The Encyclopedia Britannica defines wax as any of a class of pliable substances of animal, plant, mineral, or synthetic origin that differ from fats in being less greasy, harder, and more brittle and in containing principally compounds of high molecular weight.
Like paraffin, which is a byproduct of petroleum refinement, many waxes are manmade—but a surprising waxy smorgasbord also appears in the natural world. Lanolin—the oil that makes sheep wool so soft—is technically also a wax. The head cavities of sperm whales are filled with a wax called spermaceti. Early seamen mistook the head wax for semen, which is how the sperm whale got its malapropic name.
The carnauba palm and the candelilla plant both produce wax to help their leaves retain moisture in the heat, and the stem of the sugarcane plant is swaddled in a thin layer of wax. The applications of our friend Wax are nearly endless, and range from the obvious— candles , crayons , and cars —to the downright sneaky.
Eagle-eyed consumers can find wax in…. Going far beyond the basic bikini wax, beauty products have embraced the flexibility, shine, and durability that wax has to offer. Paraffin, beeswax, carnauba wax, lanolin , and even spermaceti are added to lipstick, mascara, deodorant, eye shadow, eye pencils, skin creams, shaving cream, make-up removers, and shampoo.
Simple esters are made from an organic acid and an alcohol. The ester functional group is of primary importance in the biochemical group of compounds called waxes, triglycerides, and phospholipids.
The simplified reaction reveals the process of breaking some bonds and forming the ester and the by product, water. Refer to the graphic on the left for the synthesis of carnuba wax. First, the -OH red bond on the acid is broken and the -H red bond on the alcohol is also broken. Both join to make HOH, a water molecule. Secondly, the oxygen of the alcohol forms a bond green to the acid at the carbon with the double bond oxygen.
This forms the ester functional group. Tallow was the typical everyday candle wax used in Europe and the Americas until the 18th century, when the whaling industry stimulated the development of spermaceti wax, a clean-burning, low-odor wax derived from the head oil of the sperm whale.
Spermaceti remained the primary candle wax until the mids, when stearin wax and then paraffin wax were developed. Stearin wax, based on extracting stearic acid from animal fatty acids, was widely used in Europe. Paraffin wax, developed after chemists found a way to remove the naturally-occurring waxy substance from petroleum during refining, became the standard candle wax in the Western Hemisphere.
During the latter half of the 20th century, several synthetic and chemically synthesized waxes, including gels, were developed largely for specialty candle uses. These products can be used to create, modify and enhance natural formulations while keeping true to a natural concept.
The following serves to introduce the reader to some of the different natural waxes and goes on to explain functional differences and practical functionality in formulation. Great care is taken by the beekeepers to remove only what is necessary and not harm the bees. The bees are their livelihood after all and the revenue source of which these people rely on for their survival. This commerce directly supports Beeswax producers, their families and workers in over 30 countries throughout the world by introducing capital into often overlooked regions.
The most significant application for Beeswax is the manufacture of emulsions. Beeswax emulsions are very stable in creams and lotions. Simply blending Beeswax with natural oil will produce an all natural emulsion. Beeswax is also an effective gelling agent.
It is used in emollients, ointments, lip balms and lipsticks where its natural plasticity improves payoff. Beeswax is compatible with most vegetable and mineral waxes and a large variety of natural and synthetic resins. The Carnauba palm flourishes in northeastern regions within Brazil, and proliferates naturally along riverbanks, streams and damp low-lands.
The tree exudes wax through the pores on its fanshaped leaves, which prevent dehydration in the equatorial climate. The colour and quality of the wax are governed by the age of the leaves and care used in processing. These properties make Carnauba Wax attractive for natural cosmetic and personal care applications. Carnauba Wax enhances oil retention, is a stable coemulsifying agent and is therefore extremely effective as a viscosity builder in creams and lotions. When manufacturing gels such as lip sticks and lip balms, Carnauba Wax functions to raise the melt point, increase viscosity and strengthen the gel while aiding in pigment dispersion.
Carnauba Wax is compatible with most vegetable and mineral waxes and a large variety of natural and synthetic resins. Candelilla Wax Euphorbia antisyphillitica is obtained from the plant of the same name. The Candelilla shrub grows naturally in the Chihuahua desert, a semi-arid region of more than , square kilometers located in the states of Chihuahua and Coahuila in Northeastern Mexico. The plant creates its exterior wax coating in the form of grey-green scales on slender shoots or simple branched limbs of the reed-like plant offering protection from moisture loss.
Hotter and dryer weather patterns nurture higher crude wax yields, as the plant builds greater wax protection. The production of Candelilla Wax is relatively simple and has remained unchanged for many generations. Here they are boiled in water over open fire pits where the wax rises to the surface and is skimmed off. The Cerote is mechanically filtered in Mexico to remove water, dirt and debris.
The wax is sensitive to a wet climate and government regulation. As with Beeswax, this commerce directly supports the growers, their families and the workers in the fields.
0コメント