Candelilla Wax, 100 g

Candelilla wax firms anhydrous products and adds shine, making it one of the essential plant-based waxes for lip balms, solid body balms, and hair pomades. It is obtained from the shrub Euphorbia cerifera, which grows in Mexico. It is harvested from wild-growing stands; the wax is released from the plant by melting, washed with water, filtered, and shaped into pellets. In vegan formulations it serves as a plant-based alternative to beeswax: it sets harder, holds its shape better at the same usage level, and leaves a less tacky film on the skin.

Key benefits

• Hardness and shape retention – sets harder than beeswax, so a smaller amount is needed to achieve the same firmness in a balm or stick. The product deforms less in heat and sticks in tubes hold their shape better when pushed up.
• Shine – leaves a glossy surface on lips as well as hair, which is utilised in lip balms and styling waxes.
• Protective film – the manufacturer states emollient and protective action: it forms a film on the skin that limits water evaporation and smooths the surface. It is particularly beneficial for dry, rough, and chapped skin on the hands or lips.
• Styling without weight – according to the manufacturer's data, it gives hairstyles texture and hold without weighing the hair down, while adding a natural shine.
• Plant origin – wax with Vegan certification, free from palm oil derivatives, and readily biodegradable.

Use in formulation

It belongs to the oil phase. It does not dissolve in water or alcohol; once melted, it combines with vegetable oils, butters, and esters. It is supplied as small pellets that melt quickly and can be accurately weighed. The scent is faint and nutty.

The melting point ranges from 66 – 74 °C, and the recommended processing temperature is 75 – 85 °C. The pellets are heated together with the other solid components of the oil phase until fully dissolved. The mixture is then stirred, and heat-sensitive ingredients (essential oils, vitamin E) are added only during cooling. When making an emulsion, the water phase must be at the same temperature as the oil phase at the moment of combining; otherwise the wax solidifies before it can disperse.

The recommended usage level is 1 – 15 %. In creams and ointments, a low proportion is sufficient to firm the consistency; pot balms require a mid-range dose, and solid sticks, hair waxes, or pomades the upper end of the range. The final hardness is also determined by the rest of the formula — liquid oils require more wax than solid butters.

In cold-process soap, it is used in a small proportion to harden the bar. The wax must be fully dissolved in the warmed oils before adding the lye solution; otherwise lumps will remain in the mass.

Suitable for products such as

• lip balms and lip sticks, where it provides shape, shine, and a protective film
• solid body balms and massage bars
• hair waxes, pomades, and styling sticks
• hand creams and protective ointments for dry skin, as a firming and film-forming ingredient
• sugar lip scrubs, where it binds the sugar together and leaves lips smooth
• soaps and solid cosmetics to harden the bar

Good to know

Candelilla wax is not an emulsifier. In a cream it acts as a firming and film-forming ingredient; the emulsion must be stabilised by a dedicated emulsifier. Aqueous products such as tonics or gels cannot be prepared with it.

When the wax proportion is high and the oil proportion is low, the finished product can be brittle and break when bent. A more flexible structure is achieved by combining it with butters (shea, cocoa) and liquid oils, or by adding a smaller proportion of a softer wax.

Cool wax and butter mixtures quickly and evenly after pouring; slow cooling promotes graininess in the product. When pouring balms into stick tubes, it is best to fill the tubes in a single pour to prevent a dip from forming in the centre.

The wax's inherent shine is pronounced, which is not suitable for products intended to have a matte effect on the skin. In such cases the dose is reduced or the wax is combined with butters that dampen the shine. Compatibility with common cosmetic raw materials is unrestricted.

Comparison with beeswax

Both waxes serve the same function in a formula, but they differ in origin and behaviour. Beeswax is softer, more pliable, and leaves a creamier, slightly tackier film on the skin. Candelilla wax sets harder and shinier; the film is drier and less tacky, so when substituting it is used at a lower level. Among plant-based waxes it sits between the softer waxes and carnauba, which is even harder and shinier. Candelilla wax is easier to process and can be used on its own as the sole wax in a formula.

Frequently asked questions