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Candelilla Wax
Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax · Candelilla Cera · Euphorbia Cerifera CeraBarrier
The vegan stand-in for beeswax in balms and lip products — a bit firmer, so formulas need less of it.
What it does
It’s common in lip balms, mascaras and body balms sold as plant-based.
The EU’s ingredient database lists it as an emollient (gives skin a soft, smooth look) and a film former (leaves a film on skin).European Commission, CosIng (© European Union, CC BY 4.0) · uses put in plain words by Drop ↗
The evidence, graded
expert consensusUS safety reviewers judged candelilla, carnauba, Japan wax and beeswax safe as used in 1984, and kept that verdict in 2005 and 2025. Newer allergy reports they read were linked to propolis, a bee resin they say can turn up in these waxes. In one clinic, 2 of 22 people with a relevant lip-rash allergy reacted to candelilla wax. They asked makers to keep heavy metals and pesticides low.Expert 2025 · Cosmetic Ingredient Review ↗
Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.
Pairs worth knowing
Browse all 1238 ingredients — grouped by what they do, each with whatever evidence we can cite.
This page is public so a shared ingredient card always has its sources behind it — and so you can check them without an account.
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