Is jojoba oil ?
Jojoba oil’s rating, who rated it, and what the lab tests can’t tell you.
on labels: Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
Who rated it
- ✓ Fulton 1989
- Acne Specialists list
- acne.org list
| Source | Rating | What was tested |
|---|---|---|
| Fulton 1989 | 0 to 2 of 5, low (depends on the supplier) | 10% in propylene glycol |
| Acne Specialists list | not listed | a list, not a test |
| acne.org list | not listed | a list, not a test |
| Morris & Kwan 1983 | didn't test it | not counted |
A study only counts for the ingredients it tested. A list counts for every ingredient: on it means it flags it. How we count agreement →
Question about this rating? Email us about Jojoba oil (contact@acneingredientchecker.com)What this means in practice
- It was tested at , on rabbits. Fulton mixed it into and put it on the inner ears of rabbits. Their skin reacts more than ours, so the tends to overstate the risk.
- A pure oil is much stronger. A face oil that is only jojoba is 100% jojoba, ten times what was tested. The test can’t tell you how that behaves on your face.
- Fulton marked this result as depending on the supplier: two jojoba oils can test differently.
- It’s a liquid wax, not a true oil. It comes from the seeds of a desert shrub. Fulton listed it with the waxes, not the oils.
- Where it sits on the label matters. Near the top usually means more of it. Near the bottom, there’s usually much less.
Watch the label
Not every jojoba ingredient has the same rating.
- Sulfated jojoba oil is a chemically changed form of jojoba oil, rated on its own. Fulton rated it 3 out of 5 (moderate), and the Acne Specialists list names it.
- Jojoba butter (Simmondsia Chinensis Butter) is a separate ingredient too. The Acne Specialists list names it; none of the lab studies here tested it.
Check the exact name on your label: a rating for one doesn’t carry over to the other.
What about fungal acne?
If you have fungal acne (), jojoba oil may not be a good fit.
It’s a liquid wax, not a true oil, but that didn’t stop the yeast: in a lab study, every of the fungal-acne yeast that was tested grew on jojoba oil.
Fed the yeast in a lab test
Dobler 2019: M. furfur grew (both strains); M. sympodialis grew (all 4 strains); M. globosa grew (both strains); M. restricta grew. Lab agar with the ingredient as the only fat, at 2–10% in dimethicone or water, or undiluted (the table doesn’t say which). Checked at 7 and 14 days.
A lab result, not a promise about your skin. Check a list for fungal acne →
Check a whole product
One ingredient is only part of the story. Paste the full ingredient list into the checker to see every flagged ingredient, where it sits on the label, and how many sources agree.
Common questions
Is jojoba oil comedogenic?
It’s rated low: Fulton’s 1989 lab test gave it 0 to 2 out of 5. This site counts a 2 as a flag, shown as “rated low”. No test can promise an ingredient is non-comedogenic for your skin.
Can pure jojoba oil cause breakouts?
It might. No study we use tested pure jojoba oil. A pure jojoba oil is 100% jojoba, ten times the 10% Fulton tested. If your skin is oily or breaks out easily, try it on one small area first and give it a few weeks before using it all over your face.
Is jojoba oil OK for fungal acne?
It may not be. In a 2019 lab study (Dobler), all 9 strains of Malassezia, the yeast behind fungal acne, grew on jojoba oil. In the same study, none grew on caprylic/capric triglyceride. These are lab results, not promises about your skin. If you think you have fungal acne, a doctor can check.
What’s the difference between jojoba oil and sulfated jojoba oil?
Sulfated jojoba oil is a chemically changed form of jojoba oil, rated on its own. Fulton rated it 3 out of 5 (moderate), higher than jojoba oil’s 0 to 2.
Sources on this page
- Fulton 1989: Comedogenicity and irritancy of commonly used ingredients in skin care products. Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists 40(6):321–333 (Nov/Dec 1989)
- Acne Specialists list: Pore-Clogging Ingredients Checker list, Acne Specialists (acnespecialists.com)
- acne.org list: Common Comedogenic Ingredients, acne.org (Dan Kern)
- Morris & Kwan 1983: Use of the rabbit ear model in evaluating the comedogenic potential of cosmetic ingredients. Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists 34(5):215–225 (Aug 1983)
- Dobler 2019: Impact of selected cosmetic ingredients on common microorganisms of healthy human skin. Cosmetics 6(3):45 (2019), open access, CC BY 4.0. DOI: 10.3390/cosmetics6030045
What to do next
- Patch-test first Try a new product on a small area.
- Give it a few weeks Skin takes time to show changes.
- See a doctor if it hurts Painful or widespread acne needs care. Read about acne: NHS · AAD
Not medical advice. Flags are a screening aid, not a diagnosis. The amount and the formula both matter.
Comedogenic
Likely to clog pores. A clogged pore is called a comedo: a blackhead or a whitehead.
INCI name
The official ingredient name printed on labels. Plant ingredients use their Latin name, like Simmondsia Chinensis for jojoba.
The 0 to 5 scale
Fulton’s score for how many clogged pores an ingredient caused in the test: 0 is none, 5 is a lot. On this site, 3 and up “may clog pores” and 2 is “rated low”.
Fulton 1989
James E. Fulton Jr., of the Acne Research Institute in California, rated about 220 skincare ingredients in 1989. Many pore-clogging lists still copy his numbers.
Rabbit-ear test
A rabbit’s inner ear forms clogged pores within two weeks, so many ingredients could be compared quickly. Its skin reacts more than ours, so the test tends to overstate the risk.
Tested at 10%
Fulton tested most ingredients at the same strength, 10%, so the results could be compared. A real product can hold more or less.
Propylene glycol
A clear liquid that Fulton mixed most ingredients into before testing.
Depends on the supplier
Fulton starred results that changed with the company that supplied the raw ingredient. Two jojoba oils can differ.
Fungal acne (Malassezia)
Malassezia is a yeast that lives on most people’s skin. When it overgrows in hair follicles, it can cause bumps that look like acne.
Strain
A lab-grown line of one yeast species. Strains of the same species can react differently, so a study tests several.