Jojoba esters are the hydrogenation or transesterification product of Jojoba oil.
Chemical structure
Jojoba esters are proper waxes; there is no
triglyceride component of jojoba esters.
Chemically, jojoba esters are a complex mixture of long chain
and
joined by an ester bond, resulting in a total length of 36 to 46 carbon atoms.
Jojoba esters are produced by the interesterification of jojoba oil,
hydrogenation jojoba oil, or a mixture of the two. Pure jojoba oil and pure hydrogenated jojoba oil are also correctly described as jojoba esters. The CTFA does not regard
partially-hydrogenated jojoba oil as jojoba esters. For this reason, jojoba esters must not contain any trans-unsaturation. Jojoba esters' chemical structure is very similar to that of human
sebum and of
whale oil.
Physical properties
Physically, jojoba esters are an odourless, colourless liquid, white cream, or hard white wax, with melting points ranging from 15 °C to 70 °C. Their texture and crystallinity may be modified by rapid cooling, thus altering their cosmetic properties. Jojoba esters are very resistant to
oxidation, more so than
castor oil,
coconut oil,
macadamia, even many fractions of
mineral oil.
Uses
Jojoba esters are mainly used as emollients in
cosmetics such as
,
shampoos and moisturizing lotions. Jojoba esters may be
Ethoxylation to form such water-soluble materials as PEG-150 Jojoba, PEG-120 Jojoba, or PEG-80 Jojoba. Jojoba esters are excellent botanical substitutes for
whale oil and its derivatives, such as
cetyl alcohol and
spermaceti. Hydrolyzed jojoba esters (HJEs) are created via a
saponification reaction which liberates more than 12 long chain fatty alcohols.
See also
