Beeswax has a Natural Origin Index (NOI) of 1.00 (scale 0–1) per ISO 16128. Beeswax is a natural ester mixture secreted by bees; every carbon traces to the bees' wax-gland biosynthesis, no synthetic fragment. An NOI of 1.00 means 100% of its molecular mass is traceable to a natural, renewable source.

Is Beeswax natural? NOI 1.00 — Is That Natural?

How we scored it

Whole molecule is natural wax esters (C24-C34) from honeycomb; no petrochemical fragment present. 1.0.

What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Beeswax is purified directly from honeycomb produced by Apis mellifera. There is no alternative synthetic route; all commercial beeswax is apiary-derived.

In plain English

A natural wax made by honeybees to build honeycomb. In cosmetics it thickens creams and balms, helps stabilise emulsions, and gives products a smooth, protective feel on skin and lips.

CosIng definition: Beeswax is the purified wax from the honeycomb of the bee, Apis mellifera , free from all other waxes.

References

1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
2BEESWAX. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
3BEESWAX. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=BEESWAX