TUNGCUL, MA. KIMBERLY T.

Animal Waxes

1. Bee Wax
This wax is an abdominal secretion of bees (Apis mellifera), its colour being dependent
of the flowers gathered by these insects. Bees used it to form the hive cells. Bee wax is
easily saponifiable and emulsifiable because of its content in free fatty acids, diols and
hydroxyacids. Bee wax is used since ancient times since its presence was detected in the
wall pictures of the Lascaux cave and in Egyptian mummies. Ancient Egyptians used it
also for its adhesive and coating properties, and in shipbuilding. In the Roman period,
bee wax was used as a waterproofing agent and treatment for painted walls (medium
for the "Fayum portraits"). In the Middle Ages, this wax was valuable and exchanged as
a form of currency. In recent times, bee wax was used as a modeling material, as
component of seals, coatings, polishes, and candles.

2. Chinese wax (insect wax)

This wax is secreted by insects (Coccus ceriferus) and laid on tree branches (1500 insects
are needed to produce 1g chinese wax). That insect is cultivated in China. Besides an
important content in esters (about 83%), this wax includes some free acids, alcohols (up
to 1%) and hydrocarbons (2 to 3%). Chemically, the esters are formed of chains with 46
up to 60 carbon atoms, the majority of alcohols and acids having 26 or 28 carbon atoms.
The purified wax is used to make candles and polish.

3. Shellac wax
This wax (known also as lac wax) is produced by a cochineal insect (Tachardia lacca)
native of India. It contains a majority of fatty esters (70-82%), free fatty alcohols (8-
14%), acids (1-4%) and hydrocarbons (1-6%). The esters are formed of chains of 28 up to
34 carbon atoms.
This wax is used in varnish industry and may replace carnauba wax.

4. Whale spermaceti
Spermaceti is extracted by cooling (11% of the initial oil) from adipose tissues and also
collected from a big cavity in the head of a cachalot (Physeter macrocephalus) known as
sperm whale. Spermaceti was used in medicine in England (15th century) and later in
cosmetics, pharmacy and also in candles but, after the recent international regulation
concerning whale captures, it is no longer produced and sold. It is now replaced by
synthetic spermaceti made of pure cetyl palmitate or mixtures based on jojoba.
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5. Lanolin (wool wax

This material is secreted by sheep sebaceous glands and collected from crude wool by
dilute alkali or detergent washing. Unwashed wool contains about 10-24% of greasy
matter and a small proportion of salts of long-chain fatty acidsAs bee wax, lanolin is
used since very ancient times in cosmetic and dermatology but is actually used in
industry (fabric, ink, lubricant).

Vegetable Waxes

1. Carnauba wax
This wax (known as "queen of waxes") is secreted by leaves of a Brasilian palm tree
(Copernicia prunifera cerifera), about 100 g for one tree in a year. This wax is the
hardest and highest melting of the natural waxes (melting point : 78-85°C) and is used
mainly mixed to bee wax to make various polishes for shoes, floor and furniture but also
in cosmetics (lipsticks, creams) and in food industry (glazes for candies, gums, fruit
coatings ...). It is used also in the paper industry for paper coating (the largest
application in the USA).

2. Ouricouri wax
It was first exported from Brazil in 1937 but has fallen in use in recent times.
It was extracted from the ouricouri palm (Syagrus coronata, Cocos coronata) by sraping
the wax from the leaf surface. Its melting point is 81-84°C. Ouricouri resembles
carnauba wax in its physical properties, thus, it was used as substitute in carbon paper
inks, mould release lubricants and polishes.

3. Jojoba oil
This product resulted from the pressure on governments to replace spermaceti.
This wax is fluid (melting point: about 7°C) and produced by pressing from seeds of the
jojoba tree (Simmondsia chinensis, Euphorbiacae), now cultivated in Mexico (Sonora),
Arizona and California. Jojoba oil is very resistant to oxidation and is largely used in
cosmetic applications (soaps, shampoos, skin cream, anti-solar oils). Industries use
sulfonated or hydrogenated oil as lubricant, polishes, candles and coatings. Future uses
could be as foam control agent and low-calorie food additive.
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4. Candelilla wax

This wax is produced by small shrubs from Mexico, Euphorbia cerifera and E.
antisyphilitica (Euphorbiaceae). It has been used mainly mixed with other waxes to
harden them without raising the melting point. This wax is used in cosmetics (lip balms
and lotion bars), pharmaceutics and in food stuffs (E 902, GRAS) to improve stability and
texture as a substitute to beeswax (melting point : 66-71°C). One of candelilla's major
outlets was a binder for chewing gums.

5. Esparto wax
This wax is a by-product in the artisanal preparation of paper from a reed known in
northwest Africa and southern Spain as "Halfah grass", Stipa tenacissima, it melt at
73°C. While its composition is highly variable, it contains hydrocarbons, esters, alcohol
(C28) and triterpenoids.

6. Japan wax
That product is not a true wax but is more like a vegetable tallow found in the kernel
and outer skin of the berries of Rhus and Toxicodendron species, including those
yielding Japanese lacquer. It contains a high amount of palmitic acid triglycerides (93-
97%), long chain dicarboxylic acids including C22 and C23 chains (4-5.5%) and free
alcohols (12-1.6%). Its melting point is 45-53°C. That wax is much used in Japan in
cosmetics, ointments and to make candles but becomes rancid with age.

7. Rice bran oil

Rice bran from the milling of rice, Oryza sativa, contains a wax mixed with triglycerides.
The melting point of the pure wax is 75-80°C. It contains esters of fatty acids (26 to 30
carbon atoms) and long-chain alcohols (C26 to C30) and a large amount of
unsaponifiable matter (55-67%).
That wax is much used as a constituent of chocolate enrobers, various fruit and
vegetable coating and as a lipstick.

8. Bayberry Wax
From the surface wax of the fruits of the bayberry shrub, Myrica faya.