Castor, jojoba or argan oil: which skin oil should you choose?

Short answer: Castor oil, jojoba oil and argan oil differ mainly in composition and texture. Castor oil is thick and viscous and consists mainly of ricinoleic acid, jojoba oil is thin and chemically really a liquid wax, and argan oil sits in between and consists mainly of oleic acid and linoleic acid. None of the three has been studied well in humans for effects, so you mainly choose by how the oil feels and what you want to use it for. All three are cosmetic products, for external use only.

Last updated: 5 November 2026 · Written by Florian Fermin

At GOYU we sell all three of these skin oils, so we have an interest in you buying one. That is exactly why we compare them honestly here: what they are, how they differ and what to look out for, with sources and with what is on our labels.

What is the difference between castor, jojoba and argan oil?

The biggest difference is in the chemistry: castor oil and argan oil are oils (triglycerides), jojoba is a liquid wax. That makes them differ in thickness, feel and shelf life.

Sources: fatty acids and density from our suppliers' specifications; jojoba as a wax and its melting point from Gad et al. (2021); argan oil from Gharby and Charrouf (2022).

Castor oil: thick and viscous

Castor oil (also called ricinus oil) is pressed from the seeds of the castor oil plant. What makes it special is ricinoleic acid: a fatty acid with an extra hydroxyl group (OH group) that hardly occurs in any other oil. Castor oil is the only commercial source of such a fatty acid, and it is much thicker and more viscous than other oils (Patel et al., 2016). So a few drops go a long way. According to its label, our castor oil comes from India. Everything about castor oil is in castor oil: what it is and how to use it.

Jojoba oil: thin and really a wax

Jojoba oil comes from the seeds of the jojoba shrub from the deserts of North and Central America. About 98% of it consists of wax esters, and it is chemically similar to spermaceti, the wax of the sperm whale (Gad et al., 2021). Jojoba feels thin and is highly resistant to oxidation. Below about 7 °C it turns cloudy or solid, at room temperature it becomes clear again. More in jojoba oil: what it is and how to use it.

Argan oil: the oil of the Moroccan argan tree

Argan oil is pressed from the kernels of the argan tree, which grows mainly in south-western Morocco. Cosmetic argan oil comes from unroasted kernels, culinary argan oil from roasted ones. Argan oil naturally contains tocopherols (60 to 90 mg per 100 g), but because of its unsaturated fatty acids, cosmetic argan oil keeps less long than jojoba: in research about one year at 25 °C without light (Gharby and Charrouf, 2022). According to its label, our argan oil comes from Morocco. More in argan oil: what it is and how to use it.

Which skin oil should you choose?

Choose the skin oil that suits how you want to use it and how it feels. There is no research showing that one oil is "better" than another.

• You want a thin oil that spreads easily over face and body: jojoba oil.
• You are looking for a thick oil for small areas, or an oil to mix with: castor oil.
• You want an oil for your lengths and ends or your body that is thinner than castor: argan oil.
• Your skin is sensitive or damaged: not argan oil, according to our label. Start every oil with a small patch test on your forearm.

Can you mix castor, jojoba and argan oil?

Yes, you can easily mix these oils. Many people do it with castor oil, because it is so thick. A few drops of castor in a thinner oil such as jojoba make it easier to spread.

1. Mix a small amount in your palm or in a clean, dry bottle, for example 1 part castor to 2 to 3 parts jojoba or argan.
2. Don't make too much at once, so you use up the mix quickly.
3. Use the mix just like the single oil: a few drops on skin or hair.

What do these oils do for your hair?

For none of the three oils is it well proven what they do for your hair. A systematic review of 22 studies on coconut, castor and argan oil found weak evidence for more shine and no strong evidence for hair growth for castor oil. For argan oil the researchers found no significant evidence (Phong et al., 2022). Jojoba in hair has hardly been studied in humans. So we make no promises about what these oils do to your hair.

What to look out for with all three

• External use only: our skin oils are cosmetic products and are not meant to be taken internally.
• Not in your eyes: avoid contact with the eyes. That is on all three labels.
• Test first: one drop on the inside of your forearm, then wait a day or two. Allergy to plant oils does occur.
• Stop if irritated: redness, itching or stinging means stop.
• Children: keep out of the reach of children, and ask your GP first before using it on a child.
• Pregnant or breastfeeding: if in doubt, talk to your GP or midwife.
• Storage: cool, dry and away from direct sunlight, with the bottle tightly closed.

Summary in 3 points

• Castor oil is thick and consists mainly of ricinoleic acid, jojoba oil is a thin liquid wax and argan oil sits in between.
• None of the three has been studied well in humans for effects. Choose by texture and use, and feel free to mix.
• All three are cosmetic products: external use only, not in your eyes, and a small patch test on your skin first.

Frequently asked questions

Which skin oil is the thinnest?

Jojoba oil feels the thinnest of the three. Castor oil is by far the thickest, argan oil sits in between.

Is jojoba or argan better for your face?

There is no research showing that one is better than the other. They feel different: jojoba thinner, argan a little richer. Note that our label does not recommend argan oil for sensitive or damaged skin.

Can you take skin oil internally?

No, our skin oils are for external use only. If you are looking for an oil for your coffee or food, have a look at all our oils: our MCT oil is there too, and that is a different product.

Sources

1. Patel VR, Dumancas GG, Kasi Viswanath LC, Maples R, Subong BJ. Review of the properties, uses and production of castor oil. Lipid Insights. 2016;9:1-12. doi:10.4137/LPI.S40233. PubMed 27656091
2. Gad HA, Roberts A, Hamzi SH, Gad HA, Touiss I, Altyar AE, Kensara OA, Ashour ML. Review of the chemical composition, properties, uses and safety of jojoba oil. Polymers (Basel). 2021;13(11):1711. doi:10.3390/polym13111711. PubMed 34073772
3. Gharby S, Charrouf Z. Review of the composition, production, quality control and shelf life of argan oil. Front Nutr. 2022;8:804587. doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.804587. PubMed 35187023
4. Phong C, Lee V, Yale K, Sung C, Mesinkovska N. Systematic review of 22 studies on coconut, castor and argan oil for hair. J Drugs Dermatol. 2022;21(7):751-757. doi:10.36849/JDD.6972. PubMed 35816075
5. GOYU, labels Castor Oil, Jojoba Oil and Argan Oil 500 ml (ingredients, directions for use, warnings, country of origin) and our suppliers' product specifications (fatty acid profile, density), consulted 5 November 2026.

You will find all our skin oils on the page buy skin oils. Only looking for castor oil? Go straight to buy castor oil.

This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Our skin oils are cosmetic products for external use only. If you have a skin condition or are in doubt, talk to your GP or a dermatologist.