jojoba esters
what it is
INCI name Jojoba Esters — jojoba, which is technically a liquid wax rather than a true oil, transformed by hydrogenation and interesterification into a soft, balm-like material. It is entirely plant-derived, and chemically it is a wax ester — the same class of lipid found in skin's own sebum.
why we use it
It is an occlusive: it slows water evaporating from skin, which is most of what a rich texture should do. It is our plant-derived answer to petrolatum — and honesty requires a footnote here. Properly refined petrolatum is one of the best-evidenced, safest occlusives in existence. We chose jojoba esters for their texture, plant origin and how they sit with the rest of the formula, not because petrolatum deserves its scare stories.
where you'll find it
Jojoba esters will appear in cushion once its formula is locked — we publish percentages only when they're final.
evidence
Limited but consistent evidence as an occlusive emollient; the close resemblance between jojoba's wax esters and sebum's own helps explain how comfortably it wears.
safety
Very well tolerated, with low irritation and low comedogenicity reports, and no usage restrictions.