Emulsifying wax is a cosmetic emulsifying ingredient. … It is a white waxy solid with a low fatty alcohol odor. The ingredients for emulsifying wax NF are cetearyl alcohol and a polyoxyethylene derivative of a fatty acid ester of sorbitan (a polysorbate).
Wax emulsions are widely used in a variety of technical applications like printing inks & lacquers, leather and textiles, paper, wood, metal, polishes, glass fiber sizing, glass bottle protection among other things. The most important properties that can be improved by the addition of wax emulsions are matting & gloss, hydrophobicity, soft touch, abrasion & rub resistance, scratch resistance, release, corrosion protection, and anti-blocking.
Emulsions based on natural waxes are used for coating fruits and candies and for crop protection. Synthetic wax-based emulsions are often used in food packaging.
Wax emulsions based on beeswax, carnauba wax, and paraffin wax are used in creams and ointments.
The emergence of soybean waxes with varying properties and melt points has led to the use of vegetable wax emulsions in applications such as paper coatings, paint and ink additives, and even wet sizing for pulp and paper applications. These wax emulsions can be formulated to deliver some of the same properties that petroleum-based wax emulsions deliver, but offer the advantages of being a green product and offer more consistent availability.
