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The jojoba plant (pronounced ho-HO-ba)is a wild, perennial shrub that grows in North America - more specifically, in Oregon and Southern California. Its seeds have been the source of one of the most popular (and beneficial) oils in skincare.
And this stuff is popular for a reason. Jojoba oil is vitamin-rich, non-comedogenic, and it can help keep your products shelf-stable for longer - and that’s just scratching the surface.
Here’s why you can’t sleep on this staple face oil and why using jojoba oil for skin is an absolute must.
But what is jojoba oil, and where does it come from?
Thriving in the sunny mountains of the North American West, the seeds of jojoba plants (Simmondsia chinensis) are collected and synthesized into the skincare product we know and love. After a series of grinding, extraction, and filtration, experts incorporate it into beauty products to deliver jojoba oil skin benefits worldwide.
Jojoba oil first emerged in the 1970s as an eco-friendly alternative to the once-popular sperm oil (sourced directly from the whale - gross).
It quickly gained popularity, in part, as a matter of convenience: the seeds themselves are ultra-rich in oil (ten grams of seed yields five grams of oil, making it one of the most efficient oil-producing crops) and the plants can thrive on previously untillable, arid land. Plus, it grows great in areas that provide work opportunities to Native American communities.
But utilizing this oil (or wax ester, if we’re getting nitpicky about it) is hardly a compromise, as the benefits of jojoba oil are just as abundant as its growth.
Using jojoba oil for skin has plenty of benefits beyond being another natural "miracle" oil. Research finds that it helps the skin retain moisture, protects the skin's natural barrier, and prevents transepidermal water loss. Unlike some other natural oils that leave the skin feeling greasy, jojoba oil is lightweight enough to be comfortably used on the face without clogging the pores or leaving the skin looking oily.
It also has inherent anti-inflammatory and soothing qualities, making it a science-backed contender for combating dry skin, aging, and wound healing. Some research suggests it enhances the absorption of other topical products, meaning active ingredients can become more effective when combined with jojoba oil.
Those with oily or combination skin are probably asking - is jojoba oil good for oily skin? Yes!
Unlike many other humectants, jojoba oil actually reduces the appearance of acne. How can this be? Because jojoba oil isn't a true oil (it's a wax), it's composed of hydrocarbons, fatty acids, and alcohol. This means that it's lightweight and dries fully. It does not clog the pores, rather; it helps balance oil production, which limits acne, redness, and inflammation. In fact, consistently using jojoba oil for oily skin has been found to significantly reduce acne and acne symptoms.
Because jojoba oil mimics our natural bodily components (sebum), it's beneficial in more than one area. It's used on its own in a pure form or incorporated into products specific to one purpose. Jojoba oil's uses extend to hair, skin, body, and face:
This lightweight, non-comedogenic facial oil controls sebum production and supports skin health. It's versatile enough to be used for various skin concerns. Here's how to use jojoba oil for face care:
We adore jojoba oil for face care; you'll find it in products like our High Society Face Oil.
Jojoba oil's humectant and occlusive properties allow it to soothe dry, irritated skin, reducing redness, dryness, itchiness, and inflammation. Many people use jojoba oil for skin lightening; it can help lighten dark spots because of its antioxidant qualities and high quantity of vitamin E. Use it after a day in the sun to prevent excess sun damage or in place of shaving cream while you shower.
Our Island Time Spray Lotion delivers these jojoba oil benefits for skin in a soothing, free radical-destroying concoction. It's got jojoba, aloe, vitamin E, coconut oil, witch hazel, and more!
Jojoba oil's benefits for hair care mirror its advantages for the skin. This universal oil soothes the scalp, alleviating irritation and combating dandruff while simultaneously promoting hair growth. It contains moisturizing properties to ensure hair keeps essential moisture, preventing dryness and brittleness, and safeguarding split ends from further damage. Rich in vitamins and nutrients, jojoba oil is a great way to strengthen and protect hair without caking it with thick oils and greasy ingredients.
