Cera Carnauba
A hard plant wax. It thickens the oil phase and holds a stick in shape. Well tolerated.
Supporting ingredient
It gives a product its texture, stability or shelf life. It has no claimed effect on the skin, so an efficacy tier does not apply. What is known about its safety is below
Tolerability and safety
- Irritation potential
- Low
- Allergen risk
- Low
- Pregnancy
- Safe
- Suitable for
- Normal, Dry, Combination, Oily, Sensitive
About this ingredient
Carnauba wax (INCI: Cera Carnauba) is a hard plant wax from the leaves of a Brazilian palm. In a formula it thickens the oil phase, raises the melting point and lets sticks and lip products keep their shape and firmness. This is a functional, structural component, not a skincare active. Its value is in giving the product hardness and heat stability: thanks to it a stick survives warmth without melting out of shape. It has no cosmetic effect on skin beyond a light emollient finish. In topical use it poses no systemic relevance, so it can be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding without trouble. Tolerance is good, with low irritation and allergy potential. Its comedogenicity is low (around 1), making it one of the safer waxes even for combination skin.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cera Carnauba safe during pregnancy?
Cera Carnauba is considered safe during pregnancy at typical cosmetic concentrations. Systemic absorption through the skin is minimal.
What skin types is Cera Carnauba for?
Cera Carnauba suits: normal, dry, combination, oily, sensitive.
What is Cera Carnauba and what does it do in cosmetics?
A hard plant wax.
Is Cera Carnauba comedogenic?
On the Fulton scale 1/5 – very low comedogenicity. For acne-prone skin, a rating of 3 or higher suggests choosing an alternative.
What's the INCI name for Cera Carnauba?
The INCI name is Cera Carnauba. It may also appear as: Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Carnauba Wax, Cire de Carnauba.
See Cera Carnauba in a product composition right on the store page
The Evigrade extension adds an evidence panel to iHerb, Sephora, Druni and 12 more stores. This ingredient and every other one in the product show evidence-tier, allergen risk and pregnancy/lactation flags at a glance.
Similar role in the formula
Other functional ingredients
Ceratonia Siliqua (Carob) Gum, Ceresin, Ceteareth-12, Ceteareth-20, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, PEG-18 Glyceryl Oleate/Cocoate, Pumice, Triacontanyl PVP
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