Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, also called Carnauba Wax, is obtained from the leaves of the Brazilian tropical palm tree, Copernicia cerifera. It is used in the formulation in a wide range of products including baby products, bath products, lipstick, makeup, fragrances, coloring and non-coloring hair products, nail and skin care products, personal cleanliness products and shaving products. It is hypoallergenic.

Other waxes used for these products include:

Beeswax is a wax secreted by honey bees.

Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax is obtained from the plant Euphorbia cerifera, which is a plant that grows in North Central Mexico and the Texas Big Bend area.

Rhus Succedanea Fruit Wax, also called Japan Wax, is obtained from the berries of the sumac Rhus succedanea, which grows in Japan and China.

Waxes help to keep an emulsion from separating into its oil and liquid components, especially in cosmetics and personal care products that require a creamy consistency. These waxes also increase the thickness of the lipid (oil) portion of solid and stick-like products such as lipstick, giving them structure, allowing for a smooth application, and keeping them solid. When used in eye makeup, the waxes stiffen but do not harden the product, and the flexibility and plasticity of the waxes facilitate application. These waxes may also function in depilatory products to remove unwanted hair mechanically.

Carnauba Wax is the hardest of the commercial vegetable waxes. It is a tough, amorphous, lustrous wax that varies in color from dirty yellow to brown, green or white. This wax is sometimes called Brazil Wax.