5 Benefits of Jojoba Oil for Skin and Why it Should Be A Staple in Your Routine

The jojoba plant (pronounced ho-HO-ba) is a wild, perennial shrub that grows in North America, specifically in Oregon and Southern California. Its seeds have been the source of one of the most popular (and beneficial) skincare oils used today.

 

And this stuff is popular for a reason. Natural 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 is an absolute must.

What is Jojoba Oil?

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.

Is Jojoba Oil Good for Skin?

Using jojoba oil for the 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 or essential 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, wound healing, and skin inflammation. Some research suggests it enhances the absorption of other topical products, meaning active ingredients can become more effective when you add jojoba oil to your routine.

Can You Use Jojoba Oil for Oily Skin?

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.

 

Understanding The Many Jojoba Oil Uses

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:

Jojoba Oil for Face

This lightweight, non-comedogenic facial oil controls sebum production, supports skin health and keeps the skin hydrated. It's versatile enough to be used for various skin concerns. Here's how to use jojoba oil for face care:

• Apply it after moisturizing to lock in your products
• Massage it into your face to break up dirt and oils before washing
• Apply some to a cotton pad and gently remove makeup
• Use as a spot treatment on dry spots or blemishes
• Apply a small amount on chapped lips as a natural balm

 

We adore jojoba oil for face care; you'll find it in products like our High Society Face Oil.

Jojoba Oil for Body

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 the benefits of jojoba oil for the skin in a soothing, free radical-destroying concoction. It's got jojoba, aloe, vitamin E, coconut oil, witch hazel, and more!

 

 

Jojoba Oil for Hair

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 promoting hair growth. 

 

Its moisturizing properties ensure hair retains essential moisture, preventing dryness and brittleness and safeguarding split ends from further damage. It also supports healthy hair follicles for shinier, stronger hair strands.

 

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.

Benefits of Jojoba Oil

1. It Has a Similar Composition to Sebum

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.

2. It’s Vitamin-Rich

Jojoba is rich in a ton of vitamins and nutrients, including:

• Vitamin A: Vitamin A is an antioxidant that’s used by the upper and lower layers of the skin, and it’s known to prevent sun damage by interrupting the process that breaks down collagen.
• Vitamin E: Also known as “tocopherol,” vitamin E is an oil-soluble antioxidant that can repair and treat the skin, helping with issues like sun damage, scarring, and more. It also has moisturizing benefits, and it’s known to strengthen the skin’s barrier function and fight free radical damage.
• Vitamin D: When it comes to skincare concerns, research shows that insufficient vitamin D is strongly linked to acne because the vitamin plays a big role in fighting infections - so you want to make sure you get enough of this vitamin.
• Fatty acids: Fatty acids actually make up a huge portion of cell membranes, which means that getting enough of them is really important for proper cell function. When it comes to skincare, this translates to skin that’s moisturized and healthy. On top of that, Omega-3s can lower inflammation and strengthen your skin’s natural barrier, thereby helping prevent wrinkles, acne, and infection.

 

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.

 

3. It’s Full of Natural Healing Properties

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, it has been proven effective against majorly aggressive strains like salmonella, E. coli and candida.

4. It Seals In Moisture

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.

 

5. It Regulates Sebum Production

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.