Candelilla wax is a wax derived from the leaves of the small Candelilla shrub native to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States, Euphorbia cerifera and Euphorbia antisyphilitica, from the family Euphorbiaceae. It is yellowish-brown, hard, brittle, aromatic, and opaque to translucent.
With a melting point of 68.5–72.5 °C, candelilla wax consists of mainly hydrocarbons (about 50%, chains with 29–33 carbons), esters of higher molecular weight (20–29%), free acids (7–9%), and resins (12–14%, mainly triterpenoid esters). The high hydrocarbon content distinguishes this wax from carnauba wax. It is insoluble in water but soluble in many organic solvents such as acetone, chloroform, benzene, and turpentine.
The wax is obtained by boiling the leaves and stems with dilute sulfuric acid and the resulting "cerote" is skimmed from the surface and further processed.
Candelilla wax is an excellent plasticizer, exhibits good chemical stability and water repellency, and has a melting point higher than beeswax. It can be substituted wherever carnauba wax is used.