For hundreds of years, the fragrant rose plant has been renowned and revered for its beautiful flowers, its intoxicating fragrance and its nutritious fruity hips. The flowers have been used for perfume, for imparting a delicate flavour to foods and sweets, and are closely associated with beauty, youth, and love.
From weddings to royalty, garden shows to Shakespeare, summertime to Turkish Delight, roses play a vital role in the cultures, flavours and traditions of people around the world – it truly is one of the most widely known, universally loved and most highly evocative flowers in the world.
Depreceated Rosehip Fruit?
Yet there’s one part of it that has somehow slipped under the radar of many people, perhaps because it’s the far-less-flashy remains of the beautiful flower when the petals have fallen. Rosehips are the red or orange coloured fruits that adorn the bush after each flush of flowers, and are in themselves highly prized as food and medicine, even if they aren’t quite the stuff of folklore their preceding flowers are.
Rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin, they are used for making cordials, jams, jellies and even mead in many countries around the world. But there is one part that is of particular interest to those who follow beauty trends – the oil pressed from the seeds.
Rosehip Oil as a Skin Booster
Rosehip oil is a beautiful, light oil derived from the pressed seeds of numerous species of rose (Rosa canina, Rosa moschata or Rosa rubigiana – but primarily Rosa moschata). It has been used for decades to support skin health, and contains very high levels of Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids (linoleic acid and linolenic acid), as well as vitamins A, C and E.
With uses in everything from cosmetics to haircare and with centuries of use in South America, Asia and Europe, let’s explore this wonderful oil and its many varied uses.
1. Skin Hydration
One of the most popular uses for rosehip oil is in skincare routines as an alternative to traditional moisturisers. A few drops of pure rosehip oil can be switched out for a cream or lotion moisturiser, lending protective and skin-nourishing benefits without the myriad additional chemicals that often fill more traditional manufactured creams.
Use the pure oil after cleansing and toning for the perfect finish to your daily skincare regime – just remember, a little goes a long way, and just a few drops are all that is needed to cover most faces!
2. Regulation of Oil and Sebum
Rosehip oil is popular in skincare, but many people are hesitant to try a pure oil directly on their face. We’re usually told to avoid the use of oil on the skin as it can be heavy and lead to blocked pores and pimples, preventing it from ‘breathing’ and trapping dirt and chemicals on the surface. Those with oily skin may also spend years trying to eradicate excess oil from their visage, so adding more may seem counterintuitive.
Thankfully, none of these worries need apply when it comes to rosehip oil. The oil is extremely light, known as a dry oil due to it being so rapidly and cleanly absorbed, and similar in composition to our own sebum (oil). Many fans swear that it can actually help to regulate the production of oil by our skin, and there is some research to support this.
3. Minimisation of Scarring
One of the most popular uses for rosehip oil is on areas of skin that have suffered damage or stress, to support proper healing and improve the appearance of scarring.
Whether it be a surgical scar, an old wound, the result of therapeutic treatments such as radiotherapy, or a stretch mark, there is evidence that rosehip oil may support turnover of new skin cells and the proliferative phase of skin healing, with both the fatty acid content and vitamin C supporting cellular health and helping the skin to repair and heal adequately.
4. As Part of Oil Cleansing Skincare Routines
Oil cleansing methods are an alternative to the standard cleanse-tone-moisturise skincare routine, using oil to cleanse the face instead.
This may sound unlikely to some, but given oil dissolves oil, it can be a great option for people who struggle with oily or combination skin to help balance sebum production and support glowing, healthy skin.
The basics of oil cleansing are to use a small quantity of a skin-friendly oil such as rosehip to cover the face, massage it in for several minutes, then use a hot flannel over top of the face to help open pores. After a minute or two the oil can be wiped clean with warm water to reveal clear, healthy skin. Finish with a few drops of rosehip oil to help the complexion glow.
5. Support for Healthy Hair and Nails
Whilst facial skin is the primary target zone for most uses of rosehip oil, it can be used in other areas of the body too. Try using it on the scalp if dandruff, reactions to haircare products or other irritation is a problem – a few drops rubbed in at the roots of the hair may help with healing skin and balancing oil production, the same as when used on your face.
If you’re after stronger nails, there are many products available on the market to help address weakness and help to support their strength, from mineral-rich nutritional supplements to specially formulated nail enamels. Rosehip oil can be a great topical alternative when massaged in to cuticles and nails, due to its high vitamin A content and richness of fatty acids.
6. Support for General Skin and Wound Repair
Whether it be the result of too long in the sun, stress, dry or inflamed skin, reactions to chemicals, ulcerative conditions or any other problem skin condition, many of us suffer moments of irritation to our dermal layers and a need to reach for something to help repair the damaged area and provide a barrier to the outside world.
Rosehip oil, with its richness of nutrition, can be perfect for areas of skin needing a moisture and nutrient burst, supporting the body’s response to skin damage and helping to soothe, calm, repair and protect anywhere on the body.
With its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, rosehip oil is perfect for use anywhere skin needs a helping hand.
Our range of rosehip oil includes everything from pure, certified organic oil to blends with other plant oils, and a selection of beautiful skincare products where rosehip oil is a key ingredient. You can buy it online from our secure shop.
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