Lac Wax for Polishes, Candles & Leather Care — A Hard Natural Wax from Lac
Lac wax is a hard, high-melting natural wax recovered from lac. Here is where polish, leather-care and candle makers use it, how it compares with beeswax and carnauba, and what to put on the order.
What lac wax brings to a formulation
Lac wax (also sold as shellac wax) is the natural wax separated from lac when seedlac is melted and filtered or when shellac is dewaxed. It is hard, melts at about 75–80 °C and buffs to a good shine, which is why it is used to add hardness, gloss and rub resistance to softer wax blends.
| Beeswax | Melts at about 62–64 °C · soft and tacky; easy to work, low gloss on its own |
| Lac wax | Melts at about 75–80 °C · hard, buffs to a shine · crude (yellowish) and refined (ivory) grades |
| Carnauba wax | Melts at about 82–86 °C · very hard and glossy; the usual reference wax for polishes |
The figures above are typical published ranges; the melting point of each lac wax lot is stated on its COA.
Where it is used
- Shoe and leather polish: blended with softer waxes and solvents to give a harder paste and a higher shine.
- Floor and furniture polish: adds hardness and rub resistance to wax polishes and paste waxes.
- Candle blends: small additions stiffen softer waxes and raise the melting behaviour of the blend; test burn performance in your own wick and container.
- Leather finishing: alongside the wax, button lac and shellac flakes dissolved in alcohol are used as a hard, glossy finish on leather.
Choosing the grade
Crude lac wax is yellowish-brown and minimally processed; it suits dark polishes, shoe creams and industrial blends where colour does not matter. Refined lac wax is ivory-white and purified; it suits pale polishes, premium furniture waxes and cosmetic products — see lac wax in cosmetics. Lac wax is insect-derived, so it does not suit vegan products.
What to put on the specification
State the grade (crude or refined), melting point range, acid value, saponification value and colour, plus the packing you need. Ask for a sample and test it in your own blend, because hardness and gloss depend on the whole formula. Shellac wax vs lac wax explains the naming, and why lac wax is not the same as waxed shellac.
How we supply polish, leather and candle makers
We supply lac wax in crude and refined grades from a 50 kg MOQ, in 25 kg bags or solid blocks on request, with a batch COA (HS 1521 90 20). Button lac and shellac flakes for leather finishing ship from a 100 kg MOQ. Samples of 100–500 g are available before the first order, and we ship FOB Kolkata, CFR or CIF.
Quick answers
Can lac wax replace carnauba wax in a polish? Partly, in many formulas. Lac wax is slightly softer and melts lower than carnauba, so it is usually blended or used for part of the carnauba. Test hardness and gloss in your own formula.
Which lac wax grade is best for shoe polish? Crude lac wax suits dark shoe polishes and creams, where its yellowish colour does not show. Refined, ivory lac wax suits neutral and pale polishes.
Is shellac used in leather finishing? Yes. Button lac and shellac flakes dissolved in alcohol give a hard, glossy finish on leather, and lac wax is used in leather-care polishes.
This guide summarises publicly available information and industry practice as of October 2026. Run your own trials and check the rules for your market before ordering. It is not legal advice.
Making Polishes or Candles?
Lac wax in crude and refined grades from 50 kg. Batch COA with every lot, sample before your first order.