Wax bloom, sometimes called ghosting, is a cloudy, whitish film that can develop on the surface of colored pencil artwork, especially in heavily layered or burnished areas.
Bloom occurs when wax components in the pencil's binder migrate toward the surface and form a thin, light-scattering deposit. It is most noticeable over dark or highly saturated colors, where the haze makes colors appear dull, faded, or grayish.
FUN FACT: Wax bloom happens with chocolate too!
Wax bloom is a natural characteristic of some colored pencil formulations; its not a sign of poor-quality pigments or fading.
Bloom can develop hours or days after coloring and may reappear after removal.
The haze can be gently wiped away with a soft, clean cloth. Applying artist-grade fixative will reduce or prevent bloom from happening but fixative application errors are extremely common. DO NOT USE HAIRSPRAY.
Not all colored pencils develop noticeable wax bloom and the amount depends on the formulation and amount of pencil material applied.
And yes, bloom can even happen with so-called oil based pencils. If the pencil contains wax (which oil pencils do), then there’s always the potential for bloom.