Jojoba

Simmodsia chinensis

Jojoba is a woody perennial shrub grown mainly in desert regions in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.

The jojoba oil has healing and antimicrobial properties. The American Indians used it to treat wounds and traumas and keep their skin healthy. Today the jojoba oil is widely used in cosmetology.

It has moisturizing properties and the chemical composition of jojoba, closely resembles the natural sebum of the skin, is easily absorbed and rarely causes allergic reactions, even to the most sensitive individuals.

The oil of jojoba is actually composed of liquid wax esters, i.e. essentially vegetable wax rather than oil. The natural body sebum also contains wax esters, which act as a sort of natural moisturizer and environmental barrier to protect the skin.

However, the wax ester production steadily declines with age, making the skin look dull and highlighting wrinkles. The reduced content of the ester into the skin can also lead to the development of conditions such as psoriasis, dandruff and acne rosacea.

Also, jojoba oil helps treat acne, because it helps reduce sebum production, but also protects the skin against harmful bacteria.

The jojoba oil contains vitamin E, B vitamins, and minerals silicon, chromium, copper and zinc. It also contains much iodine, of which perhaps the jojoba has acquired the ability to fight bacterial and fungal infections.Apart from the acne jojoba has been traditionally used to treat ulcer healing, for oral herpes, athlete’s foot and warts.

The jojoba oil became very important for the cosmetics industry in the 1970s, when it was banned whaling and whale sperm oil was no longer available. Today thousands of tons of jojoba oil are produced each year in the United States and the majority of them are sold at a high price for cosmetic use.

Researchers have started looking for other uses for the jojoba.