For starters, jojoba oil is biomimetic, meaning its composition is super close to our skin’s own sebum. In fact, jojoba oil and sebum are a 97% chemical match! This similarity allows the oil to penetrate deeply into the skin rather than simply sitting on top like many oils with larger molecule sizes.
It also prevents irritation because the oil will never get stuck in the pores or cause congestion. This makes jojoba oil suitable for all skin types - even sensitive or acne-prone skin.
Is jojoba oil comedogenic? NO!
In fact, Jojoba oil's comedogenic rating is a 2, on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being totally comedogenic. For comparison purposes, coconut oil is a 4 on the comedogenic scale, which is why we only use it for body products and not for facial ones.
Non-comedogenic products are essential in any skincare routine; they prevent the formation of comedones (clogged pores), reducing the likelihood of breakouts and blackheads. This is why treating acne with jojoba oil is pretty effective on its own.
Jojoba is rich in a ton of vitamins and nutrients, including:
Check, check, check, and check!
Soak up all of these jojoba oil benefits for skin in our Night Shift Hydration Gel. Formulated with essential vitamins and nutrients like amino acids and gotu kola, this blend gives the skin everything it needs to shine.
Jojoba is also naturally antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, analgesic (pain-relieving), hypoallergenic, and anti-inflammatory. What?!
While that doesn’t mean that you can kill all bacteria and fungus species with jojoba oil for skin, it has been proven effective against majorly aggressive strains like salmonella, E. coli and candida.
In addition to being a deep skin conditioner, jojoba is also a powerful humectant, meaning that it provides a protective barrier on the skin that seals moisture in.
Because of these humectant characteristics, jojoba can play a key role in restoring a compromised natural barrier and helping prevent things like infection, acne, and flaking.
This makes jojoba a very valuable ingredient in our Cherry Almond Butter Sugar High Hand Cream and Daydreamer Natural Face Moisturizer.
Because jojoba is so similar to our own sebum, applying it regularly can actually trick our body into thinking that we are producing more oil than we really are. This, in turn, signals our hair and sweat follicles to slow down production, thereby reducing shine, preventing acne, and leading to a more even complexion.
This is particularly helpful for those who have stripped their natural barrier by using harsh products and over-cleansing, or for those with oily or combination skin that just can’t seem to escape that mid-afternoon shine.
Take advantage of jojoba oil's low comedogenic rating with our All Nighter Routine. In just two steps, you can revitalize your face overnight and target key skin concerns. Nighttime products are heavily moisturizing; we've chosen jojoba oil because it doesn't clog pores but allows the important ingredients to do their thing so you can wake up looking rejuvenated.
At the end of the day, a lot of inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema are largely exacerbated by harsh conditions and, you guessed it, a stripped natural barrier.
Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, its antimicrobial properties, and its function as a humectant, jojoba oil can ease a lot of the symptoms associated with these conditions. While steroids like hydrocortisone work well for skin conditions, jojoba oil for skin has been found effective for disorders like psoriasis and eczema, with no side effects. And again, it won’t cause irritation - even for the most sensitive skin.
So, oxidative stress/free radical damage is the number one cause of aging in the skin and in the cells. And the damage is no joke: free radicals attack all of your cells and macromolecules - including your DNA, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. This leads to major cell damage and homeostatic disruption, and eventually, major disease.
Jojoba is chock full of antioxidants. While there aren’t studies that directly link jojoba to fewer wrinkles, the reality is that antioxidants, in general, fight this damage and stop free radicals from forming.
And all the moisturizing and anti-inflammatory effects don’t hurt either.
Target the areas that age the fastest with an anti aging cream with jojoba oil's benefits for skin. The All in Eye Cream is a smoothing, de-puffing treatment that uses jojoba oil to lock in key ingredients like squalene, MSM, and peptides.
There has been at least one clinical trial to show that jojoba oil for skin can help keep acne at bay. And it’s a two-pronged solution: on one hand, jojoba is a natural antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, so it can work to kill acne bacteria and calm inflammation.
On top of that, it’s moisturizing and healing, meaning that it can promote the healing of any existing breakouts.
