What it is
Candelilla Cera is a vegetable wax obtained from the candelilla shrub, native to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. It is harder and higher-melting than many other natural waxes, which makes it a popular plant-based alternative to beeswax for setting the structure of anhydrous sticks and balms. In sunscreens it is most often found in stick formats, where it binds the oil phase and pigments into a stable solid and contributes to a smooth payoff on the skin.
Safety & warnings
Candelilla wax is widely used and generally well tolerated, with low irritancy and sensitization potential, and it is a common vegan substitute for beeswax. It is generally regarded as low risk for comedogenicity at typical use levels.
Origin & sourcing
Natural; a wax obtained from the surface coating of the candelilla shrub (Euphorbia antisyphilitica / Euphorbia cerifera), traditionally harvested in Mexico.
History
Candelilla wax has been collected from wild shrubs in the Chihuahuan Desert for over a century and remains a staple natural structuring wax in cosmetics, candles, and food coatings.
Questions everyone asks
Is candelilla wax vegan?
Yes. It is a plant-derived wax from the candelilla shrub and is widely used as a vegan alternative to beeswax.
What does it do in a sun stick?
It acts as a structuring wax that hardens the formula into a solid stick and helps bind the oils and UV filters together.