Jojoba oil is a golden ingredient for skincare, with an intrinsic ability to mimic your skin's natural oils. Designed by Mother Nature, it is perhaps one of the most intuitive and biocompatible moisturizers on Earth.
The benefits of jojoba oil have been relied on for centuries by the people of the Sonoran Desert, and now it's become an integral ingredient in modern skincare. It's soothing and repairing, offering concentrated (but never clogging) moisturizing properties. With so much packed into every drop, it's no wonder jojoba oil is having a well-deserved skincare renaissance.
The following offers a closer look into this botanical wonder, from its past to its present. We cover all the benefits of jojoba oil for skincare and offer a few suggestions on how to incorporate it into your own routine.
Meet Jojoba Oil: Nature's Skin Harmonizer
Jojoba oil is a powerful natural oil extracted from the seeds of the jojoba plant, Simmondsia Chinensis. It is also referred to as goat nut, deer nut, gray box bush, pignut, wild hazel, quinine nut, and coffeeberry. This hardy shrub is native to the arid deserts across the American Southwest and Mexico.
Although commonly called "jojoba oil," it's technically a liquid wax ester. Unlike similar oil-producing botanicals like olives or apricot kernels, this liquid wax ester makes up a remarkable 50% of the seed's weight. The final oil is 98% pure wax esters, giving it a uniquely rich and concentrated composition.
One of jojoba oil's most beneficial characteristics is its similarity to our natural skin oils, called sebum. This molecular similarity means jojoba oil is readily absorbed by the skin, leaving no greasy residue. This also helps explain why it is non-comedogenic (doesn't clog pores). Your skin recognizes jojoba as its own natural moisturizer, making it compatible with all skin types.
Rooted in Tradition: A Look at Jojoba Through the Ages
Despite its pop culture cache these days, jojoba oil is by no means a new discovery. It has an astonishing history rooted in Native American traditional medicine that spans centuries, if not longer, before it was ever noted by Europeans or listed on modern skincare labels.
For centuries, the indigenous communities of the Sonoran Desert, particularly the O'odham and Cahuilla peoples, used jojoba oil as a powerful skin remedy. Its modern name, "jojoba," actually derives from the O'odham word "Hohowi," their word for the seed.
Traditional preparation involved harvesting the jojoba fruit, heating the seeds in hot ashes until oil seeped out, and grinding them to create a salve-like consistency. Indigenous peoples traditionally used jojoba oil mixtures to treat burns, wounds, and sores, supporting the healing process.
These days, most jojoba oil (especially that used for skincare) is cold-pressed to preserve more of its beneficial properties, not to mention capture its gorgeous golden color.
These time-honored rituals and preparations captured jojoba's natural anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, helping calm irritated skin and promote healing. Today, scientific studies may confirm its topical benefits—which support these ancient uses—but we cannot forget that Indigenous peoples have long recognized the value of this desert-born seed.
The Balancing Benefits of Jojoba Oil
Lightweight, nutrient-rich, and dialed into your skin's natural oil composition, jojoba oil is one of nature's most beautifully balanced skincare ingredients. With every application, jojoba oil for skin helps support its resilience (and we can't forget its benefits in hair care as well!).
Mimics Skin's Natural Oils
Because of its unique molecular make-up, jojoba oil is chemically very similar to human sebum (the skin's natural oil). This allows jojoba oil to easily absorb into the skin, and it has even been shown to help regulate excess oil production.
A 2022 study revealed that a jojoba oil-based skincare routine resulted in a 23–35 percent reduction in sebum content in participants after 28 days, suggesting that jojoba oil may play a role in managing certain types of acne.
Doesn't Clog Pores
Many people assume that oil-based skincare will clog pores and lead to more breakouts. However, jojoba oil is actually non-comedogenic and non-acnegenic. Based on the skincare industry's comedogenic scale, which ranks ingredients from 0 to 5, jojoba oil is rated at 2, indicating a low risk of pore clogging.
Its wax ester structure allows it to fill gaps between skin cells and retain moisture without creating a thick film, allowing the skin to breathe while also reducing pore blockage.
Rich in Vitamin E
Jojoba oil also contains a natural concentration of vitamin E. In fact, of all the vitamins found in this rich moisturizer, vitamin E makes up 79 percent of the total amount.
Vitamin E is one of the most potent ingredients in skincare because it protects the skin from oxidative stress, which is part of the reason why proper jojoba oil can help repair your natural skin barrier. And let's not forget that a daily skincare routine rich in vitamin E can improve collagen production, calm irritation, reduce redness, and boost skin elasticity.
Soothing and Anti-Inflammatory Properties
A paper published in 2017 reported that jojoba oil's high wax ester content made it an excellent contender for helping to soothe the symptoms of a damaged skin barrier. While more research is needed, this does suggest that anyone prone to acne or managing conditions like dermatitis may see some benefit from looking for this golden moisturizer on skincare labels.
Its calming qualities are also attributed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, which are currently under investigation across a spectrum of skin conditions.
Bonus: It's Great for Hair
Did you know that jojoba oil for hair is yet another application of this desert-grown ingredient? It is already widely incorporated in many shampoos and conditioners,
Just like it can for the skin, jojoba oil for hair has a unique ability to moisturize the scalp without leaving behind a greasy residue. It is also thought to rehydrate brittle, dry hair and protect against breakage.
Bringing Jojoba Oil Into Your Wellness Ritual
Integrating jojoba oil into your daily skincare routine is a gentle yet effective way to restore balance and replenish your skin's natural barrier. This all-natural botanical delivers deep nourishment without the grease and comes packed full of soothing properties to leave your skin feeling totally rejuvenated.
Jojoba Oil-Infused Unwind Bath Gems
What's one of the simplest ways to bring jojoba oil into your routine? Toss one of our jojoba oil-infused effervescent mineral Bath Gems into a steamy hot bath. Spend an hour or more luxuriating as the botanicals get to work, locking in moisture and enhancing your radiant glow.
Ultra Concentrated Beyond Body Oil
Or, for a more hands-on approach, try our Beyond Body Oil. A little goes a long way. Add a few drops to your hands, then take a few moments to gently massage them into your skin.
Then, during times when your skin needs extra care—such as the cyclical dryness that occurs during the menstrual phase—Beyond Body Oil can also serve as a deeply soothing facial oil. Wondering how to use jojoba oil for your face? Start with a few drops, one or twice a week, as the final step to your routine.
And its versatility knows no bounds. A few drops of Beyond Body Oil massaged into the scalp as a leave-in treatment can help reduce irritation and scalp dryness. Leave it in for at least 30 minutes before washing it out.
Soothing Skin Therapy Body Butter
If you’re managing especially dry and dehydrated skin, tap into the power of Skin Therapy, an ultra-rich body butter with not just one, but five organic oils and botanical butters. Alongside soothing botanical terpenes, this is the perfect product for dry patches, helping to calm irritation, and is suitable for all skin types.
Experience Supple, Resilient Skin With Jojoba Oil
It is true what they say: Mother Nature knows best. Golden, lightweight, and deeply nourishing, jojoba oil is one of nature’s most intuitive moisturizers. Its ability to mirror the skin’s own oils makes it a powerful ally in restoring balance and resilience.
At Prima, we choose ingredients with intention, and jojoba oil is no exception. Responsibly sourced from trusted growers and chosen for its skin-compatible, naturally balancing properties, jojoba oil plays a vital role in our mission to support whole-body wellness.
