Best Carnauba Waxes (Review & Buying Guide) in 2023

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Coming from the leaves of a northeastern Brazilian plant, carnauba wax is often known as the “best” type of wax for many reasons; chief among them is great looks and long-lasting durability. While some hybrid and synthetic waxes offer a lot of convenience in terms of quick application, many purists swear off anything but carnauba as blasphemy. If you want to see if carnauba wax lives up to the hype, the best place to start is with our guide on the best car waxes made of carnauba.

Why Buy a Carnauba Wax

Get a hard wax. In its natural form, carnauba is hard and dense. As a wax, especially a paste wax, carnauba is known for its tough finished layer that offers a lot in terms of durability and longevity. When you want the best in terms of durability, carnauba is the best place to start.
Shed water. One purpose of a good wax is to repel and bead water on the surface of a vehicle. As a natural wax, carnauba creates a hydrophobic layer that often does a better job of repelling water than lower-quality options. This helps to protect the paint underneath and to create a better shine.
Apply quickly with a spray. While it’s not well-known as a quick wax, carnauba sprays actually can be applied fairly quickly if you aren’t as concerned with the finished results. Like other spray waxes, corners are sometimes cut, but a lot of conveniences is gained in the process.

Types of Carnauba Waxes

Natural

Many purists will only use the most natural, 100 percent carnauba waxes available. Natural carnauba waxes simply use the real stuff derived from the leaves of Brazilian palm trees. While most aren’t truly 100 percent carnauba (since the substance is often too hard to be applied by itself), natural formulas promote the benefits of carnauba the most.

Synthetic Blend

Some brands like to use carnauba in combination with synthetic or other types of waxes to create a blend. In theory, this is a good way of getting a lot of the benefits of different wax types, but this isn’t the case for a lot of budget options. Instead, blends tend to be common with quick-and-dirty wax solutions that focus more on speed and convenience than anything else.

Top Brands of Carnauba Waxes

Meguiar’s

The maker of Meguiar’s Ultimate Wax, the company didn’t become one of the most recognized brands in automotive car care products for no reason. In the company’s 110-year-plus history, it has produced a number of high-quality waxes and polishes, starting with Frank Meguiar, Jr.’s first bottle of furniture polish. The company creates a lot of different types of waxes, but its Meguiar’s A2216 16 Ounce Carnauba Wax remains near the top for anyone wanting a good carnauba-based solution.

P21S

Lacking the broad product selection of other competitors, P21S has largely focused on automotive detailing products since starting production in 1984. Based in the roots of the German automotive industry, P21S is largely known for making high-quality waxes that many purists enjoy over quick and simple waxing solutions. The P21S 12700W Carnauba Wax is one example of the company’s dedicated waxing products.

Carnauba Wax Pricing

$20 and under: This is the budget range of most carnauba waxes that are filled with spray-on and liquid solutions, all designed to be quick in an application. Results tend to vary, but some brand name products can offer a great finish and decent protection.
$20-$40: Higher-quality waxes are more common in this price range. Finishes tend to be better, in addition to the coat’s durability, when you spend a little extra on a single bottle or jar of carnauba wax.
$40 and above: There are few singular waxes in this price range, but the ones that do exist tend to be high in quality and application difficulty. For the most parts, waxes at this price come in whole car care kits that include other cleaning products.

Key Features

Form

Like any wax, there are different forms that carnauba waxes come in. Spray waxes, for example, tend to be very common for general waxes since they are easy to apply with the right applicator. On the other end, liquid waxes are more difficult to apply but offer better protection and longevity. There are a few carnauba sprays and liquid solutions available, but the best carnauba products to balance the benefits of both come in a paste form.

Other Considerations

Applicator: In addition to the wax itself, you will need to pay attention to how you will actually get the wax onto the surface of a vehicle. Hand and powered applicators tend to be the most common solutions available. Applying carnauba wax by hand is possible, but it will likely take a lot of work given the hardness of the substance. Power applicators take more skill to use but can make carnauba easier to work with at the end of the day.
Vehicle Age: The age of a car plays a large part in determining the right kind of wax to buy. Newer vehicles, for example, don’t need a lot of restoration or protection since the paintwork hasn’t experienced a lot of wear and tear. With that said, it’s never too early to start protecting your car’s finish. Older vehicles tend to work well with carnauba waxes but be careful with anything that contains abrasive chemicals that remove stains and dirt. These chemicals can damage oxidized finishes further.
Plastic Parts: Carnauba wax is quite versatile in the types of materials it can treat and protect, but plastics have a habit of making it more difficult to apply and wipe off without leaving marks or residue. If your car has a lot of plastic parts like panels and bumpers, find a carnauba wax that has been formulated to work with plastics if possible.

Best Carnauba Wax Reviews & Recommendations 2020

Best Value

Mothers 05750 California Gold Liquid Wax

Honorable Mention

Meguiar's A2216 16 Ounce Carnauba Wax

Honorable Mention

Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax

Honorable Mention

Mothers California Gold Brazilian Carnauba Wax Paste

Honorable Mention

Turtle Wax Black Spray Wax

Honorable Mention

303 Automotive Spray Wax

Honorable Mention

u0026nbsp;Griot's Garage Best of Show Paste Wax

Honorable Mention

Jax Wax Professional Liquid Carnauba

Honorable Mention

Surf City Garage Black Edge Carnauba Wax

Tips

Pure carnauba tends to have a yellow tint to it. Some waxes also have more of a white tint, which tends to indicate it’s more of a blend than true carnauba wax.
Be prepared to put some muscle into applying carnauba paste waxes. The natural hardness of the wax makes it difficult to apply like other waxes.
In general, carnauba wax is the best for a durable coat, but the quality of the formula is the biggest determining factor. Do your research ahead of time to find a good carnauba wax that offers the durability you really need.

FAQ

Q. Can carnauba wax be applied like other waxes?

A. In general, yes. Hand and power applicators are perfect for carnauba wax, but you might find power applicators to be easier to use given the hardness of the wax.

Q. Can you polish carnauba wax?

A. You can apply a carnauba wax over polish, but not the other way around. This is true for any wax since it works as a sealant and protective layer. Polishing removes small debris and blemishes from the surface of a vehicle that would be trapped under a wax.

Q. What does a wax mean when it says “carnauba-based?”

A. This is a fancy way of saying the wax is a blend. The carnauba is generally mixed with other substances (generally synthetic) to get a wax that has a blend of benefits, along with some noticeable drawbacks. Blends tend to dilute the strengths of carnauba wax in favor of other advantages like convenience and simplicity.