Waxes are produced by living things and are also made from oil. Plants produce a very thin coating of transparent wax on their leaves. It stops water entering the leaf. Bees make a honeycomb out of wax. Here the material is used as a lightweight building material.

Most of the wax we use comes from oil. It is used to to make clothes waterproof. Clothes made from leather, and jackets made of fabrics, are coated with wax so they can be worn in the rain.

Wax is also used as a polish. This is rubbed onto furniture or onto cars to give then a shiny, hard surface. A wax polish helps to protect the surface from scratches as well as keeping the surface waterproof.

As wax is a soft material it is also used to make crayons. As the crayon is used, the wax rubs off onto the paper.

The softness of wax is also useful in making ointments and cosmetics such as skin creams which help to keep the skin healthy.

Wax is a fuel with a low melting point and which burns easily. This is why it is used for making candles. Candle wax has a high soot content as the video below shows.