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Microcrystalline wax

CAS 8063-08-9 · 40/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 20 other CAS numbers

8032-73-3 · 8040-02-6 · 8052-54-8 · 11120-44-8 · 39390-78-8 · 51609-20-2 · 52622-53-4 · 54650-77-0 · 56646-22-1 · 56940-24-0 · 57534-57-3 · 60001-32-3 · 65879-83-6 · 84593-02-2 · 96380-49-3 · 115742-62-6 · 133876-76-3 · 721427-53-8 · 63231-60-7 · 64742-42-3

Concern score

40/100Moderate concern based on regulatory listings.
High confidence

Microcrystalline wax in plain language

What it is

On cosmetic ingredient lists it appears as “Cera microcristallina”.

Also known as Cera microcristallina · microcrystalline Hydrocarbon waxes · Hydrocarbon wax · Microcrystalline petroleum wax · Amber wax · Antilux 111

Show all 21 names

Antilux 500 · Antilux 550 · Antilux 620 · Antilux 654 · E-905C(I) · Hydrocarbon waxes, microcryst. · Ins NO.905C(I) · INS-905C(I) · Microwax · Microcristallina Cera Microcrystalline Wax (U.S.) · Microcystalline Wax · Paraffin waxes and Hydrocarbon waxes, microcryst. · micro crystalline wax · petroleum wax · wax-microcrystalline

What it does

Used in cosmetics as a binder, a bulking agent and an emulsion stabiliser. Microcrystalline Wax is a wax derived from petroleum and characterized by the fineness of its crystals in contrast to the larger crystals of paraffin wax. It consists of high molecular weight saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons.

  • Binding
  • Bulking
  • Emulsion stabilising
  • Opacifying
  • Viscosity controlling
  • Antifoaming agent, bulking agent, chewing gum base compound, glazing agent
Is it a concern?
Moderate concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

Why it's flagged

EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 2263 composition records across product categories including Construction and building materials, Batteries, Vehicle.

The score describes this ingredient's chemical identity — its hazard profile from published classifications and regulatory status — not the safety of any product it appears in.

Regulation

No restrictions found. Microcrystalline wax appears in these published regulatory listings.

Recorded in these product areas

  • Found in consumer products
  • Beauty
  • Industrial
  • EUCosIngActive2 entries
    • Microcrystalline Wax is a wax derived from petroleum and characterized by the fineness of its crystals in contrast to the larger crystals of paraffin wax. It consists of high molecular weight saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons.Source →
    • Paraffin waxes and Hydrocarbon waxes, microcryst. A combination of long, branched chain hydrocarbons obtained from residual oils by solvent crystallization. It consists of saturated straight and branched chain hydrocarbons greater than C35Source →
  • EUEFSAEFSA opinion2 entries
    • Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of microcrystalline wax (E 905) as a food additive (EFSA ANS)Source →
    • Scientific Opinion on the evaluation of the substances currently on the list in the annex to Commission Directive 96/3/EC as acceptable previous cargoes for edible fats and oils - Part III of III (EFSA CONTAM)Source →
  • GLOBALJECFA0-20 mg/kg bwJECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-20 mg/kg bw. Functional class: antifoaming agent, bulking agent, chewing gum base compound, glazing agent.
    • JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-20 mg/kg bw. Functional class: antifoaming agent, bulking agent, chewing gum base compound, glazing agent.Source →
  • USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 2263 composition records across product categories including Construction and building materials, Batteries, Vehicle. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Binder, Thickening agent, Stabilizing agent.
    • EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 2263 composition records across product categories including Construction and building materials, Batteries, Vehicle. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Binder, Thickening agent, Stabilizing agent.Source →
  • USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as structurallydiverse.
    • openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as structurallydiverse.Source →

Expert safety opinions

Independent scientific assessments cited by the records we hold, with the year and link where the record gives one.

  • SCCS

    EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety

    No SCCS opinion on file.

  • CIR

    Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US expert panel)

    No CIR safety assessment on file.

  • EFSA

    European Food Safety Authority

    • Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of microcrystalline wax (E 905) as a food additive (EFSA ANS)

      2013 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

    • Scientific Opinion on the evaluation of the substances currently on the list in the annex to Commission Directive 96/3/EC as acceptable previous cargoes for edible fats and oils - Part III of III (EFSA CONTAM)

      2012 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

  • JECFA

    Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives

    • JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-20 mg/kg bw. Functional class: antifoaming agent, bulking agent, chewing gum base compound, glazing agent.

      Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Microcrystalline wax yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

7 data sources

Where this comes from

  • CosIng

    regulatory · updated 2026-09-23

    Open →

  • EFSA OpenFoodTox

    regulatory · updated 2026-10-04

    Open →

  • EPA Chemical and Products Database

    exposure · updated september 9, 2014

    Open →

  • EPA DSSTox Identifiers

    chemistry · updated 2025-12-29

    Open →

  • FDA GSRS UNII

    registry · updated 2026-02-26

    Open →

  • WHO JECFA Database

    regulatory · updated 2026-10-04

    Open →

  • openFDA Substance

    registry · updated 2026-05-24

    Open →
Reference links (1)
Openfda substance

codexalimentarius.net

Read →

Suitability

Context-specific fit derived from published classifications and the current ingredient evidence profile.

Food use

Food-use source coverage is present in the current record.

Good fit

The ingredient appears in food-oriented source coverage or allowed-use references, which makes food use easier to support than a context with no domain signal at all.

Fragrance avoidance

No fragrance-linked caution surfaced in the current profile.

Good fit

This ingredient does not currently read as a fragrance-linked driver in the published evidence and hazard profile.

Where it has been recorded

How often EPA CPDat has listed Microcrystalline wax in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.

Source records

2,263

Named organisations

6

Construction and building materialsBatteriesVehicleRaw materialsHome maintenancePersonal care

Typical roles

BindingBulkingEmulsion stabilisingOpacifyingViscosity controllingAntifoaming agent, bulking agent, chewing gum base compound, glazing agent
See products using Microcrystalline wax →

Catalog

Found in these products

Their ingredient lists include Microcrystalline wax; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.

See all 365 →Find products without it →