Jojoba Oil: A Quick Look at an Amazing Plant with an Interesting History

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Jojoba is structurally and functionally much different than any other botanical product. Its unique array of pure monounsaturated liquid wax esters, consisting of long chains of fatty acids and alcohols is very unlike the large branched triglyceride molecules of all other seed oils. That’s a technical way of explaining why it’s not an “oil” in the traditional sense of the word.

Evergreen Jojoba trees resemble shrubs and are native to the Sonora Desert of Mexico, Arizona, and southern California, which where most of the world’s supply of Jojoba is still grown. There is some Jojoba being grown in other parts of South America, as well as in Australia and Israel, but even those crops were generated from original native cuttings.

The trees can grow up to 15 feet in height and have a very long lifespan of 100 to 200 years. As far back as the 1700s, Father Junipero Serra, who established the missions in California, wrote in his diary that Native Americans used the material they pressed from Jojoba seeds for its “mystical” treatment of cuts, scrapes, sunburn and dried out skin. As it turns out, they also chewed on the seeds to suppress their appetite. So don’t be surprised if you see a weight-loss supplement made from Jojoba in the not-too-distant future!

In 1934 University of Arizona chemists discovered that Jojoba was the only natural source of liquid wax esters, other than sperm whale oil. Up until that time, sperm whale oil (which consists of 85% esters) had been used in hundreds of cosmetic and lubrication products. But in the 60s and 70s, when it became apparent that whales were becoming an endangered species, Jojoba was rediscovered as a replacement. No doubt, this is why one major producer of Jojoba oil and products named its company Desert Whale Jojoba.

Ironically, the versatility of Jojoba’s many properties also made it useful for a variety of industrial applications one might commonly associate with petroleum ingredients like lubricants and lube additives, protective wax and polish coatings, fruit and vegetable coatings, cleaners, plasticizers, flame retardant textiles, and even some pharmaceuticals. But it’s most valued and primarily used for its properties as a skin care ingredient.

Ecologists acclaim Jojoba trees’ efficient use of the sun’s energy to convert air and water into pure liquid esters. Jojoba plants conserve water, prevent soil erosion, improve air quality, and the increase in production capacity has even helped save the sperm whales –the only other source of natural liquid wax esters. Jojoba is truly a renewable resource.

Special thanks to our supplier Purcell Jojoba International for providing most of this historical background information.