Sunflower Wax — Frequently Asked Questions

Its wax esters are very long, typically C40 to C60, and have an unusually narrow chain-length distribution for a natural wax. That uniformity allows the molecules to crystallise into long, thin, highly regular needles that interlock efficiently, so a firm gel forms at only 2 to 3 percent addition, lower than almost any other natural wax requires.

Both are recovered from edible oil winterisation and both are efficient oleogelators, but sunflower wax generally forms a gel at slightly lower addition and gives a cleaner, less draggy spread. Rice bran wax melts a few degrees higher and gives more gloss. Formulators frequently trial both, since the difference in skin feel is noticeable at the same firmness.

It can. Frosting is the surface crystallisation that soy and other vegetable waxes develop as they age. Adding a small proportion of a high-melting, finely crystallising wax such as sunflower wax interferes with the growth of those large surface crystals and produces a smoother, more stable finish, while also raising melting point and hardness.

Around 74 to 77 degrees Celsius. That places it above soy and rapeseed wax and below rice bran and carnauba. The oil phase must be heated above that point to dissolve the wax fully before the gel is cast, and the cooling rate will affect the final firmness, since slower cooling produces larger crystals and a slightly softer gel.