Cosmetic Ingredients: Jojoba Oil

What is Jojoba Oil?

Well, let’s start with what it isn’t. Even though the name implies something different, Jojoba (pronounced ho-HO-ba) Oil is not an oil at all. It’s actually a liquid wax ester. The reason why it’s referred to as an oil, is simply because it looks and feels a lot like an oil. But nonetheless chemically seen it’s a wax ester.

Jojoba oil is pressed from the female seeds of the jojoba tree.

It oil is used in several cosmetic products, but is also available as an individual product at several stores. When found in stores and cosmetic ingredients it is refined, therefore it is colorless and odorless.

How did it come to be used in the Cosmetics Industry?

In the 60’s and 70’s nations suddenly started to become ‘environmentally conscious’. They started to identify ‘endangered species’. One of those endangered species was the Sperm Whale. And that caused a problem in the cosmetics industry because the Spermaceti Waxes of the Sperm Whale was highly appreciated for its functionality in cosmetic products. Luckily scientists discovered that Jojoba Oil could not only replace the Spermaceti Waxes but was also much more effective than it.

  

What makes Jojoba Oil so great?

Jojoba Oil is the thing that comes closest to the natural human oils, also known as sebum. It is even believed that it can trick your skin into thinking it produced enough oil. Which is of course great if you have oily skin, because your skin will reduce its oil production. And it also doesn’t clog your pores, so it doesn’t cause you to break out. No, even better, jojoba oil is known for its effectiveness against acne because it regulates the sebum production. It is also great for dry skin, actually it’s suited for any skin type. It hydrates your skin, soften it, spreads well and if you use the right amount of it, it won’t even make your face look shiny. It also doesn’t become rancid.

The many uses of Jojoba Oil

You can use Jojoba oil as a:

• Face moisturizer: Apply a few drops of jojoba oil to your face as a step of your beauty routine. What I personally like to do is add it to my face, let it sit for a few minutes and then rinse off with water.You can also add a few drops of jojoba oil to your normal moisturizer to give it that extra power.

• Hair moisturizer: From experience I can tell you this product works wonders for your ends. Before I started using it I always had split ends, and I had to cut my hair every six weeks. But now I haven’t gotten a haircut in 6 months and I still haven’t spotted a single split end. I add a substantial amount (don’t over-exaggerate though or you end up with greasy-looking hair.)to my hair mask and leave it in my hair for half an hour before rinsing it out. I always have supersoft hair afterwards. I also use it directly on my ends every evening before I go to bed.  But it’s not just good for your ends, it can also be very helpful when you have a dry scalp that produces too much oil which causes your hair to get greasy within no time.

• Make-up remover: It works even better than olive oil. And you don’t have to worry it will irritate your eyes, which is a risk you face when you use olive oil.

• Massage oil: A little goes a long way. You can add a few drops of essential/ethereal oils to make it smell divine.  

• Lip balm: Works great if you have dry and chapped lips.

• Nails/hands:  It softens up your cuticles, but also of course hydrates your hands.

• Acne: Jojoba oil is a powerful weapon in the battle against acne. It balances your sebum production: less sebum fills up your pores, while it hydrates your skin and reduces redness. (Can cause break-outs in the beginning, so don’t freak out but continue to use it for at least a month.)

• Cosmetic products: Jojoba Oil can be found as an ingredient in lots of moisturising/hydrating products: whether skin or hair products, it doesn't matter.

Jojoba oil can be purchased in special nature-stores or online for around 10 dollars. I bought my jojoba-oil bottle(see picture) of 100 ml for E.8,50.