Crude waxes are often by-products of the manufacturing process of raw materials, especially from the food industry. The most well-known crude wax is beeswax which is a high-volume by-product from honey production.
But there are also others that have amazing cosmetic properties, which are essentially just a waste-products for the food industry. One such a wax is rice bran wax. Both rice bran and rice bran coats, obtained in the milling of hulled rice, are covered by a thin, oily, wax-containing layer. Commercial yield of edible rice bran oil is about 5% of extracted material, depending on extraction conditions. In the oil purification process the wax becomes separated from the oil. Valorisation of waste materials from the food industry, i.e. using crude waxes as a raw material for a functional ingredient for the cosmetic industry is actually pretty sustainable!
In general the wax industry is inevitably linked with nature as natural waxes are produced by bio-organisms to protect themselves against mechanical stress, loss of moisture, parasites and UV radiation. Natural waxes are synthesised biochemically by numerous plants and animals. Especially in warm climates, plants secrete waxes as a way to control evaporation and hydration, essentially to protect against de-hydration.
‘Green’ ingredients are in high demand with the consumer – especially when it comes to cosmetics. This is open for debate, but many people say you should not put anything on your skin that you would not want to eat. Most natural waxes which are used in the cosmetic industry are approved for the use in food or for food contact. This means that they can be considered to be truly safe, even for very frequent oral consumption.
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