Jojoba oil for your face: how to use it

Short answer: Apply 2 to 3 drops of jojoba oil to cleansed skin, as our label says. Warm the drops between your palms and gently press them onto your face, on their own or mixed with your day cream. Chemically, jojoba oil is a liquid wax, which is why it feels light. Do a patch test first, keep the oil out of your eyes and stop if your skin becomes irritated.

Last updated: 5 November 2026 · Written by Florian Fermin

Jojoba oil is one of the best-known oils for the face. At GOYU, jojoba oil is part of our range of skin oils, so here we explain how to use it on your face and what to watch out for. What jojoba oil is exactly and how to use it on your body and in your hair, you can read in jojoba oil: what is it and how do you use it?

How do you use jojoba oil on your face?

1. Cleanse your face and pat it dry. Slightly damp skin is fine too.
2. Put 2 to 3 drops in your palm. You don't need more; a thin layer is enough.
3. Rub your hands together briefly, so the oil warms up and spreads easily.
4. Gently pat or press the oil onto your skin. Start at your cheeks and work outwards. Stay away from your eyes.
5. Let it absorb for a few minutes before applying anything else.

When do you use jojoba oil: morning or evening?

There is no fixed rule, and our label doesn't specify a time. Many people use a face oil in the evening as the last step, because an oil needs a moment to absorb. If you use it in the morning, keep it to a very thin layer and wait until it has absorbed before continuing with your routine.

Can you mix jojoba oil with your day cream?

Yes. Put a little of your day or night cream in your hand, add 1 or 2 drops of jojoba oil and mix briefly before applying. That way you use less oil and it spreads more easily. You can also mix jojoba oil with another skin oil. Castor oil is much thicker, argan oil about as thin; the differences are explained in castor, jojoba or argan oil: which skin oil should you choose?

Why does jojoba oil feel so light?

Because jojoba is not really an oil but a liquid wax. About 98% consists of wax esters (Gad et al., 2021). That is why it feels different from most plant oils, which consist mainly of triglycerides. Jojoba oil is pressed from the seeds of the jojoba shrub, Simmondsia chinensis. The label shows the INCI name Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil.

What does research say about jojoba oil on your face?

There is little research in people, and what there is, is small. In a study with 6 healthy volunteers, plant oils including jojoba oil stayed in the upper layers of the skin. In that study, jojoba oil did not measurably reduce water loss through the skin (Patzelt et al., 2012). That says something about what happens to the oil, not about how your skin feels afterwards. So we don't promise any effect on your skin: jojoba oil is a cosmetic oil you use because you like how it feels.

Is jojoba oil suitable for oily or blemish-prone skin?

We can't promise that. You often read that jojoba oil doesn't clog pores, but the scores used for this come from old tests on single ingredients. Dermatologists write that such scores say little about how a product works on your skin (Draelos and DiNardo, 2006). So try it on a small patch of skin first and use just a few drops.

On acne, there is one small study without a control group, using a clay mask that contained jojoba oil (Meier et al., 2012). You can't conclude from it that jojoba oil does anything for spots, and we don't promise that. If you have acne or another skin condition, see your GP or dermatologist.

What should you watch out for with jojoba oil on your face?

• Do a patch test: 1 drop on the inside of your forearm, then wait a day or two. If you get redness, itching or bumps, don't use it.
• Allergy is possible: the medical literature contains a few reports of contact allergy to jojoba (Wantke et al., 1996; Di Berardino et al., 2006). How often it occurs is not known.
• Not in your eyes. If you get oil in your eye, rinse with water.
• Stop if irritation occurs, as our label also says.
• External use only. Do not swallow. Keep the bottle out of reach of children.
• Storage: in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight, with the cap tightly closed.

Summary in 3 points

• Use 2 to 3 drops of jojoba oil on cleansed skin, on their own or mixed with your cream.
• Jojoba is a liquid wax and feels light; there is little research on what it does on your face, so we don't promise any effect.
• Do a patch test, keep the oil out of your eyes and stop if irritation occurs.

Frequently asked questions

How many drops of jojoba oil do you use on your face?

Our label says 2 to 3 drops on cleansed skin. That is enough for your whole face. If you mix it with a cream, 1 or 2 drops is often enough.

Can you use jojoba oil every day?

Our label doesn't give a number of times per day or week. Start gently and see how your skin reacts. If you get redness or itching, stop.

Can you use jojoba oil around your eyes?

Keep the oil out of your eyes. Our label says you can apply 1 to 2 drops to your eyebrows or lashes in the evening with a clean brush, only on the hairs and not on the rim of your eyelid.

Is jojoba oil an oil or a wax?

Chemically, jojoba is a liquid wax: about 98% consists of wax esters. In shops and on labels it is still simply called jojoba oil.

Sources

1. Gad HA et al. (2021). Review of the chemical composition, properties, applications and safety of jojoba oil. Polymers (Basel) 13(11):1711. PubMed 34073772
2. Patzelt A et al. (2012). Study in 6 healthy volunteers on how deeply plant oils and paraffin oil penetrate the skin and on water loss through the skin. Skin Res Technol 18(3):364-369. PubMed 22092829
3. Draelos ZD, DiNardo JC (2006). A re-evaluation of the comedogenicity concept. J Am Acad Dermatol 54(3):507-512. PubMed 16488305
4. Meier L et al. (2012). Open observational pilot study without a control group using a clay mask with jojoba oil. Forsch Komplementmed 19(2):75-79. PubMed 22585103
5. Wantke F et al. (1996). Case reports of contact allergy to jojoba oil. Contact Dermatitis 34(1):71-72. PubMed 8789240
6. Di Berardino L et al. (2006). Case report of contact allergy to jojoba. Contact Dermatitis 55(1):57-58. PubMed 16842559
7. Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products. eur-lex.europa.eu
8. Label and product information GOYU Jojoba oil (500 ml), accessed 5 November 2026.

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Jojoba oil is a cosmetic product for external use. This article is for information only and is not medical advice. If you have skin complaints, see your GP.