Things are moving forward with some of the makeup products! With products such as lipstick, liners, and mascaras, we use one of two different kinds of wax – candelilla wax (INCI name Euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) Wax) and carnauba wax (INCI name Copernicea cerifera (carnauba) wax).
Native to northern Mexico, the Candelilla shrub is where candelilla wax comes from. The leaves and stems are boiled and the wax is skimmed from the surface and then further processed. It is used as a glazing agent in food products and as a binder for chewing gums. With lipstick it helps give it the nice glide feel while giving it a glossy look.
Carnauba wax comes from the leaves of the Carnauba palm found only in north eastern Brazil. The leaves are dried and then beaten to loosen the wax with is then further refined. It has one of the highest melting points of natural waxes and is also one of the hardest natural waxes. This makes it a great wax to use in eye and lip liner pencils. It is also used in many commercial waxes such as floor and furniture polish, car wax, and surfboard wax. It is also used to coat pills and candies. And one of the most common used of carnauba wax is to coat dental floss. Chances are you have encountered this wax a few times in your life without even knowing it!
