cases: these reactions occurred first with persons suffering from leg ulcers or chronic eczema, and were caused by the free fatty alcohols fraction. On the other hand, literature does not mention any case of allergic reaction on a healthy skin, whether it is human or animal. As we are aware of the importance of the problem and as we have carried out a routine examination of local tolerance. of the main raw materials, already used in cosmetics, for 3 years (1-4), we considered it was of primary importance to study the results obtained from various samples of anhydrous lanolin and its derivatives. The ocular and cutaneous tolerance tests have been made on the rabbit following.