More and more people are now concerned with what they are putting on their bodies, that it has become common for them to use products that only have organic or natural ingredients. One of the most common ingredients you can find in plenty of skincare products is beeswax. However, there are two kinds of beeswax, namely yellow and white. But which one is better?
Both of them are refined but white beeswax undergoes natural bleaching and is not as natural as yellow beeswax. White beeswax is better for cosmetic purposes, while yellow beeswax is often better when it comes to making candles. It depends on what you are using beeswax for.
Beeswax is one of the most popular natural ingredients that you can find in many different organic products nowadays, regardless of what the purpose of the products may be. In that regard, both yellow and white beeswax have their own purposes and are great in their own right. Now, let’s talk more about them in greater detail and what makes them amazing in their own unique way.
Yellow Beeswax
Yellow beeswax is actually the more common type of beeswax that you can find anywhere because of the very fact that it is often called the “natural” state of beeswax. But why is it called the natural state of beeswax? Well, if you happen to have seen honeycombs or honey, you would know that they are usually yellowish to brown in color. Because of that, it is easy to understand why yellow beeswax is often considered the more natural type of beeswax.
However, yellow beeswax may look like it is the most natural state of beeswax but this type of beeswax has also undergone some sort of refinement and treatment as well. What happens when yellow beeswax is processed is that it undergoes heat treatment and is filtered thereafter so that the debris that may have come from its natural state is removed. Yellow beeswax is also refined to make sure that all of the impurities are removed.
Beeswax that is yellowish to golden brown in color is usually considered high-quality beeswax because of how it means that it was refined and treated properly considering that exposing beeswax to high temperatures can actually cause it to have a brownish color.
Yellow beeswax is ideal for different products. It can be used for cosmetics, soaps, and candles. However, it is often the top choice for candle-making because of how it allows the natural color of the beeswax to become prominent. But you can still use it for cosmetics if you don’t mind the natural color to stand out.
White Beeswax
White beeswax is still very much natural and organic. It comes from the same type of beeswax as yellow beeswax. However, what gives white beeswax its ivory color is that it went through a pressure-filtration process that not only filtered out the impurities and the debris but also removed its yellowish color to give it a white appearance.
Another reason why white beeswax is white is that it went through a natural bleaching process where it is exposed to thin layers of air. As such, it has been completely refined to the point that it no longer has the natural yellowish appearance that you should see in beeswax. But that does not make it any less natural than it should be even though some people doubt whether or not white beeswax is still indeed natural (considering that they think that chemicals were used for the bleaching process).
Indeed, there is some white beeswax that might not be fully natural, especially when they were manufactured using questionable methods. That’s why it is important for you to make sure that you only get your white beeswax from a reputable company or that you are using a white beeswax product that comes from a good brand.
White beeswax, due to its pure color, is often used for cosmetics and soaps because of how manufacturers are given the leeway to add colorants to such products. And because it lacks the yellowish color of beeswax, white beeswax is ideal for those who would want to make candles and other products that have a whitish or light tone.
Difference between white and yellow beeswax?
Now that you know more about yellow and white beeswax, you might be wondering what makes them different from one another. In that regard, let us take a quick look at their differences:
1. Treatment
The treatment used for yellow beeswax is heat treatment, which is supposed to remove all of the different impurities while refining the beeswax in the process. This allows it to retain its natural color while even making it deeper due to how heat can make the yellowish color of beeswax into golden yellow or golden brown.
Meanwhile, white beeswax undergoes a pressure-filtration treatment that removes all of the impurities, which even includes the yellow color of the beeswax. This gives it a color that seems purer than yellow beeswax but is really just the same product. Because of how white beeswax goes through more intense treatment, it is considered more refined than yellow beeswax in the same way that refined white sugar has undergone a greater refinement process than brown sugar.
2. Purity
Yellow beeswax is often considered the purer of the two because of the very fact that it was able to retain its natural color. Because yellow beeswax did not go through a deep refinement process, some of its natural qualities were not removed. And that is why it is purer and more natural than white beeswax.
On the other hand, white beeswax may still be natural and organic (if you chose the right brand), but the refinement process it went through not only removed debris and impurities but also some of the natural good stuff that makes beeswax so great. That means that white beeswax is not as pure as yellow beeswax.
3. Uses
Normally, yellow and white beeswax don’t have a lot of differences when it comes to their uses. However, it becomes more of a matter of preference because of the fact that they are actually different when it comes to their color.
Yellow beeswax, because of its yellowish color, is the better choice for organic beeswax candles because it highlights the “natural” part of the candle and will make people believe that the candle is indeed made from natural beeswax. It can also be great for other products that highlight the natural color of the beeswax. However, you can still use yellow beeswax for cosmetic purposes if you don’t mind its yellowish color standing out.
Meanwhile, the ivory white color of white beeswax allows it to be more versatile in terms of its uses. It is best suited for cosmetics because it hides the natural yellow color of beeswax and allows the manufacturers more leeway in deciding what the color of their products should be. That is why some beeswax cosmetics come in all sorts of different colors. However, white beeswax can also be used for candles if the manufacturer prefers to give the candles different colors.
Which one is better, yellow or white beeswax?
At the end of the day, determining which between yellow and white beeswax is the better product is a matter of choice and preference. It’s similar to how you are deciding between brown and white sugar, as both of these products have their own strengths and weaknesses.
For those who prefer a product that is in its more natural and organic state and is purer in terms of the natural qualities and benefits it provides, yellow beeswax is the better choice for you because of how closely it is to the natural state of beeswax. You are also more assured of the purity of yellow beeswax because you wouldn’t have to question how it was refined or treated.
Meanwhile, if the color of the product is something that you really care about, white beeswax should be a better choice for you because of how it allows you a greater sense of freedom in terms of the color of the product. White beeswax is also the better choice for cosmetics because color now becomes a big factor here. But, if you are not too careful about where you are getting your white beeswax, you won’t be assured of how natural it really is because there will be some companies that might have used chemicals to bleach the beeswax instead of using natural bleaching methods to turn it white.
In conclusion, while yellow beeswax may be purer and more natural than white beeswax because of how it is not as refined, white beeswax remains to be the more versatile of the two when it comes to product application. If you are someone who prefers purity, go with yellow beeswax. But if the color of the product is a major concern for you and if you want more versatile beeswax, then you probably should go with white beeswax.
Sources:
https://www.profitableventure.com/difference-white-yellow-beeswax/
https://skyorganics.com/blogs/blog/the-real-difference-between-yellow-and-white-beeswax
https://marytylor.com/blog/post/what-is-the-difference-between-white-and-yellow-beeswax
https://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotlight-beeswax/
