Make Jojoba Oil
Jojoba oil, made from a wax found in the seed of the jojoba (pronounced "ho-HO-bah") plant, is a tried-and-true moisturizer that helps sooth dry skin and fill in wrinkles. The jojoba plant is a wild bush found primarily in the Southwest and Mexico, and its seeds are gathered and pressed to remove the wax, commonly referred to as "oil" when used for cosmetic purposes. Learning make jojoba oil is a challenge, but can be a valuable enterprise for those wishing to control the purity of their jojoba oil, or hoping to start a small business producing jojoba oil.
Instructions
1. Find a source of jojoba plants. Jojoba can be found wild or can be purchased from garden centers and specialty nurseries.
2. Cultivate the jojoba seeds. These seeds are hard, light brown and pod-like, with a high wax content. Jojoba seeds are harvested after they ripen, typically in the summer.
3. Dry the seeds for one to two weeks. The jojoba seed is 54 percent wax, so the oil content is high, The moisture level should be approximately 10 percent.
4. Pour the dried jojoba seeds into an expeller press or seed press. Remove the resulting wax, which has the appearance of a light oil.
5. Discard the meal that remains from the seeds, taking care that no animal or human eats the meal. The meal is high in protein but also contains a substance called Simmondsin that is toxic if consumed.
6. Pour the extracted jojoba oil into glass containers with airtight lids. Use a glass eye dropper container if desired.
7. Store the jojoba oil in a dark, cool, dry cabinet. Jojoba does not turn rancid, unlike other cosmetic oils. Jojoba oil can be stored and used safely for an indefinite period of time.
8. Use jojoba oil as desired, on skin as a moisturizer, or as an eye makeup remover. Jojoba oil is valued by people with oily skin, as it does not block pores or cause acne. Jojoba oil can be added to other essential oils to prevent decay; essential oils with jojoba added do not go rancid as quickly as those without jojoba oil.
Tags: essential oils, jojoba seeds