The OGEE Sculpted Lip Oils are insanity. Formulated with jojoba oil, coconut oil, shea butter, olive oil and castor oil – they are super moisturizing and won’t dry out lips. It’s like a color infused conditioner and I can’t get enough.

What is Jojoba Oil?

Jojoba Oil has anti-inflammatory properties and is therefore great for inflamed, irritated and acne-prone skin (1). And as far as application goes, it doesn’t leave skin feeling greasy AT ALL. The non-greasy factor is really the main reason I love when brands formulate with jojoba because I don’t want to walk around feeling like Slick Rick. Can I get an amen!?

First of all let’s clear the air. It’s HO-HO-BA or HA-HO-BA ya’ll. Don’t be out there saying JA-JO-BA unless you are also ordering KAY-SA-DILLAS instead of quesadillas and blackened SAL-MAN FAJ-ETAS instead of salmon fajitas.

Jojoba oil is produced from the seed of an evergreen shrub called the jojoba plant which is native to the desert regions of Mexico, southwest United States, the Middle East and Argentina. And its seed contains 50-60% pure oil.

Native Americans near the border of Arizona and Mexico were the first to use jojoba. They knew the plant by hohowi, which in Spanish became “jojoba.” Indigenous people used jojoba as medicine and also in food – similar to how olive oil was used in Europe. And they attributed mystical powers to it claiming jojoba oil could alleviate a host of ailments and cure cuts, scratches and open sores (5).

And how about this. Jojoba is actually not an oil at all. Chemically speaking it’s 97% liquid wax – although you may see it named as either an “oil” or a “wax” on an ingredient label.

Benefits of Jojoba Oil

When you list them together, the benefits of using jojoba oil are pretty impressive and it’s easy to understand why jojoba oil is such a popular cosmetic ingredient.

To get technical, it’s loaded with fatty acids (linoleic, oleic, arachidic, 11-eicosenoic and palmitic acids). Deficiency of fatty acids can cause severe damage to the skin. 

Along with delivering a cornucopia of fatty acids, here’s how all the benefits shake out…

• Especially useful for moisture control, protection and emolliency (softening and smoothing).
• It has a long shelf life because it does not oxidize, become rancid or breakdown under high temps or pressures).
• Improves skin’s elasticity and alleviates dryness.
• Unclogs pores and lifts impurities from the skin.
• Components like tocopherols reduce wrinkles, stretch marks, lighten + heal scars.
• It’s biomimetic meaning jojoba’s chemical composition is similar to sebum which is secreted by human sebaceous glands to lubricate and protect skin and hair.
• Nontoxic and hypoallergenic.
• It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-degenerative properties.

How to buy and incorporate Jojoba Oil

If you are buying jojoba from the store, look for one that is 100% organic (free from GMOs and harmful insecticides), cold-pressed and unrefined (which ensures the oil doesn’t lose any of its beneficial properties), and 100% pure (not cut or mixed with another low quality oil). Unrefined jojoba oil is a clear golden liquid with a faint nutty odor.

Jojoba oil is sustainable

In general, jojoba oil is considered a sustainable resource. It naturally grows in the desert and requires very little water compared to other high-water consuming crops like olive, almond and more.