Shellac (Cosmetic Grade)
The question

Is Shellac (Cosmetic Grade) safe in candy coating?

CautionCandy coating

A natural resin secreted by the lac beetle, used as a binder and film-former in mascara and nail products. The CIR approves concentrations up to 6% with no irritation or sensitization in controlled testing. However, clinical reports of allergic contact dermatitis in mascara users have been documented.

What the research flags

  • Allergic contact dermatitis reported in sensitive individuals using shellac-based mascara
  • Not vegan — insect-derived from lac beetles
  • Sensitization potential variable by shellac source and processing

Other candy coating ingredients on file

Sources & references

  1. [1]
    DatabaseIngredient database — 705897-SHELLAC
  2. [2]
    Peer-reviewedPubMed / NCBI — pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · ref 12000323
  3. [3]
    DatabaseIngredient database

Research disclaimer: Ratings reflect peer-reviewed research and regulatory assessments available at the time of publication, not the dose or formulation of any specific candy coating product. This is not medical advice.