Rice Bran Wax

Product Benefits

• 100% natural and plant-based – a sustainable, eco-friendly alternative to synthetic or animal-derived waxes.

• Creates silky, non-sticky textures in creams, lotions, and balms for a smooth application.

• Adds body and stability to emulsions, giving formulations a consistent structure.

• Conditions and protects skin and hair in cosmetic products like balms, creams, and styling gels.

• Reduces oiliness and tackiness, helping formulations feel lighter and more comfortable.

• Naturally soothing, making it suitable for sensitive skin formulations including baby care products.

• Vegan and cruelty-free, suitable for ethical and eco-conscious beauty brands.

• Acts as a natural occlusive, forming a breathable layer that does not clog pores.

• Provides antioxidant support for cosmetic products, helping improve stability.

• Prevents syneresis (liquid separation) in balms and oil gels, maintaining product integrity.
  
  

• Versatile ingredient – ideal for lip balms, hair styling products, mascaras, and oil gels.

• Sustainable alternative to beeswax and carnauba wax, offering flexibility in a wide range of formulations.

Product Description

Rice Bran Wax is a natural ingredient derived from rice husks as a by-product during the production of Rice Bran Oil. It's a hard, crystalline vegetable wax with a high melting point between 77°C and 86°C, making it perfect for many cosmetic formulations.

This natural wax consists of very long chain saturated C46-C62 esters, also known as Policosanols, from C20-C36 fatty alcohols and C20-C26 fatty acids. Rich in natural compounds like Phospholipids which act as binding agents, Phytosterols (healthy plant sterols), and Squalane which is moisturising and has antioxidant properties, Rice Bran Wax conditions while improving product stability and texture.

Aromantic's Rice Bran Wax is winterised without hydrogenation, ensuring a pure, high-quality product. This gentle process involves heating Rice Bran Oil, then cooling it until the waxy part solidifies and can be filtered out using vegetable ethanol to remove impurities. Winterising also means that the remaining oil stays liquid and clear in cold conditions, resulting in a clear and smooth wax for innovative formulations.

Rice Bran Wax adds body and structure to formulations, reduces stickiness, and imparts a smooth, matte finish. It is highly valued in skincare, haircare, and personal care products for its conditioning and stabilizing properties, making formulations more pleasant to apply and wear. It may be used in both water-in-oil (W/O) and oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions and in many other natural cosmetics such as lip balms and lipsticks, mascara, hair or beard styling wax, creams and lotions.

It has a natural odour similar to that of children's wax crayons, but this is easily masked by fragrances if necessary. When used in an emulsion it gives good spreadability as well as a silky, non-sticky feel. It gives emulsions a matte appearance and leaves the skin and hair feeling protected.

When used in hair conditioning products it has been found to be smoothing and softening. It adds hardness to a balm and can partially be used in place of Carnauba Wax in lipstick formulations. As it can reduce the stickiness of oils and is naturally soothing, it is worth using with a high percentage of Castor Oil in baby nappy rash balms. Small amounts of Rice Bran Wax can be used to create oil gels.

Rice Bran Wax is high in palmitic acid and is sometimes used in place of palm oil as it makes a harder, longer lasting bar when incorporated in a cold process soap formula (up to 10%). When used in a balm or oil gel, it has the ability to prevent syneresis or droplets of liquid forming on the top of the product.

Traditional Uses

In Japan, Rice Bran Wax has traditionally been used to make thin Rice Bran Wax candles with tightly rolled Washi paper wicks. It has also been used for paper and fruit coating, printing inks, waterproofing and chewing gum.

Physical and Chemical Properties of Refined Rice Bran Wax

Refined rice bran wax is a hard, crystalline, pale yellow natural wax with a high melting point of 77°C to 86°C, ideal for firm products like lip balms and solid lotions. Composed of long-chain fatty acids and esters (specifically very long chain saturated C46-C62 esters from C20-C36 fatty alcohols and C20-C26 fatty acids), it offers excellent emollient properties. Its low acid value ensures stability and makes it suitable for sensitive skin formulations. Oil-soluble and water-insoluble, it blends well with other oils and waxes, acting as a gelling agent to provide structure and consistency in creams, lotions, and emulsions.

How to Use

• In creams and lotions: 1-3%
  
  
• In cold process soaps: 1-10%
  
  
• In liquid soap made from scratch: 5-10%

• In lip balms/barrier balms: up to 20%
  
  
• Sap Value: 86.3 KoH
  
  
• 75-120 (mg/KOH/g)