Quick verdict
| Use case | Pick |
|---|---|
| Cheap, reliable body lotion | e-wax NF |
| Natural / ECOcert positioning | Olivem 1000 |
| Beginner first-batch lotion | e-wax NF (forgiving) |
| Premium face cream with velvety feel | Olivem 1000 |
| Bulk production / soap-shop wholesale | e-wax NF (cheaper, widely stocked) |
| Sensitive skin / clean-beauty line | Olivem 1000 |
Why both exist
- Emulsifying Wax NF — INCI: Cetearyl Alcohol (and) Polysorbate 60. The cheapest and most widely available O/W emulsifier worldwide. Pharmacopeia-grade with a defined composition.
- Olivem 1000 — INCI: Cetearyl Olivate (and) Sorbitan Olivate. Olive-derived liquid-crystal emulsifier with ECOcert/Cosmos certification.
When e-wax NF wins
- Budget formulation — typically 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of Olivem 1000 per kg.
- First-time formulators — extremely forgiving; almost impossible to break.
- High-volume production — every supplier stocks it, every batch behaves predictably.
- Beginner soap & cosmetic class teaching — the default teaching emulsifier.
When Olivem 1000 wins
- Natural/clean-beauty label — ECOcert and Cosmos certified; e-wax contains polysorbate 60 which is not.
- Sensitive skin — no PEG, cleaner ingredient story.
- Velvety face creams — liquid-crystal structure mimics skin lipids; unique “second-skin” feel.
- Mature-skin moisturisers — pairs better with rich oils.
Process differences
Both heat-and-hold around 70-75°C. e-wax is slightly more forgiving of process errors. Olivem needs better shear during emulsification.
Usage rates
- e-wax NF: 4-8% (typical 6%)
- Olivem 1000: 3-8% (typical 5%)
Not a clean 1:1 swap. The skin feel, finish, and “personality” of the emulsion differ significantly.
Substitutes
- Polawax NF — closer to e-wax but with locked-spec consistency.
- Glyceryl Stearate (and) PEG-100 Stearate — fellow non-ionic with very similar performance to e-wax.
- Montanov 68 — fellow natural-positioned cetearyl glucoside emulsifier.
→ Full ingredient page: Emulsifying Wax NF · Olivem 1000