Jojoba oil is a vegetable oil obtained from the crushed bean of the jojoba shrub. Its botanical name is Simmondsia chinenis. The jojoba shrub is native to the Sonoran Desert of Mexico and regions in Arizona and southern California.
Native Americans have used jojoba for hundreds of years - for treatment of sores, cuts, bruises and burns - as a diet supplement and an appetite suppressant when food was not available - as a skin conditioner for soothing wind/sunburn - as hair and scalp treatments. Jojoba appears to be a very diverse plant indeed.
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The chemical structure of jojoba oil is different from that of other vegetable oils. Rather than being an oil, it is actually a polyunsaturated liquid wax that is similar to sperm whale oil, though without the fishy odour. Jojoba has a nutty smell and is pleasant to apply on the face. Jojoba oil is liquid at room temperature because of its unsaturated fatty acids. It does not oxidize or become rancid and does not break down under high temperatures or pressures. The stablility shown by jojoba oil makes it especially useful for cosmetic applications.
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Jojoba is completely miscible with the natural sebum of the skin, and when used on the skin, it forms a very thin, non-greasy lipoid layer. This layer is partially porous and provides exceptional trans-epidermal respiration and moisture control. This affinity jojoba has with our own natural sebum means that we can apply it even on oily skin, as it will assist in balancing the oily activity and help with blocked pores. It is even anti-bacterial. Compare the chemical structure of our skin's sebum with that of jojoba oil's :
Skin sebum : CH3(CH2)14COO(CH2)24CH3
Jojoba oil : CH3(CH2)18COO(CH2)20CH3
Sebum is secreted by our human sebaceaous glands to protect our skin and hair. When sebum production decreases due to age, pollutants, or environmental stresses, jojoba oil can be used to replicate sebum oil.
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Unlike greasy occlusive materials such as petrolatum, mineral oils and some lanolin products, jojoba oil provides an absolutely non-tacky, non-oily and non-greasy softening to the skin. It also significantly reduces tran-epidermal water loss, without totally blocking the transpiration of gases and water vapour. So, it prevents dehydration and therefore is anti-wrinkle and anti-aging!
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When we use powerful astringents to rid the over activity of oiliness that our skin produces we are in fact making the situation worse. We take away the natural sebum and can interfere with the acid mantle of our skin. We need sebum - a thin sheen of oil on our skin to nourish and protect it from the elements. Without this our skin will become dry, flaky and blemishes will also result. Jojoba can help you create a balance of your own skin's production of nautral sebum.
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The potential therapeutic uses of jojoba oil include the treatment of acne, cold sores and is wonderful for people who suffer from sensitive skin condtions, including psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema, dandruff (scalp treatment).
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