Jojoba Oil - A Cosmetic, Moisturizer and Skin Treatment

In the late '60's and early '70's, an event happened to bring natural jojoba oil into the limelight of cosmetic research and development. As people started to become more "environmentally conscious" and realized the finite limitations on many of the world's resources. These nations identified endangered plant and animal species around the world, and soon outlawed the hunting and harvesting of these species and prohibited the use of any materials derived from these sources. Among the endangered species was the sperm whale, whose spermaceti waxes, a mixture of long chain esters, was greatly valued for its functionality in cosmetic applications. Scientists looking to the past, re-discovered jojoba oil. Native Americans have used jojoba for hundreds of years. In the 1700s, Father Junipero Serra, the founder of 21 California missions, noted in his diary that the Native Americans were using the oil and the seeds for many different purposes: for treating sores, cuts, bruises, and burns; as a diet supplement and as an appetite suppressant when food was not available; as a skin conditioner, for soothing windburn and sunburn; as a cooking oil; as a hair or scalp treatment and hair restorative; and as a coffee-like beverage by roasting the seeds. Jojoba oil could not only replace the spermaceti waxes in all applications, but discovered that jojoba oil was actually superior to it.

The importance of jojoba oil derives from its similarity to the natural restorative oil produced by the sebaceous glands in the dermal layers of the skin. Jojoba oil is non-allergenic and will not clog the pores.

Jojoba oil will help reverse damage to the epidermis caused by harsh soaps, facial washes, and irritation from topical medications. Jojoba oil also helps replace moisture lost from the use of facial washes and topical medications. It is beneficial in enhancing skin healing (cell division and growth) within the middle layer of the epidermis. Jojoba Oil helps balance sebum excretion (related to acne) and helps normalize keratin sloughing off from the dermis (related to acne).