Pure Jojoba Oil for Great Skin

I’ve been raving about jojoba oil for natural skin care. No, it won’t make those age spots go away–you need a chemical peel for that–or those deep frown lines disappear–botox please. But I swear that jojoba oil makes my skin look almost dewy and glowing.

I'm close to declaring that those wrinkles I see under the harsh bathroom lights are miraculously gone.

Jojoba oil is chemically different than most other vegetable-derived oils. It is actually a liquid wax not an oil, although it looks like an oil at room temperature. Jojoba does not oxidize or become rancid as many other oils do. Almond and flaxseed oils for example must be refrigerated and lose their beneficial properties if heated. Jojoba oil can be heated and remains as is–no degradation. That’s one of these reasons it’s perfect in the world of skin care.

I happen to have dry skin that is probably going to get dryer as time marches on. Even if you have oily skin, jojoba oil may work wonders for you too because of its similarity to the skin’s own natural oils. Jojoba oil forms what is called a lipid layer on the skin and is also absorbed into the outer layers of the dermis to moisturize the skin. Like most moisturizers, it needs to be reapplied during the day.

When buying jojoba oil look for 100% pure jojoba oil in a golden yellow color.

The folks at The Jojoba Company explain the difference between pure jojoba and refined jojoba:

Refined jojoba is clear or "water-like" in appearance. It has been de-colored, deodorized, stabilized, neutralized, and de-gummed. Synthetic vitamin E may have be added to refined jojoba to replace natural tocopherols destroyed during refining. Refined jojoba is obtained from one of three sources: (a) poor quality jojoba seed, (b) presscake remaining after the first pressing, and (c) jojoba which has been solvent extracted from meal remaining after the second pressing. The refining process essentially strips unrefined jojoba of its natural goodness. Refined jojoba is a byproduct, which manufacturers most often use in formulations of nationally marketed personal care products.

Also note that Jojoba is sold in organic and “regular” versions. It is non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores) and hypoallergenic. No adverse side effects have ever been reported from using jojoba oil either.

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