Rosehip seed oil, a light, healing oil brimming with natural skin benefits, has been called “the next coconut oil.” Have you incorporated it in your skin care routine yet? Even if it’s already a staple ingredient in your regimen, there are some amazing facts about the history, benefits, and uses of rosehip oil that will have you reaching for more. Read on for a Nutritional Aesthetics® look at this exceptional carrier oil.
History and origins of rosehip seed oil
While the infusion, hydrosol, and essential oil of rose petals are well known for their own beauty benefits, the “hips” or seeds of the rose offer equally powerful skin health benefits—especially when cold pressed into the beautiful pinkish-orange carrier oil, rosehip seed oil. Though rosehip seed oil is only now starting to become as trendy as other oils like coconut and argan, it’s been the beauty secret of Mayan, Egyptian, and Native American women for more than 2000 years. Rosehip seed oil is traditionally pressed from the seeds of the “Sweet Briar” rose variety, rosa rubiginosa, though it’s sometimes pressed from the “Musk Rose,” rosa moschata, as well.
Why choose rosehip seed oil?
Rosehip seed is prized for its healing, antiaging benefits, making it an oil that you’ll often find in oil blends formulated for mature and sun damaged skin. It’s rich in essential fatty acids that keep skin healthy, preserve its youthful appearance by maintaining and strengthening cell membranes, and aid in overall regeneration. Rosehip seed oil is so powerful as a healer that it has been studied extensively and recognized specifically for its ability to reduce the appearance of scars (both new and old) and stretch marks, as well as dry and damaged skin.
Rosehip seed oil contains vitamin C, plus trans-retinoic acid, a natural form of vitamin A that can restore skin elasticity and minimize the appearance of wrinkles in a manner similar to synthetic retinoic acid, but without the side effects of dryness and irritation. Anti-inflammatory rosehip seed oil is also packed with antioxidants like quercetin that further slow the aging process and protect the skin’s youthful structure. For less mature skin without a significant amount of existing damage, rosehip seed oil can also be a good choice, as it helps protect the skin from UVB radiation damage.
What to consider when using rosehip seed oil
Rosehip seed oil makes a good carrier oil for herbal blends, yet it goes rancid fast, so it needs either to be used in combination with additional antioxidants or a more shelf-stable oil, or refrigerated. It’s good for most skin types and is also popular because of its light, easily absorbed weight, which doesn’t leave behind a heavy, greasy feeling on the skin’s surface. Given all of its benefits, rosehip seed oil can be fairly pricey, so you may want to consider your skin’s needs before you buy. Still, we think it’s an ingredient worth splurging on, and valuable for your dollar, since rosehip seed oil is not quite as expensive as argan oil, but is just as beneficial. Acne-prone and oily skin types may want to use rosehip seed oil sparingly.
We want to hear from you!
We want to hear from you!What results have you seen on your skin or the skin of your clients from using rosehip seed oil?
What’s your favorite use for this amazing oil?
Source: The Organic Pharmacy, Margo Marrone (Duncan Baird Publishers, 2009)
I love the detail about combining it with more shelf stable oils, or other antioxidants, as an alternative to refrigeration. My understanding is that rosehip oil does not contain vitamin C, as stated above, because “C’ is water-soluble. There are synthetic forms of oil-soluble C, such as tetrahexyldecylascorbate. It seems likely to me there must be botanical forms of C that are oil-soluble, too. Any thoughts on that, or further information you could point us to?
Hi Katrina, great question! Rosehips are very high in Vitamin C, and if the oil is made from the whole fruit (it can be cold-pressed or C02 extracted), it will also be high in Vitamin C. If it’s only extracted from the seeds it will be less so–so it really depends on the sourcing, species, and processing. C as an isolated vitamin in the form of ascorbic acid is water soluble–but it works differently in ingredients that are derived from whole plant parts, rather than lab-isolated or synthetic phytonutrients.
Excellent. Thanks, Rachael.