Berry wax

Berry wax – the “pure plant wax”

Berry wax is a favoured ingredient in a variety of cosmetics products. Due to its low melting point and soft texture, it is excellent for adding the required consistency to lip balm sticks, creams and ointments. When melted in castor oil, it takes on a gel-like and clear consistency, which is why it is also used in lip gloss. Even though berry wax is 100% plant-derived, it cannot be regarded as a universal alternative to beeswax due to being somewhat softer. It can very easily be combined with beeswax and other waxes, however, to achieve the desired consistency.

Information about berry wax

INCI name (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients name): Rhus Verniciflua (Peel) Cera
Natural (varnish tree/lacquer tree)
Uses: Lip care, lip gloss, creams, ointments, soaps, hair treatments, make-up
Special properties of berry wax: Creates a smooth and non-sticky paste for care products, lipid-replenishing, creates desired consistency

How berry wax is obtained

Berry wax is a mixture composed of vegetable fat and free fatty acids. It is also known as Japan wax. It is obtained from the fruits of the varnish tree, another name for which is the lacquer tree. The varnish tree is a sumach plant which grows to a height of up to 20 metres. It is native to high altitude regions of India, Japan, Korea and China.

The process of obtaining berry wax begins by reducing and pressing the skins of the varnish tree fruits. The skins are then boiled. The berry wax settles on the surface of the water and can be skimmed off. It initially has a yellowish-green colour and it is bleached in the sun until it turns a yellow to white colour.

Berry wax for lips, skin and hair

Because of its non-sticky properties, berry wax is used in just about every category of cosmetics product. In care products, for example, it acts like a kind of protective layer on the skin to defend it against external stress factors. This is a particular benefit for dry and chapped lips during the cold winter months or to care for cracked skin on the hands. Berry wax can therefore help to make skin and lips softer and smoother. The film it leaves on the skin is not as noticeable as beeswax, for example, and often has a very pleasant feel. It also has a lipid-replenishing effect.

The statements about properties, effects and effectiveness made here refer exclusively to the plant and its components/products.