# vegan alternative to beeswax



## cardinal78 (May 30, 2008)

Does anyone out there know of any alternative to beeswax (for lotions and other body products).  I've heard that carnuba or candelilla wax can be used but I can't seem to find them anywhere.  Any help would be much appreciated!  

Thanks!


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## Guest (May 30, 2008)

Soy wax is really nice.  I think there's also a bio deisel byproduct that is a wax that you can use in soaps/candles.  Are you a clinical vegan?  I don't think bees wax is the same as animal products.  I think its because they're insects, but I could be wrong.


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## Lane (May 30, 2008)

I was told with Vegan, even silk counts as "animal" because silk worms make it...

I've seen soy wax that says you can even use it for balms and butter.


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## Tabitha (May 30, 2008)

Vegetarian means no animal product such as flesh , skin, etc.

Vegan means no animal product or by-product such as flesh, skin, milk bees wax, eggs, silk, urine, etc.

A vegan doesn't want any living creature harmed or  exploited regardless of classification.

Bee's wax & honey seem innocent enough but isn't. 95% of honey is havested very harshly. The farmers steal all the honey & replace it with sugar water. The bee's eat/live off the sugar water all season rather than the honey & in the winters the farmers burn the hives & the beees inside so they can start again. 

Small local bee keepers generally don't do this, but the big boys certainly do.


> I was told with Vegan, even silk counts as "animal" because silk worms make it...


I watched a program on public television about silk worms. In the show the worms were boiled alive during the silk extraction process.


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## Tabitha (May 30, 2008)

Another questionable vegan item, I did not know about until recent, is sugar. I have not done much research on this, but most cane sugars are filtered through bone marrow which means they are vegan before filtration but NOT vegan after filtration.


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## Guest (May 30, 2008)

Tabitha said:
			
		

> A vegan doesn't want any living creature harmed or  exploited regardless of classification.



I thought it was a medical condition.  

Thats terrible about the hives.  I've never heard of it, then again I only buy honey from reputable keepers.  I know they burn hives if they get onerrun by moths, but by that point the bees are dead anyway.

Is that the same way with raw sugar?  Thats terrible too.


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## Tabitha (May 30, 2008)

I realy don't know the details on the sugar issue. I have seen many heated debates but not taken the time to research it myself. I just make sure I do not label my sugar scrubs vegan since I don't know if they are or not   .


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## cardinal78 (Jun 7, 2008)

Thank you for the soy wax suggestion.  I will have to try it!  I am starting up a business that is 100% vegan and it's all for ethical reasons.  It is SO crazy about the bees and silk worms (and even sugar)!  Has anyone tried candelilla or carnuba wax?


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## Lane (Jun 8, 2008)

cardinal78 said:
			
		

> Thank you for the soy wax suggestion.  I will have to try it!  I am starting up a business that is 100% vegan and it's all for ethical reasons. ?


 Good luck. It's harder than ya think.  :wink:  There are A LOT of things I can't/don't sell. My products are all Vegan. (Personally, I eat meat. I love meat...) But skin care... No animals need to be harmed so I can wash my body... 

No Goat's milk, bees wax, sugar, silk, etc... (I do make silk bars for certain customers, but do not list them in my shops...) ...the list goes on... Once you state ALL vegan products...Vegan's watch your ingredients like HAWKS! (no pun...) My step sister is a strict vegan and has a huge No-no list.

Being a "Vegan" shop limits your product production...no sugar scrubs, no GM soaps (which are REALLY popular right now...) no Beeswax candles (which are also a hot item) No silk additives (again... another ingredient people WANT...) Honey soaps are getting big too...


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## eden (Jul 5, 2008)

how about jojoba beads in replace of beeswax?  I've never tried but it sounds do-able ...???


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## georgiastray (Jul 5, 2008)

An option for a vegan wax you may want to check into is *Bayberry Wax*. I remember running across that awhile back on a supply site (sorry, don't remember which one). If I remember correctly, it was kinda' pricey, but you may want to at least research it. 

I'm vegetarian - not vegan - but I am very picky about where I buy eggs, honey, etc. I want to know that the critters are humanely raised and cared for.


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