Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Irritancy: 0-0Comedogenicity: 2-2Emollient

Fungal-acne trigger

The details

Jojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure. Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight. Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture. Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%). Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing. Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries. Fungal acne: The Malassezia yeast is known to metabolize fatty acids in the C11-24 range and jojoba's dominant fatty acid components fall into this range. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.