Skip to main content

Does jojoba oil really help with hair growth?

Your complete hair guide to jojoba oil

a flatlay of personal hygiene products
Monstera Production / Pexels

Essential oils have been having several moments in recent years. Lauded for everything from helping our homes smell heavenly to aiding in personal appearance, some oils are touted as “miracle cures” for hair loss and regrowth. Castor oil is often mentioned in hair growth products, including for men noticing receding hairlines. However, another oil is also mentioned among the ingredients, “guaranteed” to prevent and reverse hair loss.

First, there are no miracle cures or guarantees for hair loss prevention or reversal. There’s no such oil as an absolute “hair growth oil.” Genetics, age, and health are all factors out of our control. However, is there any validity to the idea that men might benefit from jojoba oil for hair strengthening and regrowth? TL;DR: The research is hairy. Let’s get into the weeds.

a man using essential oil
doTERRA International, LLC / Pexels

What is jojoba oil?

Jojoba (pronounced ho-ho-ba) oil comes from the Simmondsia chinensis plant, a native shrub in Arizona, California, and Mexico. Since Simmondsia chinensis thrives in warm, dry climates, you can also find the shrub in Argentina, Australia, and Egypt. Jojoba oil has a waxy texture and earthy, almost nutty, scent. One of the most popular uses for jojoba oil is in personal care products, including cosmetics and haircare products (including items for the mane on your head, plus facial hair).

man in leather jacket full head of hair
Andrea Piacquadio / Pexels

Can jojoba oil prevent hair loss?

The old cliche is that “prevention is the best medicine.” Can you prevent hair loss, and is jojoba oil a tool to try? The truth is that there isn’t a hard-and-fast answer. Factors like genetics will play into if and when you lose hair (ditto for graying hair, by the way). However, that doesn’t mean using jojoba oil for hair loss prevention is based on woo-woo. The composition of jojoba oil is behind the hype the ingredient gets as a hair growth oil.

Jojoba oil is packed with nourishing vitamins and minerals, including:

  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin E
  • B vitamins
  • Copper
  • Zinc

Since jojoba oil is rich in vitamins and minerals, people believe the ingredient strengthens and moisturizes hair. Dry hair is more challenging to break off, so your mane remains full and thick.

Research supports the idea that jojoba oil helps keep hair well hydrated. As a bonus, the hydration may help to alleviate dandruff.

Because jojoba oil might help strengthen hair, manufacturers have put the ingredient in hair growth products. However, preventing hair loss and reversing that receding hairline are different. Little evidence supports the idea that jojoba oil can supercharge hair growth or reverse loss. In fact, some data points to the opposite. Research from 2014 even noted that people saw better results with Rogaine and peppermint oil.

If hair growth and loss reversal is the goal, you might want to save your money and skip jojoba oil. However, if you’re looking for strong, smooth hair with little to no dandruff, opting for a product with jojoba oil might be worth trying.

Man washing his hair
lllonajalll / Shutterstock

How to apply jojoba oil to hair

Ready to give jojoba oil a shot? Here’s how to apply jojoba oil to hair:

  1. Use products with jojoba oil. The easiest way to apply jojoba oil to hair is to use a product that already includes the ingredient. Follow the instructions on the bottle — simple as that.
  2. Add jojoba oil to products. Are you not interested in switching up shampoos and conditioners? A quick DIY fix can make jojoba oil an ingredient. Purchase a separate bottle of the oil and add a few drops with a syringe to your favorite haircare products. Start with about five drops and see how your scalp and hair react.
  3. Apply jojoba oil directly to the hair. Add a teaspoon or two of warm jojoba oil to the hair. The warmth will help the oil spread more quickly — remember; jojoba oil is waxy. Be sure to spread evenly throughout the strands for the best results.

In rare cases, people can have jojoba oil allergies. If you notice pain or irritation on the scalp, cease use and speak with a provider.

a man with full hair in a park
Andrea Piacquadio / Pexels

Summary

Miracle cures for hair loss and ways to supercharge hair growth are a dime a dozen in the personal care aisle. However, there are no miracles for manes (sorry). Different factors, like stress and genetics, will play into when you start balding or going gray. However, some products might slow the process. Jojoba oil is loaded with vitamins and minerals like zinc and Vitamin C that can help strengthen hair, giving you fuller locks (or a stylish beard). These ingredients are also nourishing and moisturizing, so they might nix flaking from dandruff or dryness. Strong hair is more complicated to break (and therefore lose). However, no substantial evidence supports the idea that jojoba oil will help you grow hair, including regrow lost hair. Your best bet is to speak with a barber or dermatologist about other hair growth products with more evidence so you spend your time and money wisely.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
BethAnn Mayer
Beth Ann's work has appeared on healthline.com and parents.com. In her spare time, you can find her running (either marathons…
What actually causes hair loss in men? Plus, the tips you need for thinning hair
What you need to know about hair loss
a man with a receeding hairline

They say age isn't anything but a number. However, that is something of a misnomer with thinning hair. Age is a common, natural cause for thinning hair — sorry. Your hormone levels change as you blow out more candles on your birthday cake. You naturally shed hair regardless of age. However, your mane doesn't grow back as fully as you get up there in years.

There are various tips and tricks out there for managing age-related hair loss — products like Rogaine, hair cuts, or embracing baldness. However, not all thinning hair is triggered by age, and some reasons can be fixed with haircare pivots (but not all). What causes hair loss besides the date on your birth certificate, and what can you do about it? Here's what to know.

Read more
Get your facial hair in order: The best beard combs
These beard combs can help with styling, detangling, and so much more
Man brushing his beard in the mirror

When you look in the mirror at your growing beard, do you like what you see? While we don’t doubt your beard-growing progress, every face needs some TLC. Luckily for you, these best beard products offer the boost your mane deserves.

When looking for ways to groom your beard, a beard comb is the one tool you shouldn't overlook. As we get ready for nicer weather and and spring cleaning season, investing in good self-care tools is always a good idea, so take a closer look at this guide to the best beard combs and see which one may be right for you.

Read more
Hair loss treatment: Best options for men with thinning hair
If you suffer from thinning hair, consider one of these treatment options
Man looking at hair loss

One of a man's main source of confidence is having luscious locks, but that confidence gradually decreases when their hair starts thinning or their hairline begins receding. According to the American Hair Loss Association, almost two-thirds of American men will see "appreciable" hair loss by the age of 35.

Some men simply accept their fates and start experimenting with gravity-defying styling techniques, or as is more common lately, shave their heads and embrace the bald look. Others take more aggressive measures, seeking out weaves, plugs, or (just say no) toupees. And some search for the best hair loss treatment for men and run into pseudoscience, potentially false hope, and diet advice (which can be good). It's frustrating. Unsurprisingly, numerous studies have linked hair loss to lowered self-esteem and lowered quality of life for men.

Read more