There is a lot of information on the internet about cosmetic irritants, allergens and comedogens, but which is true and which isn’t? Check out this informative video (with factual references!) by Belinda Carli, theDirector of the Institute of Personal Care Science and Cosmetic Formulator
Thank you Belinda Carli from Personal Care Formulations for sharing this video with us!
So, the thing about floral waxes is that they are waxes and they smell like the flowers they’re derived from, yes? Well, contrary to their name, floral waxes are not actually waxes.
Are we pulling your leg here? Unfortunately, no.
You see, floral waxes are pseudo-waxes. That means they’re not genuine waxes. They’re faux waxes even though their INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients, “systematic names internationally recognized to identify cosmetic ingredients” [1]) name contains ‘cera’ or ‘wax’.
Some INCI names of waxes, whether pseudo-wax or actual wax:
No worries if you’re confused because those were our initial sentiments as well. Hence, the birth of this post to help others understand what makes flower waxes pseudo-waxes and real waxes real waxes!
Real Waxes, What Are They?
Natural waxes are organic compounds. They are a complex blend of alcohols, fatty acids and esters. They are derived from plants, produced by animals and occur in petroleum. Therefore, such waxes are are true waxes.
To paint a clearer picture, we’ll be using vegan waxes as a point of reference:
According to Formula Botanica, vegan waxes are derived from leaves, peels and fruits of different plants, or are separated from plant oils by de-waxing. The process involves physical separation and afterwards, they are normally purified and deodorized. The entirety of this process are physical procedures with no chemical reactions involved. However, the bleaching of these waxes may involve a chemical reaction. [2]
To know what pseudo-waxes are, particularly how floral wax is actually a pseudo wax, we must first know what an absolute is.
Absolutes are similar to essential oils. They are concentrated, highly aromatic oils that are extracted from plants. The difference between them and essential oils is the production process. While essential oils are produced via distillation, boiling or pressing, absolutes are produced through solvent extraction or enfleurage. [3]
After extracting the absolute, the remaining waxy mass of plant matter is still mildly fragrant. This remaining, mildly fragrant waxy mass is floral wax. In other words, floral waxes are waste products from floral absolute production.
Delving into how exactly different floral waxes and natural waxes are would require a lot more knowledge of chemistry but generally, the method of production natural waxes and floral waxes are different. As a comparison, both vegan waxes and floral waxes come from plants. However, vegan waxes are organic compounds while floral waxes are complexes of vegetable fats (triglycerides) and partial extracts of flowers. Therefore, floral waxes are pseudo-waxes.
Thank you all for reading!
We hope this post helps clear up some things, even just a little
Preservatives, whether synthetic or natural, are necessary in many personal care products. This is because personal care products usually have a pH level of around 5.5, which is compatible with not only the skin, but a variety of fungi and bacteria as well. Many personal care products also contain water and they are also enriched with extracts, plant oils, minerals and vitamins—all of which are fantastic the growth and survival of microorganisms.
In this following video, Belinda Carli mentions a few other reasons why preservatives are important in personal care products. She also sets some records straight regarding a few myths about preservatives in personal care products, ranging from certain essential oils, extracts and antioxidants having preservative properties, to whether products of certain pH levels require fungicidal protection/preservatives or not.
Watch now:
Thank you Belinda Carli from Personal Care Formulations for sharing this video with us!
In the world of personal care, it can be rather confusing trying to decipher what is natural and what is synthetic. This happens especially when you’re trying to find information about certain ingredients and end up with a bunch of conflicting results.
So, in the following video, Belinda Carli from Personal Care Formulations explores a couple of common production methods for natural and synthetic ingredients for personal care products. Among these ingredients are vegetable oils, extracts, and esters.
Thank you Belinda Carli from Personal Care Formulations for sharing this video with us!
