CARNAUBA WAX

📋 Quick facts

Description: CARNAUBA WAX — CIR reviewed: safe as used in cosmetics. Report: Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Candelilla Wax, Carnauba Wax, Japan Wax, and Beeswax.

Quick Facts:

• Category: other

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Carnauba wax is a natural wax used in skincare and cosmetic formulations
• It can be used to create protective coatings and barriers on skin
• It has hydrophobic (water-repelling) properties
• It provides UV light protection when incorporated into films
• Research shows it can be stabilized in nano-sized particle formulations for skincare products

📊 Comedogenicity

🛡️ Safety rating

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🌍 Regulatory Status

💧 Skin Type Compatibility

⚠️ Don’t Combine With

📚 Research & Evidence

🔬 The Science

Carnauba wax is a plant-derived ingredient that researchers have explored for various skincare and protective applications. Here’s what the science shows:

#1: UV Protection: When carnauba wax is incorporated into film formulations with other ingredients like chitosan, it contributes to UV barrier properties. Research in Food Res Int (2024) found that films containing carnauba wax showed low or non-light UV transmission, indicating good UV protection capability. #2: Water-Repelling Properties: Carnauba wax is inherently hydrophobic, meaning it repels water. This was demonstrated in Food Res Int (2024), where films made with carnauba wax displayed roughness due to their hydrophobic nature and were less water soluble than films without the wax.

This property makes it useful for creating protective barriers. #3: Nano-Formulation Stability: For skincare delivery, carnauba wax can be formulated into extremely small particles called nanosuspensions or nanostructured lipid carriers. According to Eur J Pharm Biopharm (2006), carnauba wax mixed with oils can carry UV-blocking pigments in formulations that remain physically stable for six months at room and warm temperatures (20-40°C), with entrapment efficiencies exceeding 85%. Similarly, AAPS PharmSciTech (2020) showed that carnauba wax can be used to create stable nano-particles averaging 122 nm in size for sunscreen formulations. #4: Film-Forming Ability: Carnauba wax can be used to create flexible, protective films when combined with other polymers.

Food Res Int (2024) noted that chitosan films supplemented with carnauba wax remained flexible while providing barrier properties. Important limitation: The available research focuses primarily on carnauba wax as a structural or delivery ingredient in specialized formulations rather than as a standalone skincare active ingredient. Most studies examine its role in sunscreen delivery systems, edible coatings, or film matrices rather than direct benefits to skin health.

📄 Related Research

Matched by search — not necessarily verified support for every statement above.

• Villalobos-Hernández JR et al. (2006). Physical stability, centrifugation tests, and entrapment efficiency studies of carnauba wax-decyl oleate nanoparticles used for the dispersion of inorganic sunscreens in aqueous media. Eur J Pharm Biopharm.
• Corrêa-Filho LC et al. (2024). Chitosan-based nanocomposite films with carnauba wax, rosin resin, and zinc oxide nanoparticles. Food Res Int.
• Wang Z et al. (2024). Binary wax oleogels: Improving physical properties and oxidation stability through substitution of carnauba wax with beeswax. J Food Sci.
• Medeiros TS et al. (2020). Bemotrizinol-Loaded Carnauba Wax-Based Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for Sunscreen: Optimization, Characterization, and In vitro Evaluation. AAPS PharmSciTech.
• Babarabie M et al. (2024). Carnauba wax-based edible coatings retain quality enhancement of orange (Citrus sinensis cv. Moro) fruits during storage. Sci Rep.

🧴 Products Containing CARNAUBA WAX

• L’OREAL NORGE AS L’Oréal Paris False Lash Telescopic Carbon Black Mascara
• L’OREAL NORGE AS L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Black Mascara
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Mascara Volume Million Lashes Feline
• L’OREAL NORGE AS L’Oréal Paris Lash Paradise Waterproof Zwarte Volume Mascara
• L’OREAL NORGE AS L’Oreal Mascara Lash Paradis Moonlight Noir Brown
• MITCH® CLEAN CUT®
• Jelly beans, stink bug, toasted marshmallow, dirty dishwater, birthday cake, rotten egg, buttered popcorn, toothpaste, berry blue, barf, peach, canned dog food, chocolate pudding, booger, juicy pear, spoiled milk, coconut, stinky socks, tutti-fruitti, dea
• Spring Valley Women’s Multi With Fruits & Vegetables
• chapstick
• lemme GLOW Hair, Skin & Nails Gummies
• lemme PURR Vaginal Probiotic Gummies
• Sun Bum Coco Balm Piña Colada Lip Balm
• Revita Apple cider vinegar
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Maybelline New York The Colossal 100% Black Waterproof Mascara
• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Consumer products, Maybelline, Gemey Maybelline The rocket volum’ express
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Maybelline Volum’ Express The Rocket Very Black Mascara
• L’OREAL NORGE AS,L’Oréal L’Oreal Mascara Volume Million Lashes Balm Noir
• L’OREAL NORGE AS L’Oreal Mascara Falsh Lash Bambi Eye Extra Black
• L’OREAL NORGE AS L’Oréal Paris Air Volume Black Mascara
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Mascara Performance Double Extension Beauty Thear
• L’OREAL NORGE AS L’Oreal Million Lashes Mascara Extra Volume Brown
• L’OREAL NORGE AS L’Oreal Mascara Telescopic Magnetic Black
• L’OREAL NORGE AS L’Oréal Paris Volume Million Lashes Waterproof Black Mascara
• L’OREAL NORGE AS L’Oreal Mascara Million Lashes So Couture
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Mascara Volume Million Lashes Fatale
• L’OREAL NORGE AS SuperLiner Le Kohl 120 Immaculate Snow
• L’OREAL NORGE AS SuperLiner Le Kohl 110 Midnight Black
• L’OREAL NORGE AS L’Oreal Superliner Le Kohl 116 Rainforest Green
• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Consumer products, L’Oréal Paris Paradise Noir
• L’OREAL NORGE AS L’Oréal Paris Lash Paradise Mascara Primer
• Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Very Black Volume Mascara
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Intense Black Extra Volume Mascara
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Maybelline New York The Falsies Lash Lift Black Mascara
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Maybelline Mascara Falsies Lash Lift Extra Black
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Maybelline Brow Extension Medium Brown 4
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Maybelline Brow Extension Deep Brown 6
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Maybelline New York The Colossal 36H Longwear Waterproof Mascara
• Italia Deluxe Perfect Eyeliner Mate Black 2303
• Cruelty Free INTERNATIONAL ARNIER AMBRE SOLAIRE NE
• L’Oréal, LASCAD, Vivelle Dop Playgum Cire-crème aux vitamines