Microcrystalline Wax/Cera ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is primarily an occlusive structurant and viscosity builder, used to firm sticks, balms, ointments, and color cosmetics while improving slip and payoff.
What does Microcrystalline Wax/Cera do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is primarily an occlusive structurant and viscosity builder, used to firm sticks, balms, ointments, and color cosmetics while improving slip and payoff.
Is Microcrystalline Wax/Cera clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, this material has friction because it is a highly refined petroleum-derived solid and may be subject to purity expectations for PAH residues. When well refined for cosmetic use, it is generally low-irritation and chemically inert on skin.
Is Microcrystalline Wax/Cera sustainable?
This material is sourced from fossil feedstocks and is not readily biodegradable. Its environmental profile is weaker than renewable lipid-based structuring agents because it is persistent and tied to petroleum refining.
Is Microcrystalline Wax/Cera COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards because it is a petrochemical hydrocarbon material. Its Green Chemistry fit is limited by nonrenewable sourcing and low biodegradability, despite its stability and low reactivity in formulas.
How does Microcrystalline Wax/Cera work chemically?
This material is a complex mixture of branched and cyclic saturated hydrocarbons with a fine crystalline structure, which gives it plasticity, oil-binding capacity, and structure in anhydrous systems. It is commonly used at about 1 to 20% depending on the product format, with melting ranges often around 60 to 90°C and strong stability against oxidation.
Last updated 2026-05-15