Jojoba (Simmondsia californica)
Jojoba oil is not an oil, but a wax.
Where does jojoba come from?
Jojoba oil is cold-pressed from the seed of the mature shrub. The shrubs are found in southern Arizona, southern California and northwest Mexico. Jojoba seeds contain from 40 to 60% of oil which is chemically classified as liquid wax because unlike most vegetable seed oils that are composed of triglycerides, jojoba oil consists of esters. Jojoba contains 97% mono-esters of long-chain fatty acids and alcohols (wax ester), a small fraction of triglyceride esters and docosanol (the active ingredient in OTC cold sore cream). It contains vitamin B, E and fatty acids.
The oil is odorless. The refined oil is clear and the unrefined oil is golden in color. The fact that jojoba is a wax, is great because it doesn’t go rancid like most carriers do.
What is jojoba good for?
Jojoba is good for all skin types because it resembles the natural oils of the skin (the sebum). Sebum dissolves in jojoba. The comedogenic index is 2-meaning it is moderately low tendency to clog pores and allows skin to breathe. Other oils that have a comedogenic index of 2 or less are: grapeseed, sweet almond and olive oil.
The emollient ability to protect and cleanse makes jojoba a good oil for everything from preventing diaper rash and wrinkle formation to using as a make-up remover. The high absorption rate allows jojoba to be used in many cosmetic preparations.
Used on the hair, it makes it shiny and silky and can be used for dry hair, to protect the scalp, with an addition of essential oils for a variety of needs.
What are the benefits of using jojoba?
Therapeutically it is antifungal, pain relieving and anti-inflammatory. It is a benefit to keep in mind when creating blends for certain situations. I use jojoba as the carrier in my roller ball blends. Remember that your blend will last as long as your shortest expiration dated oil. This could mean that you have a roller ball blend that is good for 6 months or one that is as long as a few years!
I hope you learned something about jojoba. Come back next time for information on another carrier oil.
Happy blending,
Crystal
“He fills my life with good things.”
Psalm 103:5
