Origin: Jojoba oil is obtained from the crushed bean of the Simmondsia chinenis (Jojoba shrub). Jojoba is native to Mexico and was first discovered by the Native Americans around 1970. They used it for its medicinal properties such as wound healing, anti-inflammation and treating sores.
As per the International Jojoba Export Council (IJEC), “Jojoba is the only known botanical wax, which is liquid at room temperature and an estimated 5,000 tons of Jojoba is used in personal care products manufactured around the world.”
The founder of 21 California missions, Father Junipero Serra, mentioned in his diary that the Native Americans used this oil and seeds for varied purposes: for treating sores, cuts, bruises, burns, as a diet supplement and as an appetite suppressant when food was not available, as a skin conditioner, for soothing windburn and sunburn, as a cooking oil, as a hair or scalp treatment and hair restorative; and as a coffee-like beverage by roasting the seeds.
In the early 18th century, Jesuit missionaries in Baia came across this plant and learned to soften the seeds with heat and then create a salve with the extracted oils. They used this balm to soothe the skin, nourish the hair and aid in the treatment of skin conditions.
For centuries, Jojoba oil was used to counter the harsh and drying effect of desert sun on skin and hair. Jojoba oil has been used broadly for over three decades in cosmetic products by major manufacturers around the world from Europe, the United States and Japan due to its potency.
Ayurveda describes the characteristics of Jojoba oil as mild, moist, cooling, light and hydrating. As per Ayurveda, Jojoba oil pacifies all the three doshas.
Scientifically: Jojoba oil is a humectant component. This means it works to secure your skin with a protective barrier to keep it from losing moisture. This prevents bacterial infections, acne, and dandruff from forming.
Jojoba oil is pregnant with beneficial ingredients vitamin E, vitamin B complex, silicon, chromium, copper, and zinc. It has a very high percentage of iodine that blesses it with healing power. It contains three fatty acids: erucic, gadoleic and oleic.
Jojoba oil carries antimicrobial and antifungal properties. Jojoba oil contains natural forms of vitamin E that works with your skin as an antioxidant. This means that Jojoba oil helps skin fight oxidative stress caused by everyday submission of pollutants and other toxins.
Jojoba oil manages sebum production because it’s so similar to the sebum that your body produces naturally. This makes your skin appear less oily and helps prevent acne caused by clogged pores.
The antioxidants in Jojoba oil help your body produce collagen, a protein that’s in your skin and joints as well as the parts of your body made of cartilage. Jojoba oil is a propitious component in stimulating wound healing.
It helps soothe eczema, psoriasis, and other drying skin conditions because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Jojoba oil can help keep acne at bay and cure sunburns. It is cleansing as well as moisturizing. A natural makeup remover, Jojoba oil reduces skin lesions.
Usage: Jojoba oil is found as an additive in many cosmetic products like lotions, moisturizers, shampoos, and conditioners. The pure oil itself may also be used on skin, hair, or cuticles to make it healthy.
It is used as a replacement for whale oil and its derivatives, such as cetyl alcohol. Although impractical, Jojoba biodiesel has been discovered as a sustainable fuel that can serve as a substitute for petroleum diesel.
Below are some DIY masks with Jojoba oil:
- Warm two tablespoons of Jojoba oil. Keep it in a bottle. Apply it daily on your face and cuticles to get a healthy-looking skin.
- Add ½ cups grounded oats, 1 ½ tbsp. honey, 1 ½ tbsp. coconut oil, 1 ½ tbsp. yogurt in a bowl. To this mixture, add few drops of Jojoba oil and vitamin E. Apply this natural pack on your face. Leave it for fifteen minutes and then wash it off.
- Apply 3-5 drops of jojoba oil to damp hair after shampoo. This works as a great leave-in conditioner and makes hair smooth and frizz free.
- Take a few drops of Jojoba oil and apply on the fine lines on the faces in the circular motion. Leave it on after it is completely absorbed.
- Take a teaspoon of yogurt and a few drops of Jojoba oil. Mix them together and apply on the acne. Leave it on for 15 minutes and then rinse. This helps in removing the breakouts.
- Take 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add a teaspoon of jojoba oil. Mix them together and gently massage into your scalp. Leave it for 45 minutes and then shampoo as usual. This promotes hair growth and strengthens the hair follicles.