Cera alba

Cera alba is the name under which beeswax appears on European labels. The European Commission's CosIng database describes it as wax obtained from a bee's honeycomb, making it animal-derived, and assigns four functions: emollient, emulsifying, film forming and perfuming. It does not appear among prohibited or restricted substances in the annexes to Regulation (EC) 1223/2009.

The Latin name on the label deserves a closer look: it reveals less than you might expect.

The four functions of beeswax

CosIng lists four functions, each describing a different role in a formula.

As an emollient, it softens the skin surface and makes it feel smoother. As an emulsifier, it helps hold together water and oils that would otherwise separate. As a film former, it leaves a thin surface film. As a perfuming ingredient, it contributes to the product's fragrance.

The same record describes its composition: mainly myricyl palmitate, cerotic acid and esters, with a proportion of high-carbon-number paraffins. CAS number 8012-89-3; EC number 232-383-7.

Where it comes from

Beeswax comes from a bee’s honeycomb, as CosIng’s description confirms. Its animal origin makes it relevant when checking whether a product is vegan.

This is useful to know because the Latin makes it less recognisable. 'Beeswax' is immediately clear; 'Cera Alba' less so. Two other hive-derived names present the same issue: Mel, meaning honey, and Propolis Cera, the waxy component of resinous material from beehives.

Why the label uses Latin

The printed name comes from a legal requirement. Article 19(6) of Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 requires the ingredient list to use the common ingredient names in the glossary referred to in Article 33, which gives the European Commission responsibility for compiling and updating it. For this wax, the glossary name is Cera Alba.

Two further fields in the CosIng record explain the rest. The US INCI name field gives Beeswax, the name used for the same material in the US market. The European Pharmacopoeia name field gives 'cera alba / cera flava', both the white and yellow names.

The latter field deserves attention. A more categorical account often circulates: Cera Alba means bleached beeswax and Cera Flava means raw wax. The pair does exist in the Pharmacopoeia, and the record lists both. Only the former appears in the common-name glossary: the CosIng search described here returned no result for Cera Flava, while the Cera Alba entry carried both Pharmacopoeia names. The packaging name identifies the ingredient; it does not reveal the processing stage.

The word cera on a label

A useful note for reading lists: cera appears in many glossary names. The rest of the name identifies the material's origin, which varies greatly between entries. Examples from CosIng descriptions include:

– Cera Alba: from a bee's honeycomb. – Propolis Cera: the waxy component of resinous material found in beehives. – Copernicia Cerifera Cera: from the leaves and shoots of the carnauba palm, Copernicia cerifera. – Euphorbia Cerifera Cera: from candelilla, Euphorbia cerifera. – Cera Microcristallina: hydrocarbons obtained from residual oils by solvent crystallisation. – Synthetic Beeswax: a separate entry described as the reaction product of mixed acids and alcohols that reproduces beeswax composition.

The list helps you trace an ingredient’s origin; the first two entries concern the hive. Where a wax comes from does not, on its own, tell you how good it is.

What the European Regulation says

The regulatory position can be stated precisely in one line: cera alba does not appear among prohibited or restricted substances in the annexes to Regulation (EC) 1223/2009. Its CosIng record leaves the maximum concentration and conditions-of-use fields blank and lists no European scientific committee opinion.

This describes European rules for the ingredient. Individual responses remain a separate variable that no legal list can predict.

Where to find it on the label

It appears as Cera Alba. Its position follows the general rule: order reflects quantity only above 1%; below that threshold, it is flexible.

For the full explanation of that rule, see how to read an INCI list. To decode a complete label, use the INCI analyser.

Sources: CosIng, European Commission, CERA ALBA record (CAS 8012-89-3, EC 232-383-7), consulted on 8 August 2026. Regulation (EC) 1223/2009, Articles 19 and 33.