All of these products contain jojoba

There are so many beauty terms that it can make your head spin. Confused as to what it all means? Our Glam Glossary will help you sort it all out.  Follow Allison each week in her quest to decode popular beauty terms, from Alpha Hydroxy Acids to Zinc Oxide.

Jojoba

Where you see it: Moisturizers, facial treatments, lipsticks, lip gloss, anti-aging treatments, hair shampoos, hair conditioners, hand creams, body oils, lip balms, salves, scrubs, mascaras.

What it is: Jojoba beads are colorless, odorless beads of wax derived from hydrogenation of oil from the seed of the Jojoba plant, a desert shrub.

Jojoba oil is often used as an emollient because of its soothing and moisturizing qualities. Pair these benefits with the fact that the oil’s chemical composition could practically pass for the twin of our body’s naturally secreted sebum — which really just means our body’s natural oil — and it’s no wonder that jojoba oil is one of the most easily absorbed oils available on the market today.

Compared to apricot seeds, jojoba beads are generally considered a gentler exfoliant for the skin, because they are essentially just wax. The harder surfaces, many manufacturers claim, leave microscopic abrasions on your skin that contribute to the appearance of wrinkles.

Because it can take the form of wax, jojoba oil is also sometimes used in thickening products like mascara.

Is it safe? In 2006, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review classified jojoba (any derivative of the seed) as safe for use in cosmetics.

Photo collage containing images from Dylan’s Candy Bar, Benefit, Bliss, Lorac, Urban Decay