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This is the grade most commonly used in high end car waxes and in the pharmaceutical industry as a pill coating. The yellow wax is the most pure and therefore receives the highest grade. Trees grown in the northern area of Brazil produce the highest grade carnauba. Carnauba is harvested and then graded according to color, purity, and where it was grown. One example is Mother's California Gold Pure Carnauba Paste Wax. When a product advertises "pure carnauba car wax" or "100% carnauba car wax", they are referring to the purity of the carnauba that is in the product, not the product as a whole. It's probably for the best since the price gets higher and higher as the concentration of carnauba rises. The very best carnauba-based car wax is only about 1/3 natural carnauba. Car Wax makers have to blend the wax with oils, petroleum distillates, or a solvent called naptha (commonly used to thin wood varnishes and paints) in order to make the wax workable. When the leaves of the Tree of Life are harvested, the wax flakes off as the leaves dry out, or they are put into a machine that removes the wax. Good for the tree and good for your paint.Ĭarnauba is rock hard in its natural form. For this reason, carnauba wax is breathable. If you think back to junior high science class, you might remember that plants release oxygen through their leaves. The wax provides protection from the sweltering sun and it sheds water so it falls onto the ground and is absorbed by the tree's roots. The wax is produced by the Brazilian Tree of Life, a palm tree, in order to coat its leaves. It transforms the paint into a deep, liquid pool that shimmers under changing light conditions. Carnauba WaxesĬarnauba wax is the preferred car wax of collectors and concours enthusiasts because it creates a rich, warm glow.
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Here you'll find information on each so you can choose the paint protection that's right for you.
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You have two basic choices when it comes to paint protection: carnauba wax or synthetic paint sealant.
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