Our lava rock beads and cabochons are great for using in aromatherapy jewelry and are also great for the latest trend of rougher, natural surface gemstones. But one question we receive is, why do lava rocks have wax in them? Since natural lava rocks have many holes and fracture points, they may break or chip when shaped into beads and gemstones. That is why factories add wax to the material before cutting and shaping the lava rocks. As a result, most of the lava rock cabochons and beads sold by JFAllen are waxed. However, these lava rocks are still great for using in aromatherapy jewelry and other designs once the wax is removed. To remove the wax, you can follow these instructions. There are also lots of YouTube tutorials online for further information on removing the wax or other ways to handle lava rock items.