Why You Need Jojoba Oil For Your Beard

A lot of guys are starting to realize that buying proprietary beard products is not only expensive, but that they are also packed full of chemicals that don’t really do you any good.

So a lot of men are starting to follow the lead women have taken with beauty products for years, and are now turning to take a look at natural ingredients and products, to try and understand if they could be simpler, cheaper and more effective.

Something which is becoming more in vogue at the moment is Jojoba oil. It has a long history of health benefits, including some scientifically researched and confirmed hair and skin benefits.

The benefits of Jojoba oil for beard health and growth seem to have some basis in fact, so let’s take an in-depth look right now at what those facts are, and how you can use Jojoba oil to maintain a great looking beard.

Pronounced “Ho-ho-buh”, the Jojoba plant is scientifically known as Simmondsia chinensis. It grows primarily in Mexico and the southern United States. However it is also cultivated in many other countries now, such as India, China and Egypt, so don’t rule out Jojoba oil from those locations if you are buying it.

It’s growth in mass cultivation and use in cosmetics have become extensive in the past 30 years since the banning of whale oil, which up until that point had been the primary waxy oil used as a base in many beauty products.

But it’s use as a natural beauty treatment extends back hundreds of years. The indigenous people of Mexico and the southern United States used it extensively, and this was noted by European missionaries.

The fallen seeds were collected, heated up to soften them, and then crushed to form a buttery paste. This was then applied to the skin and hair, as well as being used for medicinal purposes.

So not only has jojoba oil got a long track record as a beauty treatment, but it is now one of the primary cosmetic ingredients used. Take a look at most beard balms and you will see this is the case, which makes it a no-brainer to use it on its own.

Jojoba oil is a liquid wax ester that is very close in structure to a substance that our skin produces naturally in our sebaceous glands, called sebum. This oil keeps our skin supple, soft healthy and also conditions and protects the hair and follicles.

It’s so close to the construction of human sebum oil that it has even been investigated as a major ingredient for artificial sebum development.

Consisting mostly of heavy long chain fatty acids and alcohols, it is an incredibly rich oil, the structure of which means that it has a huge number of potential benefits on the human skin and hair:

1. Jojoba oil can help to disperse our natural sebum oil from follicles, strengthening hair growth and making the skin less greasy.
2. It is a natural moisturizer with strong emollient properties, which can keep the skin sealed and moisturized for up to 24 hours.
3. Jojoba oil has anti-inflammatory properties which can soothe inflamed skin and follicles. Inflamed hair follicles are a major cause of thinner and weaker hair growth, which is obviously something you need to avoid if you want to have a great looking beard.
4. It is antibacterial and antioxidant, which can keep the skin and hair follicles clear of infections that can affect hair and skin health.
5. Jojoba oil contains nutrients, minerals and vitamins that can help to condition the skin and hair.
6. Because it is close to the sebum oil we produce, it is highly unlikely to react badly with the skin.
7. Because it is mostly constructed from unsaturated fats, it more easily penetrates and smooths the hair, giving your beard that smooth, straight and luxurious look and feel.

As well as skin benefits, Jojoba oil is good for the hair generally. Naturally our hair weakens as it grows because of hygral fatigue, which is where the hair swells and shrinks as it gets wet and then dries.

Jojoba oil helps to combat this because when it is smoothed into the hair shaft it closes the hair surface, helping to retain moisture and minimize damage. So it’s a combination of benefits to the health of the skin, and nourishment and protection of the hair that makes this oil is so unique.

So now you know how brilliant Jojoba oil can be for your beard and skin, let’s look at how you can apply it to best effect.

First you should put some oil in a bowl and gently microwave it to make it warm, but not hot.

Then add a small amount to each of your fingertips and start to stroke them through the beard. Don’t use too much as you can saturate your skin and hair.

Work your fingertips into the skin to get the oil around the hair and follicles as well. Don’t press too hard or rub excessively, it should be a gentle stroking and massaging action.

At its most basic, that is all there is to it. The result will be an instantly smoother and thicker looking beard. Over time, your skin health will also improve, adding to the effect.

You don’t have to wash Jojoba oil out of your beard if you have been very conservative in its application. But if you want to wash it out, you can do so using a mild shampoo after about 30 minutes.

There are several ways you can create a routine to maintain your beard health that includes Jojoba oil.

The simplest way is to add some to your shampoo. You can then wash your beard with it. Alternatively, or in addition, you can also add it to conditioner and condition your beard.

Or as we have previously said, you can apply it neat directly to your beard and skin. You could do this every night to soak in while you sleep, or every morning to give your beard a good look for the day.

But a word of caution here. It is very rich and because it is so packed full of nutrients, excessive use will not benefit you, and could leave your beard feeling a bit greasy. Therefore, most routines seem to recommend using it once a day in some form or another.

A top tip is to apply the oil to a clean beard. So even if you are not using it within your shampoo, it’s a great idea to wash your face before you apply it. This is because it can remove dandruff, grease and impurities, allowing the oil to penetrate more easily.

Jojoba is often the carrier oil in proprietary beard balm. Another common one is coconut oil.

As we have already seen, it is used as a carrier oil because it is so close to human sebum oil, is nutrient rich and easily absorbed.

On top of that, if it’s used for shaving then it’s healing and moisturizing properties can help with cuts and rashes.

You can also make your own beard balm recipes using Jojoba oil as the carrier. A very simple to make beard balm recipe that you can make in 10 minutes is:

Basic Brilliant Butter Beard Balm Recipe

The ingredients you will need are:

• 100g of shea butter
• 20g of coconut oil
• 10 drops of jojoba oil
• 5 drops of almond oil

You can also add to this a few drops of an essential oil. There are lots to choose from, so experiment to see which feels best on your skin.

Simply place all the ingredients in a bowl and microwave gently for a few seconds. Stir them together to form a paste and then transfer to a screw top container using a spoon.

That’s it. It really is that simple, and you are using most of the ingredients in high-priced proprietary beard balms, but without any unhealthy additives. Take a look on a big site like Amazon and note the common ingredients in the proprietary beard balms. Then you can buy the ingredients individually and create your own blends for a fraction of the cost.

You have to be careful not to get Jojoba oil that has been intensively farmed, or uses pesticides and chemicals. You are looking for guaranteed and certified 100% organic Jojoba oil.

On top of that, you are also looking for cold-pressed and unrefined Jojoba oil. Doing this will ensure that none of the nutrients have been removed during the creation process.

Currently you can buy Jojoba oil in this pure form on Amazon.com for around $10 for 4oz. So it is cheap, especially when you are only going to use a few drops at a time.

You can also buy the other ingredients you would need to make homemade beard balm on Amazon for very little cost as well. Put together, you could create an effective homemade balm for around a 10th of the price of buying one in a supermarket, and that is better for your beard.

The bottom line here is that there is significant evidence that Jojoba oil is awesome for the beard and skin underneath it. So with it being so cheap to buy, and so easy to use on its own, or with other ingredients, why not spend some time experimenting to get your own take?