The use of Rosehip seed oil alone or in cosmetic
preparations has become extremely common due to this majical
oil’s effective skin and beauty care properties. The
luscioius reddish oil has been heralded as a miracle cure
for a myriad of skin conditions in. What really is this
wonderful liquid, and can it work it’s natural-beauty
wonders for you?
Rosehip seed oil is extracted from the seed of a wild rose
bush native to higher regions of Chilie. The plant is now
cultivated elsewhere in South America, with many countries
producing the oil as it’s poplularity has increased
significantly over the last several years.
The red colored oil can be either solvent extracted or
‘cold-pressed’ - pressing is the really way to go, as there
is no chance of any solvent residues remaining in the final
product, and it is easier on the environment. The
cold-pressed oil is the closest to nature; it has a high
essential fatty acid content, and is considered more
delicate than other seed oils. For this reasons, pure
rosehip seed oil should be kept in a cool place, out of
direct light, and should be used within 1 year of purchase.
Otherwise the more fragile of the fatty acids could begin to
turn bad, and your skin might not be so fond of them.
The oil is one of nature’s best sources of vitamins E and
A. Retinoic acid, the acid derivative of vitamin A, is the
active ingredient found in Retin-A, which has been used for
years as a wrinkle cure because of its ability to speed the
time it takes for your skin to regenerate. Rosehipseed oil
has been studied for many of the same actions attributed to
this pharmaceutical preparation, and has been shown
effective without side effects that the man-made version may
have.
The first major study on rosehip seed oil was performed in
1983 by a team of researchers at the University of Santiago,
Chile. The study’s participants included individuals with
diverse forms of skin damage: deep wrinkles and other
premature aging, UV damage, radiation damage, acne scarring,
burn scarring, dermatitis, and other problems of this type.
Rosehip seed oil was shown to have significant, noticeable
effects in regenerating the skin, reducing wrinkles and
scars, and helping the skin to regain its natural color and
tone.
A second major study was done with middle-aged women with
noticeable premature skin aging. Again, Rosehip seed
produced noticeable, significant effects in smoothing the
skin, leading to a younger texture and appearance.
In addition to it’s skin regenerative properties, the oil is
also a fantastic moisturizer and nutrative agent due to it’s
high essential fatty acid content. The oil easily penetrates
the skin and is well absorbed - it does not leave an oily
feeling, but rather one of healthy skin moisture.
As for daily use of rosehip seed oil, it is considered
extremely gentle and can be applied undiluted to the skin.
It may also be blended with other oils like jojoba and sweet
almond, and will still have wonderful effects at 10% of the
total concentration. Further, rosehip seed oil makes an
excellent carrier oil for aromatherapy - blends with
essential oils having skin regenerative and soothing
properties are highly recommended.
For improvement of scarring, a simple blend of 20 drops of
Helichrysum Italicum per 1 ounce of rosehip seed oil,
applied daily to the area, can be helpful. Helichrysum is
known for its content of regenerative ‘ketones’. For a more
luxurious beauty blend, try the following in 4 ounces of
rosehip seed: 5 drops Helichrysum 5 drops Lavender 3 drops
Sandalwood 3 drops Neroli 3 drops Carrot Seed 3 drops
Geranium 2 drops Roman Chamomile 2 drops Jasmine 1 drop
Palmarosa 1 drop Ylang Ylang. Even simply the Helichrysum
and Lavender will go a long way - Lavender oil is very
gentle, and is also known to have regenerative properties.
Using rosehip seed oil for healing your skin or just giving
it a little needed nourishment will almost certainly produce
positive, noticable effects. This fantastic oil, with its
wonderful range of uses, will likely take an important place
in your natural beauty collection.