In an un-crosslinked rubber blend, wax is a processing aid; in a completely vulcanized product, wax migrates to the surface layer and there acts as a physical barrier that protects the surface from ozone degradation. When wax is combined with amine-based antioxidant additives, the wax carries these to the vulcanizate’s surface layer, further improving the protection against ozone degradation. Each individual wax is optimized for use with specific polymers and provides optimal protective effects at particular temperature intervals.