Rosehip seed oil has become widely recognized as an effective
skin and beauty care agent in the last decade, with great interest
surrounding its scientifically-validated beauty-enhancing effects.
The oil has been heralded as a miracle cure for skin, useful for a
great myriad of conditions, from premature aging and sun damage to
scarring and other damage. What is this wonderful red liquid, where does
it come from, how does it work, and most importantly, can it work for
you?
Rosehip seed oil is extracted from the seed within the fruit of the
wild thorny rose bush. The pod from which the seed comes is actually the
fruit of the rose bust. 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.
Rosehip seed oil is an excellent source of natural vitamin E and
natural vitamin A, or 'trans-retinoic acid'. Retinoic acid, the acid
derivative of vitamin A, is the active ingredient found in Retin-A or
Tretinoin. Retin-A (a pharmaceutical preparation) has been
heralded as a wrinkle cure because of its ability to increase skin cell
proliferation – or speed the time it takes for your skin to regenerate.
In fact, rosehip seed oil has been extensively studied for
many of the same actions attributed to Retin-A, and has been shown
effective without side effects (like over-drying and peeling – though
unlike Retin-A, it should not be used to treat acne).
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.
Another later study was conducted on women ages 25-35 with extensive premature aging of their skin.
Again, rosehip seed oil significantly reduced the appearance of
wrinkles and sun spots after daily application for four months. Research noted: "After 16 weeks of treatment, wrinkles and spots become imperceptible."
The oil has been used to successfully treat a long list of
skin related conditions, including: age spots, wrinkles and premature
aging, sun damage, scars from acne, burns, and surgery, eczema,
psoriasis, dermatitis, hyper-pigmentation, brittle nails, and even dry
and damaged hair. These results are primarily due to its great
abundance of essential fatty acids, ones that the body cannot make on
its own for skin repair.
Besides its regenerative properties, rosehip seed oil is also an
excellent moisturizer. The oil penetrates the upper layers of the skin
quickly and, being known as a 'dry' moisturizer, 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% to 40% of the total concentration.
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 pronounced effect, it is best to
combine rosehip seed with Tamanu oil as your base.
Essential oils that can be included for would healing and scar formation, including their concentrations per ounce of base (recall that 1% is 12 drops essential oil per ounce of total blend):
1-3% Helichrysum
1-5% Sea Buckthonrn
1-3%Carrot Root
1-2% Rosehip CO2
.5% Calendula CO2
1% Rosemary c.t. Verbenone
1-3% Lavender (we recommend the Vera type)
There are others, but it's also important to remember: the
carrier oils themselves have therapeutic effects. The essential oils are
potent active ingredients. You really want to keep the TOTAL
concentration of essential oils below 5%. It IS hard to get
over the idea that more will be better, but it's simply not the case.
More essential oils can actually lead to a pro-inflammatory
condition,slowing the healing process. Really, less is more, and erring
on the side of "two little" will really still give you the results
you're trying to achieve.