The fats, waxes, and oils produced by a person's body and deposited on a surface as a fingerprint form the basis of several methods of fingerprint identification.

Fats

Organic compounds made of fatty acids and glycerol, serving as a major energy storage form in organisms.

Waxes

A diverse class of organic compounds that are malleable at room temperature, typically derived from plants and animals or synthesized industrially.

Oils

Organic compounds that are liquid at room temperature and are hydrophobic, not mixing with water but mixing with other oils and organic solvents.