The small, rather modest jojoba shrub (pronounced ‘ho-ho-ba’) yields a remarkable and much sought-after oil. In the scorching deserts of North America, this survival artist holds its own against the harshest environmental conditions. It needs only 20 ml of rainfall a year to survive and has up to three long taproots to reach the precious water.
To give the olive-sized seed (a nut) a good start in life, the mother plant very inventively produces a heat- and oxidation-stable liquid plant wax instead of a plant oil or fat. Its chemical structure is not comparable with that of an edible oil: a fat molecule consists of a glycerol (a trihydric alcohol with three OH groups) to which three fatty acids are ‘chained’ (see also pages 19 and 59). In a wax, by contrast, a long-chain monohydric alcohol (one OH group) and a long-chain fatty acid are bonded together. Strictly speaking, jojoba oil should therefore really be called jojoba wax.
To protect this oil, or rather wax, from bacteria, the plant has created very unusual wax molecules on which bacteria, as the saying goes, ‘break their teeth’. As a result, jojoba oil is highly resistant to bacterial spoilage, keeps well and has a very low risk of microbial contamination. Rapidly perishable plant oils such as rosehip seed oil keep much better and are less prone to microbial contamination when mixed with jojoba oil/wax.
In the refrigerator, jojoba oil (or wax) solidifies, but melts again at room temperature without any loss of quality. Its greatest advantage: it does not go rancid, even after many years.
On the skin, jojoba oil is very well absorbed and processed. However, it cannot be used as an edible oil, as our gut lacks the enzymes needed to digest the wax. So use it externally only.
In recent years, jojoba oil has become a ‘star’ in high-quality cosmetic products and as a skin care oil. It has now found its way into every area of cosmetics. Fortunately, the jojoba plant produces commercially usable quantities of this unique liquid wax.
It is an excellent moisture-retaining agent. The wax, which closely resembles our own sebum, not only protects the hydrolipid film but is also very well integrated into the barrier of the stratum corneum. In addition, the wax molecules are partly split enzymatically into fatty acids and wax alcohols, which are likewise integrated into the skin’s metabolism. In this way, jojoba oil helps to regulate and stabilise the skin’s moisture balance, which is particularly valued in the care of dry, itchy and sensitive skin. The skin becomes smooth and supple, and with regular use, sensitive and dry skin in particular – including skin stressed by heating or air conditioning – becomes more resilient.
Although jojoba oil is a wax, it spreads evenly and easily on the skin, is readily absorbed and leaves no greasy film.
Double protection: the wax is additionally protected by a high proportion of proven accompanying substances such as phytosterols, the vitamin E complex, provitamin A and squalene. The oil helps to protect the skin against environmental stress and free radicals; its antioxidant accompanying substances are described in the literature as blocking and suppressing agents. It protects and cares for all skin types, young or old.
This all-rounder can be used universally, especially in combination with plant oils/fats containing linoleic and linolenic acid, which jojoba wax itself lacks. Conversely, jojoba wax extends the shelf life of fatty oils that are sensitive to oxidation.
Suitable for the following applications
Quoted from Ruth von Braunschweig: Plant oils. Über 50 starke Helfer für Genuss und Hautpflege!. Stadelmann Verlag, 2025. ISBN 978-3-943793-68-0 – By kind permission of Stadelmann Verlag.
