Jojoba: Fragrance Profile

1. Overview

• Botanical name: Simmondsia chinensis

• Form used: Jojoba oil/wax (a liquid wax ester extracted from the seeds).

• Jojoba is not prized for its aroma, but rather as a carrier and fixative in perfumery.

• Extremely stable (resists rancidity), making it a preferred base for natural perfumes and essential oil blends.

2. Aroma Character

• Very faint, slightly nutty, fatty, and waxy.

• Essentially odorless when refined, which makes it an ideal neutral carrier.

• Unrefined jojoba may have:

  • Nutty-oily nuance

  • Slight earthiness or waxiness

👉 Overall impression: subtle, almost odorless, with soft waxy-nutty traces.

3. Chemical Composition

• Composed mainly of wax esters (unlike other plant oils which are triglycerides).

• Key components:

  • Eicosenoic acid & docosenoic acid esters → stability & waxy texture.

  • Long-chain alcohols → neutral, non-volatile.

• Contains almost no volatile aroma molecules, hence its minimal scent.

4. Perfume Applications

• Carrier oil → dissolves essential oils and absolutes for oil-based perfumes.

• Fixative → slows down evaporation of volatile notes, giving longer life to fragrance.

• Skin-conditioning → adds moisturizing benefit to perfumes and aromatherapy blends.

• Used in:

  • Natural perfumery → instead of alcohol as a base.

  • Solid perfumes (when combined with beeswax).

  • Aromatherapy → as a neutral diluent.

5. Mood & Symbolism

• Symbolizes endurance, resilience, and balance, reflecting the desert shrub’s survival ability.

• Mood impressions:

  • Neutral & grounding → doesn’t impose its own scent.

  • Supportive & balancing → allows other fragrances to shine.

  • Stable & lasting → brings longevity to compositions.

 Quick Summary Table

In essence: Jojoba is not a fragrance note but a neutral, stable base in perfumery — valued for its ability to fix, extend, and support other aromatic materials without altering their scent.