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Activities:
Anti-inflammatory, humectant, antiviral, antiacne, analgesic, antibacterial, antioxidant, antiparasitic, and antipyretic1–4
Important Chemical Components:
Triglycerides
Fatty acids (including linoleic, linolenic, oleic and arachidonic)
Triterpene alcohols (cycloartenol, cyclobranol, 24-methylenecyclobartenol)
4-demethylsterols (campesterol, stigmasterol, sitosterol, isofucosterol)
4-methylsterols (obtusifoliol, gramisterol, cycloeucalenol, citrostadeienol)5
Origin Classification:
This ingredient is considered natural. Organic forms are available. The natural form may undergo processing and there are also synthetic forms of jojoba oil.
Personal Care Category:
Emollient, occlusive
Recommended for the following Baumann Skin Types:
This ingredient is ideal for dry and sensitive types but is not recommended for acne types. Oily types may find it too sticky. Recommended for DRNT, DRNW, DRPT, DRPW, DSNT, DSNW, DSPT, and DSPW.
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The jojoba (pronounced ho-ho-ba) plant (Simmondsia chinensis or Buxus chinensis) is a hardy perennial shrub endemic to the arid Sonoran Desert of northwest Mexico and adjacent areas in Arizona and southern California that grows up to 15 feet. The seeds of the plant, which are laden with a light yellow/gold, odorless liquid wax, were used by Native Americans for cosmetic and medical purposes to treat various conditions, including sores and wounds, sunburn, dry skin, hair loss, headaches, and renal colic.2,5,6 Cosmetic products may contain various ingredient forms of this plant including S. chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, S. chinensis seed, and S. chinensis butter. Further processing yields other ingredients including: hydrogenated jojoba oil, hydrolyzed jojoba esters, isomerized jojoba oil, jojoba esters, and jojoba alcohol. Synthetic jojoba oil also is used in cosmetics. Jojoba seed oil is the most widely used type of S. chinensis derivative.
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This evergreen plant, also known as goat nut, deer nut, pignut, wild hazel, quinine nut, coffeeberry, or gray box bush, can live up to 200 years. Native Americans are known to have eaten the smooth-skinned, odorless, oil-rich nuts or seeds of the jojoba. The oil from jojoba nuts or seeds has been used for centuries to promote hair growth and alleviate skin conditions.
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As for modern medical applications, as early as 30 years ago, observers noted the increased use of the liquid wax derived from jojoba seeds in skin care formulations.7 It is the oil of the plant (or liquid wax in this particular case), composed of straight chain monoesters of alcohols and fatty acids, that is of particular interest in the modern skin care industry as jojoba is one of the many popular botanical products available in cosmetics and cosmeceuticals. Indeed, jojoba is now cultivated for commercial purposes, including therapeutic options in Australia, Israel, several African countries, including Egypt, and India as well as throughout the Americas (including the United States, Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil).2,6,8–10
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Jojoba oil is derived by cold-pressing the seeds.1 As noted above, it is actually a polyunsaturated liquid wax. Very similar in ...