Carnauba vegetable wax

Commonly known as:   Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax (INCI), Carnauba Palm Wax, Brazil Wax.

Botanical name:   Copernicia Cerifera.

Extraction process:   The young leaves are dried in the sun for a few days, then the withered leaves are threshed. The raw wax is then refined by distillation to get rid of impurities. This is a process that consists of separating the different components of a liquid mixture according to their melting point.

Family:   Arecaceae.

Extracted part of the plant:   Young leaves.

Cultivation area, origin:   Native to Central and South America.

Blooming:   In summer, from October to March.

Origin, provenance:   Brazil.

Phytochemical composition:   Aliphatic esters, fatty acid alcohols, ω-hydroxycarboxylic acids, 4-hydroxycinnamic acids, resins.

Sensory properties:   Appearance: Waxy flakes; Colour: Light yellow to dark amber (depending on age of leaves used); Smell : Neutral.

Physical properties:   Density: 0.85-1.05g/cm3; Insoluble in water; Melting point: 82 to 86°C; Comedogenicity index: 1.

Concerns:   Emollient, film-forming, softening, antioxidant, thickening, softening, nourishing.

Effect:   All skin types; All hair types, especially dull and damaged hair.