Animal-free beauty: Research touts vegan beeswax for lipstick formulations
Vegan beeswax (BW) can be an effective alternative to traditional beeswax used in lipsticks amid the growing demand for animal-free personal care products, according to a recent study.
The study, published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science from the University of Insubria, Varese, Italy, compared Abwax Mimic Beeswax MK, a vegan beeswax alternative, and bee-based Abwax White Beeswax FU.
Wax is a key ingredient in lipstick as its chemical structure provides firmness, stability, texture, and glossy finish — especially in warm temperatures.
BW is secreted by worker bees’ wax glands and solidifies upon contact with air. It changes color from white to yellow when exposed to honey and pollen.
The study indicates that it is used to enhance glossiness and to structure solid cosmetics products. Additionally, BW contains small amounts of natural antibacterial agents that can help soothe pain.
It concluded that Abwax White Beeswax FU and Abwax Mimic Beeswax MK had similar chemical characteristics. As such, there were no significant differences between the vegan alternative and beeswax lipsticks, indicating its potential as an animal-free alternative.
Chemical analysis
The study compared traditional and vegan beeswax through a raw material analysis, oil-wax cross-linking, lipstick formulation, and use.
In raw material analysis, two types of beeswax — AbwaxWhite Beeswax FU and Abwax mimic Beeswax MK — were studied through thermal and chemical analysis, like acid value and iodine number, to determine the microscopic formation of traditional beeswax and vegan beeswax.
In the study, there were no major differences between the vegan alternative and beeswax lipsticks.Then, the researchers cross-linked different types of oil with both waxes, aiming to find out how specific combinations reacted with each other. This was done by melting the wax and petroleum above the wax’s melting point. The oils were chosen based on their different behavioral characteristics, and the samples were observed over time to understand the structure of each mixture.
The researchers then combined different waxes (BW, vBWA, and SWA) with oils to evaluate resistance to penetration and harness. Samples of BW and vBWA were made at 1%, 3%, and 5% concentration, with 24%, 22%, and 20% SFW and 75% oil.
The mixtures were then heated to their melting point with continuous stirring, slowly cooled to 25°C, and analyzed using a manual penetrometer and optical microscope. The experiment concluded that Abwax White Beeswax FU and Abwax Mimic Beeswax MK had comparable thermal and chemical characteristics.
Material analysis
To make a physical product, the mixtures were heated and poured into metal molds to form lipstick. These were then sensory tested by a panel of 25 trained testers who evaluated characteristics like smoothness, spreadability, glossiness, and stability under different storage conditions for up to six months.
Both the alternative waxes and oils performed similarly to beeswax in texture, spreadability, thermal properties, and hardness. The panel found “no significant differences between the vegan alternative and beeswax,” indicating the potential of the vegan Abwax Mimic Beeswax MK as an alternative to traditional beeswax that does not sacrifice performance or consumer satisfaction.
Animal-free products
The study comes as consumers increasingly eliminate animal-free ingredients and testing from personal care products.
The study asserts: “The term “vegan” now represents not only attention to the origin of cosmetic ingredients but also a broader lifestyle philosophy applied to skin care. According to some reports, the global vegan cosmetics market is expected to reach a value of 20.8 billion dollars by 2025.”
Recently, a bipartisan group of US lawmakers proposed the Humane Cosmetics Act to prohibit cosmetic animal testing and the sale of animal-tested beauty products nationwide. It emphasized alternatives to testing methods, such as in vitro models, computational toxicology, and human cell-based assays, that are already proving effective.
It also specifies that vegan cosmetics are not limited to natural or organic ingredients as they also involve biotech ingredients that reduce the use of polluting substances.
Personal Care Insights reported on how AI will transform ingredient and product formulation in the individual care and beauty industry. Biotech firm Debut’s AI platform, BeautyORB, screens a potentially limitless quantity of ingredients — upward of 50 billion. Its AI-powered ingredient discovery has helped address skin care issues such as inflammaging and epidermal barrier repair.
