Why is sumac wax described as a fat rather than a true wax?
A true wax is an ester of a long-chain acid and a long-chain alcohol. Sumac wax is mostly triglyceride, chiefly tripalmitin, which makes it chemically a fat despite its traditional name of Japan wax. That is why it behaves so differently from beeswax or carnauba: it is soft, tacky and plastic where a true wax of similar hardness would be firm and crystalline.
2
What is sumac wax used for in cosmetics?
Its tackiness is the point. It gives adhesion and cling that a crystalline wax cannot, which suits pomades, hair styling waxes, lipsticks and balms where a plastic, malleable texture is wanted rather than a firm set. It also has a low melting point of 48 to 53 degrees Celsius, so it softens readily against skin.
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Why does sumac wax become grainy on storage?
Because it is a triglyceride, it undergoes the same slow polymorphic transition that fats do, recrystallising into larger crystals over time and producing a gritty texture. Tempering, a controlled heating and cooling cycle, or rapid cooling with agitation will produce a finer, more stable crystal structure and delay the change.
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Where does sumac wax come from?
It is pressed and steamed from the berries of Rhus succedanea, the Japanese wax tree, a practice with several centuries of history in Japan and China where the material was used for candles and hair dressing. It is supplied as a pale yellow soft wax.
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