Is rhus succedanea fruit cera (wax) vegan?

Rhus succedanea fruit cera (wax) is the Latin botanical designation for Japan wax, a plant-derived fat extracted from the berries of the Rhus succedanea tree, commonly known as the Japanese sumac or wax tree. It is produced by harvesting the mature fruits, steaming or boiling them in water, and skimming the crude fat that floats to the surface. The collected substance is then pressed, purified, and bleached to create the finished wax. This ingredient functions as an emollient, thickener, and structuring agent, appearing primarily in cosmetics such as lip balms, mascaras, and creams, as well as in specialty food glazing agents.

This ingredient receives a vegan verdict because it originates entirely from a plant source. The harvesting, extraction, and purification processes involve only botanical raw materials and mechanical or thermal refining methods. Because no animal fats, animal processing aids, or animal byproducts are utilized at any stage of its production, it is completely animal-free.