Jojoba oil
Jojoba oil is pressed from the seeds of Simmondsia chinensis, a desert shrub farmed in Arizona, Mexico, Israel, Argentina and Peru. Chemically it is a liquid wax made mostly of long-chain wax esters rather than triglycerides, which makes it very stable to oxidation. It is sold as golden (virgin) oil or refined to a clear, odorless oil, and also as hydrogenated jojoba beads and jojoba esters. Brands buy it almost entirely for cosmetics and personal care.
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Pressed and filtered oil with a golden color and mild odor.
Bleached and deodorized oil that is colorless and nearly odorless, for products where color matters.
Golden or refined oil from certified organic plantations.
Hydrogenated jojoba wax, often formed into colored beads for scrubs and cleansers.
Interesterified jojoba oil and hydrogenated jojoba with a range of melting points and textures.
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
Store sealed at room temperature away from direct heat and light; jojoba may cloud or solidify in the cold and clears on warming. It keeps longer than most plant oils, but shelf life is still set by the supplier specification, with acid value and peroxide value retested on aged stock.
Record grade (golden, refined, organic) and origin for each lot. Color varies naturally by harvest in golden oil, so set color limits that match your product.
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 310.527 names jojoba oil among ingredients marketed in OTC external hair grower or hair loss prevention products and states there is a lack of adequate data to establish general recognition of their safety and effectiveness for that use.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil as a non-medicinal, topical skin-conditioning (occlusive) ingredient, citing cosmetic use at 0.1% to 100%.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
Manufacturer · Chula Vista, CA
Producer of quillaja and yucca saponin extracts and cold-pressed jojoba oil, with operations in the US, Chile and Mexico, selling to food and beverage, personal care, animal nutrition and pharmaceutical customers.
Distributor · Des Plaines, IL
Illinois supplier of bulk oils, butters, waxes and soap-making bases, owned by Columbus Vegetable Oils, selling to soap makers and small personal care brands.
Manufacturer · Deerfield, IL
US oleochemical producer whose personal care unit (which absorbed Jeen International) sources, blends and refines natural oils and butters in cosmetic, food and pharma grades, and makes glycerin.
Suppliers are in alphabetical order and none pays to appear. Each claim is checked against the supplier’s own website on the date shown. Ask for the specification sheet and a recent COA before you order, and confirm details with the supplier.
Common forms include golden (virgin), refined (clear), organic, hydrogenated jojoba and beads and jojoba esters. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
Expect wax ester composition, acid value and peroxide value, iodine value, color, refractive index and specific gravity and microbiology, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
Store sealed at room temperature away from direct heat and light; jojoba may cloud or solidify in the cold and clears on warming. It keeps longer than most plant oils, but shelf life is still set by the supplier specification, with acid value and peroxide value retested on aged stock.
21 CFR 310.527 names jojoba oil among ingredients marketed in OTC external hair grower or hair loss prevention products and states there is a lack of adequate data to establish general recognition of their safety and effectiveness for that use. Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil as a non-medicinal, topical skin-conditioning (occlusive) ingredient, citing cosmetic use at 0.1% to 100%.
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