Let's Talk Oil: Jojoba

I’m kicking off this series with a discussion on jojoba oil. Jojoba oil is often brought up in the natural hair community however I don’t think most naturals really understand the benefits.

Jojoba oil (pronounced “ho-ho-ba”)  is extracted from jojoba seeds.  The plant itself produces flowers and is known to grow in North America. The chemical structure of jojoba makes it unique from all other plant-based “oils”.  Jojoba oil is actually a wax ester. The molecular structure is very similar to the structure of our natural skin oil. (refer to the diagram below)

Because of these similarities, jojoba oil is a better alternative for topical application.

This all sounds great so what does this really mean and how does it benefit OUR hair?

Because of its unique similarities to our natural sebum,  it’s great for applying to the scalp and hair. I’ve been using jojoba oil for three years, which is why I didn’t think twice about adding it to Sassy Curls Hair Oil. It is a lightweight, odorless oil that can be mixed with other carrier oils. I found that jojoba oil adds a nice shine to my hair and never feels greasy.

Here are other common usages for jojoba oil:

• Massage into hair/scalp to prevent dryness
• Helps with dandruff
• Use as a leave-in
• Hot oil treatment
• Helps to relieve eczema
• Controls frizz
• Face moisturizer
• Anti-fungal – used to treat athlete’s foot infections, warts and toenail fungal
• Sunburn relief
• Makeup removal