| What is it? | A hard plant-based wax from the leaves of the Candelilla (Euphorbia Cerifera) shrub. |
| Appearance | Small, brittle yellow flakes. |
| Texture | Hard and firm flaky bits. |
| Scent | A distinctive, mild, sort of sweet smell. |
| Absorbency Speed | The wax itself won’t absorb into your skin on its own, but salves made with it tend to absorb faster than salves made with beeswax. |
| Approximate Melting Point | 70°C/158°F |
| Solubility | Oil |
| Why do we use it in recipes? | To harden/thicken; |
| Do you need it? | It’s a really useful additional wax, and it pairs well with beeswax in lots of recipes. |
| Refined or unrefined? | You won’t really have a choice; refined. |
| Strengths | It’s a strong, glossy thickener and works well in small amounts. |
| Weaknesses | It’s so glossy that salves and balms made with it don’t have great staying power since they tend to be quite slippery. |
| Alternatives & Substitutions | Carnauba wax works pretty well. |
| How to Work with It | Use it to thicken and harden concoctions; learn about how strong it is with this experiment. |
| Storage & Shelf Life | Stored somewhere cool, dark, and dry, candelilla wax should have an indefinite shelf life. |
| Tips, Tricks, and Quirks | You can try using it instead of beeswax at about 80%, but the consistency differences will impact the feel of the final product. |
| Where to Buy it | Buy it from an online DIY ingredient supplier or Amazon. |
