What is Jojoba Oil?

Jojoba oil is actually a liquid wax that is derived from the jojoba plant, a wax-rich shrub that is native to desert areas of North America.

Jojoba oil is used extensively in cosmetics and is an extremely popular alternative to petroleum jelly, since it is derived from plants rather than from fossil fuels. Its popularity has risen all the more since it has become unfashionable, and often illegal to use whale blubber in soaps and cosmetic products.

As well as being used extensively as a natural ingredient in beauty products like lotions, shampoos and moisturizers, the oil is also used widely in its pure state, since it has properties very similar to the sebum produced in our own skin- this makes it a wonderful moisturizer ,that is non-greasy and easily absorbed. Jojoba oil also has fantastic fungicide properties.

Let’s have a closer look at the uses of Jojoba, and its potential benefits to our daily beauty routine!

Jojoba: The Ultimate Moisturizer?

What makes jojoba so great is its similarity to the oil that our own skin produces, called sebum. This means that our skin knows exactly how to deal with it, absorbing it quickly and easily, and using it to create a powerful barrier against moisture-loss, as well as against allergens and irritants like dust and pollution.

For those pesky dry patches, this is just the thing to soften and restore your skin to a healthy condition. All of this makes jojoba oil a great treatment if you suffer from skin conditions that are caused by a lack of moisture, like eczema. Not only that, but jojoba oil has anti-inflammatory properties, which will take down the redness caused by dryness, or by skin conditions like rosacea.

If you’re reading this and wishing there was a moisturizer just as good for oily skin, then we have the answer for you, and that answer is…Jojoba oil !

Yes that’s right- it goes against all instincts to put oil on an already oily surface, but jojoba oil mimics our skin’s sebum so closely, that it is thought to act like a signal to our pores to not produce anymore oil of it’s own.

And this isn’t just one for the ladies; For those men that dread that morning shave and end it with a face of raw skin and sensitive hair follicles, jojoba oil may well be your new best friend. Rubbed over the whole beard area, the oil serves to soften stubble and provide a smooth surface for the razor to run over, reducing friction and the chance of snagging or grazing. Plus, your face will stay soft and moisturized for the rest of the day!