Beeswax
Beeswax is the wax honey bees (Apis mellifera) secrete to build honeycomb. It is recovered from cappings and old comb after the honey is removed, melted in hot water or steam, strained and refined. Yellow beeswax keeps its natural color and honey odor, while white beeswax is bleached by sunlight or peroxides. Cosmetic brands buy NF, EP or cosmetic-grade beeswax as pellets or slabs to structure balms, lipsticks, salves and creams.
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Filtered, unbleached wax with a yellow to brown color and a faint honey odor; the usual grade for balms and salves.
Yellow beeswax bleached by sun or peroxide to an off-white color with little odor, used where color and scent must stay neutral.
Pastilles or pellets weigh and melt easily in small batches; slabs and blocks cost less for large melts.
Wax from certified organic apiaries, offered by a smaller number of suppliers and priced higher.
A blend of esters, fatty acids and alcohols built to match beeswax properties; a separate ingredient with its own INCI name, not a beeswax grade.
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
Store beeswax sealed in a cool, dry place away from strong odors, which it can absorb, and away from direct sunlight. It is stable for years, though a gray surface bloom can form and is harmless to the wax. Shelf life is set by the supplier's specification, with a retest of drop point and acid value for old stock.
Color, odor and residue levels vary with the region, season and comb age, so record origin, color and drop point for each lot and keep a retained sample. When a product's look depends on wax color, approve lots against a reference sample.
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 184.1973 describes beeswax as a secretory product of honey bees and states that white beeswax is produced by bleaching the pigments of yellow beeswax with peroxides or by sunlight.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)21 CFR 310.545(a)(18) lists beeswax among skin protectant ingredients for which there are inadequate data to establish general recognition of safety and effectiveness as OTC drug actives.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists yellow beeswax with Apis mellifera secretion as the source material and topical non-medicinal purposes including binder, emulsion stabilizer and stiffening agent.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's List of Permitted Glazing and Polishing Agents permits beeswax as a glazing agent in unstandardized confectionery at up to 4,000 ppm.
Source: canada.ca (opens in a new tab)This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
Manufacturer · Watertown, CT
Connecticut wax company that refines and supplies beeswax, plant waxes, petroleum waxes, emulsifying waxes and esters for cosmetic, pharmaceutical and industrial uses.
Distributor · Eastsound, WA
Washington State seller of cosmetic raw materials in small and bulk sizes, including actives, butters, waxes, emollients, emulsifiers and preservatives, for independent formulators and small brands.
Distributor · Redmond, WA
US supplier of cosmetic ingredients repackaged in retail and bulk sizes, covering actives, butters, oils, waxes and emulsifiers for brands, contract manufacturers and independent formulators.
Distributor · Oxford, CT
Connecticut supplier, trading as Praan Naturals, of certified organic and conventional carrier oils, butters, waxes, clays and botanicals for personal care manufacturers.
Distributor · Des Plaines, IL
Illinois supplier of bulk oils, butters, waxes and soap-making bases, owned by Columbus Vegetable Oils, selling to soap makers and small personal care brands.
Manufacturer · West Babylon, NY
New York wax refiner that imports, refines and blends beeswax, candelilla, carnauba and petroleum waxes for cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food uses.
Suppliers are in alphabetical order and none pays to appear. Each claim is checked against the supplier’s own website on the date shown. Ask for the specification sheet and a recent COA before you order, and confirm details with the supplier.
Common forms include yellow beeswax (NF / EP), white beeswax (NF / EP), pellets and slabs, organic and synthetic beeswax. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
Expect identity, acid, ester and saponification values, adulteration tests, pesticide residues and heavy metals, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
Store beeswax sealed in a cool, dry place away from strong odors, which it can absorb, and away from direct sunlight. It is stable for years, though a gray surface bloom can form and is harmless to the wax. Shelf life is set by the supplier's specification, with a retest of drop point and acid value for old stock.
21 CFR 184.1973 describes beeswax as a secretory product of honey bees and states that white beeswax is produced by bleaching the pigments of yellow beeswax with peroxides or by sunlight. 21 CFR 310.545(a)(18) lists beeswax among skin protectant ingredients for which there are inadequate data to establish general recognition of safety and effectiveness as OTC drug actives. Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists yellow beeswax with Apis mellifera secretion as the source material and topical non-medicinal purposes including binder, emulsion stabilizer and stiffening agent. Health Canada's List of Permitted Glazing and Polishing Agents permits beeswax as a glazing agent in unstandardized confectionery at up to 4,000 ppm.
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