By Alison Angold CIDESCO ITEC
The best substitute for jojoba oil is;
- Sweet Almond oil
- Hazelnut Oil
However, the following carrier oils also make good substitutes for jojoba oil;
- Evening primrose oil
- Avocado oil
- Peach kernel oil
- Rosehip oil
- Soybean oil
What is jojoba oil?
Jojoba oil is a type of carrier oil, meaning that it can be used on its own on the skin, or other ingredients – essential oils mainly – can be added to it, to create a beneficial facial or body oil.
Jojoba oil comes from the evergreen shrub found mainly in the deserts of California and Mexico. It is colourless and odourless, making it an excellent addition to skincare preparations. It has a thicker, balm like quality, so is a good ingredient to use in lip balms.
Each carrier oil comes with its own effects and benefits, so it can be a good idea to choose the correct one for your skin type, however, most carrier oils have a high vitamin content and contain essential fatty acids, so are all beneficial for the skin.
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The benefits of jojoba oil
- Smooth application
- Compatible with the skin
- Good for both dry and oily skins
- Helps to unblock pores
- Soothing for dry and inflamed skin
- High Vitamin E content
- Jojoba oil is classed as a liquid wax, rather than an oil. This makes it a very useful ingredient in lip balms and cleansing balms.
- Jojoba oil has a fine texture, which when applied to the skin, is smooth and not sticky or grainy. This also means that it absorbs easily into the skin – again another benefit of adding it to skincare preparations.
- It is useful for most skin types and conditions as its chemical structure is similar to the skins own oil – sebum.
- It is very moisturising and hydrating to any skin type, especially a dry and mature skin. Every skin type needs hydration to prevent surface dryness and prevent premature ageing.
- One of it’s most interesting and unique benefits is that it can help soften and unblock, blocked pores, so good for excessively oily skin.
- It makes a very useful addition to use in skincare products and facial oils.
- It can be more expensive than other oils.
Substitutes for jojoba Oil
Sweet almond oil
- It contains a high percentage of Vitamins, including A, B1, B2, B6 and E.
- This means that it will hydrate and smooth the skin
- It is suitable for more oily skin types due to the Vitamin A content.
- Can also give relief to sore or itching skin, and give some relief to sunburn.
- It is also high in essential fatty acids , which are essential to keep the cells and the body lubricated and functioning well.
- It is cold pressed for extraction so it is a very pure oil.
- It also keeps well, as vitamin E is a natural preservative, so any blends using sweet almond oil will have a good shelf life.
- Beneficial for both face and body oils
- More inexpensive than most other carrier oils
Sweet almond oil is probably the most common substitute for jojoba oil, and good all round oil to use on the skin – both for face and body.
Its high vitamin content makes it ideal to use in many face and body preparations, and as it is suitable for all skin types and reasonably priced, it makes a good choice for a base for essential oil recipes.
Hazelnut oil
- Rich in vitamins A, B and E
- High in linoleic and oleic acids, so good for dry skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
- Has a light, fine texture that absorbs and penetrates the skin easily
- Has a slight astringent property, so can help reduce excess oil production
- Can help soften and unblock pores
- Very moisturising and softening
- Non-greasy feel on the skin
A lesser used oil, Hazelnut oil makes a good substitute for Jojoba oil, as it can help congested skin and blocked pores, as does Jojoba oil.
The non-greasy texture also makes it pleasant to apply to the skin, and the fact that it suits all skin types, makes it a good base to use for both body and face preparations.
Hazelnut oil also gives natural sun protection – however should not be used as an alternative to SPF!
Evening primrose oil
- Very high in essential fats
- Excellent for dry, inflamed, ageing and damaged skins
- Has anti-inflammatory properties so useful for sensitive or inflamed skins
- Beneficial for relieving the symptoms of PMT.
This makes a great alternative to jojoba oil for the face or body. Evening primrose oil has long been associated with women and its ability to reduce the symptoms of pre-menstrual tension. It is high in linoleic acid and GLA, which are both essential for the body but not made by it so must be received by the diet – or in oil application.
Evening primrose oil would make a good base for hormone balancing body oil, and it is also useful used in blends for eczema, psoriasis, dry skin, ageing or damaged skin.
Avocado oil
- High in essential fatty acids
- Lubricates and enables cells and tissues to function
- Rich in vitamin A, B & D
- Natural antioxidant
- Absorbs the skin really well
- Aids cell renewal
- Excellent for dry and wrinkled skin
Avocado oil has a high content of essential fatty acids, and in addition contains lecithin which contains phospholipids. These are an essential part of all body membranes, so will help the cells and tissues of the body function well.
Avocado also has a high vitamin content being rich in vitamins A, B and particularly vitamin D. It is also a natural antioxidant which means that it helps to fight free radicals – the nasty things that invade and kill healthy body cells – and this also means that avocado oil will keep well too.
It has good penetration properties and has the ability to help with cell-regeneration in the skin, so this makes it ideal to soften and smooth dry, damaged or wrinkled skin conditions.
It also contains an ingredient called sterol, which will make it useful for hormonal related skin changes, such as acne or premature ageing skin.
Peach kernel oil
- Rich in vitamins A, B1, B2 & B6
- Protects and nourishes the skin
- More expensive than other oils
A lesser used oil, peach kernel oil has a similar structure and similar effects to sweet almond oil, so it is rich in vitamins A, B1, B2 and B6, and protects and nourishes the skin effectively.
While a good alternative to jojoba oil, as it makes a beneficial addition to a body or face oil blend, it can be more expensive than other oils.
Rosehip oil
- Ideal for a face oil blend
- Aids cell renewal so benefits dry or damaged skin
- Highly effective for anti-ageing
- More expensive
Rosehip is a popular choice to use as a base particularly for a facial oil, due to its cell-regenerating properties. Blended with specific essential oils it can make an effective solution aged or damaged skin tissue.
These effects also make it beneficial for treating wounds, scars, burns and eczema.
Rosehip can be more expensive due to its time and labour consuming extraction methods.
Soybean oil
- Rich in vitamin E
- High in essential fatty acids
- Softens and smooths the skin
- Protects the skin from dryness
- Suitable for all skin types
Soybean makes a useful addition to another carrier oil and as a substitute for jojoba oil.
It is beneficial to soften, smooth and moisturise the skin, and is often used alongside sweet almond oil in bath and body preparations.
It is widely cultivated for the food industry, and while safe to use on the skin, should not be used extensively, hence why I recommend to add it to another oil in a blend.
| About the Author Alison Angold is a fully qualified (certified) beauty therapist, massage therapist, and aromatherapist from the UK. She has over 25 years of experience in this industry and has worked in a variety of beauty salons, spa’s as well as running her own successful beauty and massage business. Her career has allowed her to treat many, many clients, with skincare concerns, medical conditions, and a whole variety of other ailments and issues, which has enabled her to work closely with essential oils, prescribing specific blends for these clients to help with these conditions. Her qualifications in the use of essential oils and aromatherapy, allow her to share this knowledge with others, in a safe, reliable way. |