by Rose Smith
The beautiful orange liquid of Rosehip seed oil is becoming
well-known as useful skin and beauty product around the
world, as scientific study has recently validated it’s
positive effects on many types of skin condtions. The pure
oil has produced miraculous results for some, useful for a
great myriad of conditions from premature aging and
over-exposure to the sun, to lessening the appearannce of
many types of scarring. Where does this lusciuos oil come
from, how does it work, and perhaps of greatest interest,
can it work for you?
Rosehip seed oil is extracted from the seed within the fruit
of the wild thorny rose bush. Native to Chile, the plant is
now cultivated elsewhere in South America with many
countries producing the oil. Also found under the name ‘Rosa
Mosqueta’, the oil has been used by native people for
hundreds of years, but only recently became known to the
rest of the world.
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 included
individuals with diverse forms of skin damage: deep wrinkles
and other premature aging, sun damage, radiation damage,
acne scarring, burn scarring, dermatitis, and more. The oil
had significant, noticeable effects in regenerating the
skin, reducing wrinkles and scars, and helping the skin to
regain its natural color and tone. In all ways, the oil
returned skin to it’s original, natural healthy state for
many of the study’s participants.
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 its skin healing effects, rosehip seed oil is
also a perfect moisturizer due to it’s high content of
essential fatty acids (EFAs). The oil penetrates the skin
quickly and does not leave the skin feeling greasy or oily.
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.
To smooth scars on the skin, blend of twenty drops of
Helichrysum Italicum essential oil in each ounce of rosehip
seed and applied daily to the area. Helichrysum Italicum
essential oil is well known for its content of regenerative
di-ketones, and has long been used for this purpose. For a
more luxurious beauty blend, experiment with this
combination in four ounces of rosehip seed: five drops
Helichrysum, five drops Lavender angustifolia, 3 drops
Sandalwood (Pacific Island Sandalwood is an excellent
choice), three drops Neroli (bitter orange flower oil),
three drops Carrot Seed oil (a very moisturizing essential
oil), three drops Geranium (also for hydration), two drops
Roman Chamomile (for it’s anti-inflammatory properties), two
drops of Jasmine absolute and one drop each of Palmarosa and
Ylang Ylang essential oils. This blend is very much
appreciated by those using it on a regular basis. Even a
simple blend using the Helichrysum and Lavender essential
oils will go a long way.
So, whether using rosehip seed oil for healing your skin, or
simply giving it a little nourishment, you will almost
certainly be happy with the results. This luscious oil, with
its broad range of positive effects, is sure to take a
prominent place in your natural beauty botanical collection.