Aromatherapy

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. 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 oil can be solvent extracted or cold-pressed, though
pressing is the optimal method, as there is no chance of
chemical traces being left in the final product. The
cold-pressed oil is the most natural; the oil has an
exceptionally high essential fatty acid content (‘essential’
meaning the body cannot make it on it’s own from other
oils), and is considered quite delecate. Rosehip seed oil
should be kept in a cool place, perhaps even under
refrigeration, away from light, and should be used within
one year of storage.

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 has
continued on the oil, with one study noting: “On some skin
troubles like superficial wrinkles, chestnut spots and
ephelides, good results have been obtained. 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.

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.

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.

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.