petroleum wax, such as paraffin, is simply a large alkane, containing between twenty and forty carbons. Thus, they would generally follow the formula of:
C(n)H(2n+2)
However, naturally occuring organic waxes, such as beeswax, are extremely complex. Beeswax is a tough wax formed from a mixture of several compounds. The main components are palmitate, palmitoleate, hydroxypalmitate[1] and oleate esters of long-chain (30-32 carbons) aliphatic alcohols, with the ratio of triacontanylpalmitate CH3(CH2)29O-CO-(CH2)14CH3 to cerotic acid[2] CH3(CH2)24COOH, the two principal components, being 6:1.