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Deriving from the seed of the jojoba plant, jojoba oil can be found in a number of natural skin and hair care products.  While it is called jojoba oil, it is actually a wax extracted from the seed of the jojoba plant.  The primary reason why it can be found in many hair and skin products is because of its uncanny molecular resemblance to human sebum.

In order to break down the benefits of jojoba oil, it is important to first define a few key terms:

Sebum: Sebum is the ‘natural oil’ that many in the natural hair community fight long and hard to preserve through the use of sulfate-free shampoo and a host or other hair care practices.  Produced by the sebaceous glands, this natural oil (or wax) is designed to coat and protect the hair (and skin) from damage or drying out.  Because of the natural twists and curves of natural hair, the sebum cannot travel the entire length of the hair shaft resulting in dryer hair and a less brilliant sheen.

Wax:  A wax (in the case of plants) is designed to regulate the amount of water removed and stored within the structure.

As you can see, these two substances have similar purposes.

Benefits of jojoba oil
1.    Longer shelf life than other natural oils
2.    Prohibits the growth of fungus and can even limit the spread of fungal infections
3.    High in vitamin E
4.    Antioxidant

Uses for jojoba oil
1.    Carrier oil for essential oil blends
2.    Used in hair, skin and cosmetic formulations
3.    Deep conditioning treatment for hair.

Image credit: lannijonoba.com