The most convincing research for jojoba oil for the face was the study showing significant acne reduction after using face masks with jojoba oil. See for yourself with our Zen Out of Ten facial scrub. It's a supercharged exfoliator with natural plant fibers to remove dead skin and jojoba oil to lock in moisture.
Multiple studies show that jojoba is effective at enhancing the absorption of topical drugs and active ingredients. In other words, it helps the active ingredients work better. This, in part, has to do with the fact that jojoba oil can penetrate the deepest layers of the skin - and it can take actives - like glycolic acid and antioxidants - along for the ride.
Serums are the most concentrated form of skincare. They're jam-packed with actives like hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, or any number of skincare necessities. Our All the Serums combo lets you pick from three serums that contain the best jojoba oil for face as one of their main carrier oils.
Jojoba oil benefits don’t stop with the skin. It also makes an amazing treatment for dry hair or an irritated scalp.
Even better? It doesn’t weigh hair down like thicker oils, like olive oil or coconut oil. We recommend you start by adding a few drops of jojoba to your favorite conditioner or a leave-in treatment. Alternatively, you can make a DIY mask before you shampoo and condition.
Jojoba is the only plant known to produce pure liquid wax esters. These long molecules, in the plant, are designed to coat the leaves and prevent UVB rays from penetrating them.
The good news? It does the same thing for your skin, providing a degree of barrier sun protection along with all the antioxidant benefits.
We've created the ultimate free-radical fighter: the Cloud Whip Face Cream. It contains SAP Vitamin C, the most stable form available, to dismantle sun damage and MSM, an ingredient that may lighten dark spots and prevent scar formation. Of course, we've added jojoba oil for scars to keep the skin hydrated and support free radical destruction!
Many producers have found that, when it’s mixed with other oils and ingredients, jojoba oil actually improves the overall stability of the product, giving it a longer overall shelf life. That’s why it’s often considered an ideal “carrier oil.” And this isn’t just a benefit for the companies: longer shelf life means you get to enjoy your products for longer, worry-free.
Plus, it can offset and balance ingredients that would otherwise be too thick for the skin. For example, almond oil is super beneficial for the skin, but it can often seem thick and overbearing on its own. When you mix it with jojoba, it sinks in more quickly and effectively.
Jojoba oil benefits our Pep Rally Face Serum by a) stabilizing the other ingredients, b) delivering key antioxidants, and c)locking in the other components. Hyaluronic acid, for example, makes the skin ready to absorb key actives. Jojoba oil locks them all in, so they work longer.
The benefits of jojoba oil for face skin include fade acne scars and hyperpigmentation. This has to do with both the moisturizing effects and the antioxidant components of jojoba oil - particularly vitamin E. That said, jojoba won’t break down thicker scar tissue, so don’t expect a miracle worker here.
We've added the best jojoba oil for the face in the Seeking C Face Serum. This natural skin brightener is loaded with vitamin C, vitamin E, and dandelion products that target dark spots and gradually reduce the appearance of scars.
The question of argan oil vs. jojoba oil is common given that both are found in hair care and skin care products, often advertised with the same benefits. Argan oil offers similar benefits to jojoba oil, but it's a true oil, making it occlusive: heavier and less readily absorbed.
For hair, argan oil moisturizes and repairs damage while jojoba oil controls excess oil and hydrates without weighing the hair down. For skin, jojoba oil is beneficial for its lightweight and sebum-mimicking qualities, while argan oil is more of a hydration tool. Both contain vitamins C and E, delivering valuable antioxidants wherever applied.
Most sources report the only side effects from jojoba oil to be caused by an allergic reaction. Prevent this by spot testing with a small amount in a discreet area before applying jojoba oil all over your face and body. Wait 15-30 minutes and check the area for inflammation or itchiness.
Even though you’ve probably seen it everywhere, you may not have truly looked into jojoba oil benefits for the skin. Now that you know a little more, you may start to prioritize this superstar - and under the radar - ingredient.
To recap, the benefits of jojoba oil are vast. It:
Enjoy these benefits for yourself with Eight Saints' numerous products that contain this miracle oil. Made with all-natural ingredients, our products deliver essential skin care nutrients straight from the Earth - no harsh chemicals or polymers included.
