Is Jojoba Oil Good for Hair? Oil You Need to Know for Men’s Hair Care

You may have seen jojoba oil on a shampoo label and wondered what the heck a “jojoba” is. While it may sound like an obscure Star Wars character, jojoba’s actually a desert plant native to the Southwestern U.S. and Northwestern Mexico. The seeds of this plant produce the liquid wax that’s known as jojoba oil.

But is jojoba oil good for hair, or is it just another ingredient with an excellent marketing department? In this guide, we’ll break down the potential benefits of jojoba oil and explain how to use it to maintain your luscious locks.

What’s Jojoba Oil?

Despite having “oil” in the name, jojoba isn’t technically an oil. It’s actually a liquid wax ester, which is a type of chemical compound made from an acid and an alcohol. 

Notably, human sebum also contains wax esters. These esters create a nongreasy layer that locks in your skin and hair’s existing hydration. Personal care products often contain jojoba oil as a moisturizing ingredient because it mimics natural sebum so well.

5 Jojoba Oil Benefits for Men’s Hair

So, what does jojoba oil do for your hair? It won’t give your mane any superpowers, but its waxy conditioning properties can make a noticeable difference in how your strands look and behave. Here are five key benefits.

1. Helps Hair Hold Onto Moisture and Feel Softer

The outer layer of human hair (cuticle) is made of tiny, overlapping scales. When moisturized, those scales lie flat and smooth. But when your hair loses moisture, those scales can curl up. Instead of a smooth feel, your hair ends up coarse and rough. Jojoba’s wax esters coat hair and help it hold onto internal moisture so it feels softer.

2. Reduces Friction Between Strands

Jojoba oil coats each hair fiber, which helps your comb glide through easily. That slip minimizes friction and prevents brittle strands from snapping as often. 

3. Increases Shine

Light reflects unevenly off a rough and jagged cuticle. When an oil or conditioning agent like jojoba coats the hair’s surface, it creates a flat surface that reflects light evenly to give it that advert-level shine.

4. Controls Frizzy Hair

Frizz shows up when humidity and static electricity cause dry strands to stray all over the place. A light coating of jojoba oil gently smooths the fibers, aligning them more neatly. It also seals the outside of the hair from absorbing ambient humidity from the air, reducing swelling and frizziness at the strand level.

5. May Improve the Appearance of Split Ends

Once a hair fiber has physically split, jojoba oil can’t permanently fuse it back together — you’ll need scissors to cut off those ends. But an oil coating can temporarily smooth your hairs and make split ends appear less obvious. By reducing friction between the strands, regular conditioning may also reduce some of the mechanical wear and tear that contributes to splitting over time.

How To Use Jojoba Oil for Your Hair

There’s more than one way to work jojoba oil into your routine, so it depends on whether you want a dedicated treatment or something you can sneak into your existing wash-day routine. Here’s a quick guide to help.

Apply It Directly Before Shampooing

For a concentrated treatment, work jojoba oil through dry hair before washing. One tablespoon should be enough for short hair, and two for longer hair, which you can spread from the mid-lengths to the ends. Leave it on for about 20 minutes before shampooing and conditioning as you normally would.

Use a Few Drops as a Leave-In Conditioner

If you want a quicker option, rub a few drops of jojoba oil between your palms and smooth them through clean, damp hair. You can also use a wide-toothed comb to spread it evenly. Use a little less if you have fine hair, as the oil can weigh down your hair easily. You can always add another drop if you have thicker or textured hair, but committing half the bottle to your mane on day one will probably send you straight to the shower for an unplanned shampoo. A small amount goes a long way.

Add It to Your Hair Conditioner

Jojoba oil doesn’t need to have its own starring role in your shower’s soap opera. Instead, add around three to five drops to a standard dose of conditioner, mix together in your palm, then apply and rinse as usual. Do this per use rather than pouring the oil into your conditioner bottle, as it can cause product separation or preservative failure. This is a great way to incorporate jojoba oil into your existing routine, especially if you want to experiment before committing to new products.

Use Hair Products Formulated With Jojoba Oil

The easiest option needs no DIY at all: Choose a shampoo, conditioner, or hair mask that already contains jojoba oil. There’s no measuring or mixing like a mad scientist in your bathroom lab, and jojoba oil instantly becomes part of your current hair care routine.

What To Know Before Using Jojoba Oil on Your Hair

Before jojoba oil joins your regular rotation, it’s worth knowing how your skin responds to it and what the ingredient can realistically do:

• Do a patch test first: Apply a small amount of jojoba oil to an inconspicuous area, like behind your ear, and see how it reacts after 15 to 20 minutes. Although uncommon, jojoba oil may still trigger an allergic reaction.

• Keep your expectations realistic: Jojoba can help as a conditioning ingredient for your hair, and your locks will appreciate the tender loving care. But it doesn’t support repair or regrowth.

Oil’s Well That Ends Well With Dr. Squatch’s Hair Care

If you’re looking to add jojoba oil to your routine, grab a Refreshing Hair Care Kit. All of Dr. Squatch’s classic shampoos and conditioner formulas feature jojoba oil along with other naturally derived ingredients for softer, smoother looking strands. Choose from a variety of masculine scent options like Fresh Falls and Wood Barrel Bourbon so your hair smells as good as it looks.

Explore our full Hair Care Collection to find the right shampoo, conditioner, or full kit for your locks.

FAQ

Can You Leave Jojoba Oil in Your Hair Overnight?

Yes, you can leave jojoba oil in your hair overnight before washing it out in the morning. This gives your hair more time to absorb the oil. However, it can also stain your sheets and pillow, so you may prefer to leave it on for the standard 20 minutes and wash it out before bed. If you leave it on overnight, apply a light coating to the lengths and ends (not the roots), cover your hair with a bonnet, and shampoo it out in the morning. 

Is Jojoba Oil Good for Curly Hair?

Jojoba can be a handy conditioning option for curly hair types. Sebum has a harder time traveling from curly roots to ends. A little jojoba oil on the mids and ends can make up for that lack of moisture.