Extracted from the crushed bean of a desert shrub, jojoba oil (pronounced ho-ho-ba) is a vegetable oil that the domestic cosmetic industry has used for more than three decades. The U.S. first began investigating the oil in the 1970s as a substitute for sperm whale oil. As a cosmetic ingredient, its uses include cleansing, conditioning, moisturizing and softening skin and hair, according to the Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine.
Jojoba Oil Source
Jojoba shrubs are native to the Sonoran Desert of northwestern Mexico, Arizona and southern California. The evergreen plants, which have a lifespan of 100 to 200 years, mature in the month of October and produce soft-skinned, reddish brown, oval seeds, These seeds contain an edible, clear and odorless vegetable oil that make up half of the weight of the seeds. Seventeen pounds of jojoba seeds produce one gallon of oil. In addition to the U.S., jojoba is cultivated commercially in Argentina, Australia, Chile, Egypt, India, Israel, Mexico, Peru and South Africa, according to the International Jojoba Export Council.
Native American Usage
As early as the 1700s, Native Americans were known to have used jojoba oil and the seeds for many different purposes, including treating sores, cuts, bruises and burns. The oil was used as a skin conditioner to soothe windburn and sunburn and to restore the hair and scalp. Other early uses were as a diet supplement and an appetite suppressant. Native Americans also used jojoba oil in cooking and roasted the seeds to prepare a coffee-like beverage.
Physical and Chemical Structure
The golden colored-oil is a polyunsaturated liquid wax made of fatty acids and esters composed of straight chain alcohols. The acid and alcohol portions of jojoba oil both have 20 or 22 carbon atoms, according to Gale. Each atom has one unsaturated bond. Jojoba oil's unsaturated fatty acids render it liquid at room temperature. The oil's vitamin E content protects it from oxidizing or becoming rancid, according to the International Jojoba Export Council. Jojoba oil doesn't break down under high temperature or pressure and can be heated up to 96 hours to 370 degrees Fahrenheit without degrading, according to Gale.
Hair Care Applications
Jojoba oil's stability has made it a key ingredient in cosmetic applications. The oil is used as a moisturizer and emollient in shampoos and conditioners. Jojoba oil has a similar structure as the sebum secreted by human sebaceous glands to lubricate and protect skin and hair. Jojoba oil can be used to replicate sebum oil to condition hair and preventing it from becoming brittle and dull. The oil also can dissolve sticky buildup on hair from hair preparations, according to Gale.
Skin Care Applications
Jojoba oil also is used in skin care applications including facial, hand and body lotions, cuticle and nail care products, baby care lotions, creams, and oils, cleansers, moisturizers, bath oils and soaps, sunscreen lotions and makeup products. Jojoba oil moisturizes the skin by forming a lipid layer and penetrating the outer layer of skin. When applied directly to skin, jojoba oil softens wrinkles and stretch marks and lightens and help heal scars, according to Gale.
Member Comments