Jojoba oil is extracted from the jojoba desert shrub which is native to Arizona, California and New Mexico. It had been used by Native Americans for thousands of years and was prized for its moisturizing and regenerative properties.
Unrefined jojoba oil is golden colored with a slight odor, while refined jojoba oil is colorless and odorless. The term "cold pressed" indicates that only a small amount of heat was used in the extraction process in order to maintain the oil's purity. "Expeller pressed" requires only a small amount of heat as well, and also sustains the integrity of the oil.
It is a mixture of long chain monounsaturated liquid wax esters; which non-technically means it doesn’t behave at all like most oils. In fact it is more of a liquid wax than an oil. One thing that makes jojoba different is that it does not contain triglycerides like other oils. Triglycerides create a moisture coating on the skin which preventing moisture from leaving. Jojoba on the other hand is very similar to our natural sebum which balances the skin instead of coating it. The body stops producing sebum at around 21 years old so jojoba is a great supplement for our skin and hair.
Jojoba oil is a naturally hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic (won’t clog your pores or suffocate your skin) antioxidant with excellent clarifying and moisturizing properties. You can even use it directly on your face and body as a moisturizer. Important nutrients in jojoba oil, such as zinc, copper, silicon, iodine, chromium, and vitamins E and B, provide antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Jojoba oil is wonderful to use as a daily hair conditioner and scalp treatment and as a weekly hot oil treatment. For people suffering from hair loss due to skin conditions, the addition of jojoba to your hair regimen can greatly reduce the problems of hair loss and help to maintain a healthy scalp, which encourages healthy hair growth.
{googleads}As a great treatment for dandruff and dry scalp, massage some jojoba oil into your scalp just before you go to bed, cover your hair with a satin scarf and use a mild shampoo or your no-shampoo routine in the morning.
The key to using jojoba on your hair is to use most of it on your scalp and allow it to rise up through your hair naturally. If you use too much on your hair and coat it, it will sit there and become heavy. Use your fingertips and massage it into your scalp, then run your hands along the length of your hair, paying special attention to your ends.
Of all the oils, jojoba is the only one we recommend that should be in everyone’s hair and beauty routine.
