Beeswax

The Basics On Beeswax

What is Beeswax?

Substance made by bees to build the walls of their honeycomb.

What are other names for Beeswax?

BEESWAX, BEESWAX ABSOLUTE, BEESWAX CONCRETE, BEESWAX, WHITE (APIS MELLIFERA L.), BEESWAX; BEESWAX ABSOLUTE; BEESWAX, ABSOLUTE; BEESWAX OIL, ABSOLUTE; BEESWAX WHITE; BEESWAX (WHITE); BEESWAX YELLOW; YELLOW BEESWAX, BLEACHED BEESWAX, CERA ALBA, WHITE (APIS MELLIFERA L.) BEESWAX, WHITE BEESWAX, WHITE WAX, and YELLOW WAX

What is Beeswax used for?

Beeswax (also known as Cera alba in Europe) is a natural wax produced in the bee hive of honey bees of the genus Apis. Cera alba consists mainly esters of fatty acids and various long chain alcohols. It is produced by worker bees, who secrete it from eight wax-producing mirror glands on the inner sides of the sternites (the ventral shield or plate of each segment of the body). Honeybees need to consume anywhere from 9-10 pounds of honey in order to produce only one pound of beeswax. In order to produce one pound of honey, honeybees need to collect nectar from nearly two million flowers. Honey bees use the beeswax to build honeycomb cells in which their young are raised and honey and pollen are stored. The beeswax is taken from the beehive and can be made into three different types of beeswax. These types are yellow beeswax, white beeswax, and beeswax absolute. Yellow beeswax is the raw product. White beeswax is the yellow beeswax that has been bleached. Beeswax absolute is yellow beeswax that has been treated with alcohol. Beeswax is a common ingredient for many of the cosmetics including baby products, bath products, lip balms, lipsticks, lip gloss, eyeshadow, hair products, nail, and skin care products, personal cleanliness products, shaving products as well as sunscreen and suntan products. Using beeswax for lip care products helps with the healing of cracked, or dry lips, as well as the prevention of getting chapped lips especially during the colder months of the year.

How Beeswax is classified

Texture Enhancer, Emollients

Recommendations for using Beeswax during pregnancy and breastfeeding

Limited data suggests no known risk

 

Beeswax During Pregnancy

What we know about using Beeswax while pregnant or breastfeeding

Limited information available.

N/A

General safety info about Beeswax from CIR

No report found.

Use this, not that!

Products where you might find Beeswax

Farmacy Honey Butter Beeswax Lip Balm;Fresh Creme Ancienne Ultimate Nourishing Honey Mask;ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara;ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara Mini;Bumble and bumble Sumotech Flexible Cream Solid