Jojoba Oil: Benefits, Uses & Properties - A Comprehensive Guide

Jojoba oil is a unique oil that is more like a liquid wax. These properties give jojoba the ability to benefit us in many ways.

Identification

• Jojoba oil is made from the Simmondsia chinensis, or goat nut plant, that grows native in North American desert areas. The oil produced from the nut is closer in chemistry to sebum wax than oil. Hypoallergenic and without triglycerides, the oil is naturally bright golden in color. Jojoba oil should have a distinct, sweet smell.

Features

• Jojoba oil is one of the most stable oils available, so it does not spoil or go rancid. This feature makes it valuable to help stabilize other carrier oils to which it is added. Many oil blends include 10% jojoba oil to prevent spoiling.

Benefits

• Jojoba oil has many skin and beauty benefits. The oil acts as a natural sebum cleanser and makes an excellent face cleanser for oily or dry skin prone to acne. Jojoba oil also conditions, thickens and strengthens the hair.

Effects

• The physical health effects of using jojoba oil based on the fact that it has anti-inflammatory properties. Jojoba oil is a popular carrier oil for muscle relief essential oil blends and arthritis relief aromatherapy oils.

Considerations

• Oil purity is important when it comes to using jojoba oil topically, yet many sources of oil adulterate the oil. This happens through refinement, which strips the nourishing properties from the oil and you can tell whether your jojoba oil has been overly refined if the golden color is diminished, or the oil has no fragrance. If mineral oil or isopropyl alcohol has been added to the jojoba oil, these contaminants can clog pores and cause allergic reactions.