Shellac for Cosmetics — INCI SHELLAC & Lac Wax

Where shellac is used in cosmetics

In a cosmetic formula, shellac is a natural film-former. The INCI name on the pack is SHELLAC (CAS 9000-59-3). Lac wax is a separate ingredient, used for structure in sticks and balms.

Wood-finishing flakes are the wrong product for a cosmetic formula.

The right grade

Cosmetic formulators usually specify dewaxed bleached shellac — light in colour, low in wax, and giving a clear film that does not tint the product. Buyers check colour, wax, acid value, loss on drying and heavy metals on each batch COA, and many ask whether colour was removed physically or by chemical bleaching, because it changes the impurity profile the safety assessor reviews.

EU rules: Regulation 1223/2009

• Cosmetics sold in the EU fall under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. Shellac is not a prohibited or restricted ingredient, so it is used under the general rules: the finished product must be shown to be safe.
• The brand appoints a Responsible Person in the EU, who notifies the finished product on the CPNP and keeps the Product Information File and safety report.
• The ingredient supplier is not the Responsible Person — but the Responsible Person cannot complete the file without the supplier's data.
• Animal testing for cosmetic purposes is banned in the EU, so suppliers are asked to confirm it was not carried out.

Our France market guide covers the EU cosmetics file in more detail.

A cosmetic file is not a food file

An E 904 food certificate of analysis is not a cosmetic dossier. The Responsible Person needs the INCI name, impurity and process data for the safety assessment, and a statement under Regulation 1223/2009 — and the insect origin must be declared in the Product Information File. Order cosmetic shellac as its own item, not as a food or wood-finishing lot.

The ingredient file brands ask for

• Specification and batch COA (colour, wax, acid value, loss on drying, heavy metals, identification)
• Process statement — dewaxing, and physical decolouring or chemical bleaching
• Safety data sheet in CLP/GHS format
• INCI, CAS, insect-origin and non-GMO statements, and an allergen statement
• A statement that no animal testing was carried out for cosmetic purposes
• Residual solvent or chlorine data where the grade is chemically bleached
• Storage conditions — shellac ages and blocks in heat

Natural, but not vegan

Shellac is naturally derived — which suits "natural" positioning — but it comes from the lac insect, so it is not vegan. Clean-beauty and vegan brands need that stated clearly; vegan formulas usually use plant-based film-formers instead.

Purchase order language

How we supply cosmetic formulators

We supply dewaxed shellac and lac wax from the Jharkhand lac belt with a batch COA from a NABL-accredited laboratory — dewaxed shellac from 25 kg and lac wax from 50 kg, FOB Kolkata or Mumbai, CFR or CIF. Samples of 100–500 g are available before the first order.

Two other lac products reach cosmetic and fragrance laboratories: lac dye (laccaic acid), evaluated as a natural red colourant where local rules permit, and aleuritic acid, a starting material for macrocyclic musk fragrance molecules. For shampoos, conditioners and lotions, guar gum is a natural, non-ionic thickener.

Tell us your application, target market and the ingredient data your Responsible Person needs when you request a quote, and we will confirm what can be supplied and documented before we price it.

Quick answers

What is the INCI name for shellac? SHELLAC (CAS 9000-59-3). It is used as a film-former, binder and hair-fixing agent.

Is shellac allowed in EU cosmetics? Yes. Shellac is not a prohibited or restricted ingredient under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, so it is used under the general safety rules for the finished product.

Is shellac vegan? No. Shellac is insect-derived. It suits natural positioning but not vegan claims.

This guide summarises publicly available regulations and industry practice as of September 2026. Verify the current rules for your market and your own quality agreement before ordering. It is not legal advice.