Rosehip Seed Oil is one of those ingredients that gets whispered about in the aisles of health food stores. It’s sold on its own and also used in many formulae.
It’s an oil not suited to massage, but perfect in skin formulations. (It’s a bit sticky and does not give the sensual long gliding action masseurs need, and also would ruin the therapists linen in a flash!)
Rosehip oil is one referred to by Aromatherapists when faced with the task of creating a blend to work on scarring, lines, skin damage and more.
Being so nutritious, all the essential fatty acids, and in particular the omega threes we are all told to eat more of, it is a great inclusion in your daily skincare.
That yellow colour that stains linen when undiluted, tells you that the oil is rich in carotenoids, that your skin will lap up.
There are minerals such as Magnesium and Calcium. Being such a rich natural source of vitamin A (Retinol) it makes sense to at least try rosehip if you’re plagued by acne or red itchy skin conditions.
Acne scars are no joke and rosehip is one of the top five ingredients you can try to give your skin a chance to recover. Make sure you buy a fresh batch though as rosehip is s fragile oil.
I test all my ingredients out individually, to understand how they work. I love rosehip so much and it was selected from hundred of possible for my Empress Elixer.
I keep my fragile oils frozen and defrost them before making a fresh batch here in my studio. This way Glow Skincare’s customers get the freshest most vital products possible.
You may have tried rosehip and not enjoyed the scent. This is often the case with raw ingredients. The most horrifically pungent, according to my nose, is Neem oil followed closely by Tamanu.
All have these places in skincare, but require precision in the blending. Add too much and it stinks, don’t add enough and you lose the power from the synergy.
Another good reason to blend rosehip is that when used undiluted you will need to replace your pillowcases, towels and whatever else your face comes into contact with. Don’t believe me, well go ahead and find out for yourself.
Rosehip seed oil should be stored in a cool dark place. Sunlight and heat extremes are its enemies. This means steamy heated bathrooms are not a sensible place.
The best storage medium is a very dark glass bottle. My all time favourite is dark violet glass that prevents sunlight getting through.
When formulating, storage of raw ingredients is a big headache for many. Rosehip and others need to be kept cool and in the dark.
Ideally under nitrogen but this is a costly and somewhat dangerous process for a home based business, so another alternative is keeping the rosehip oils frozen.
This way the goodness within, all those vitamins and minerals, are kept intact and ready to serve the skin they come in contact with.
My personal tip if you are interested in incorporating rosehip oil into your routine is to buy the smallest amount of the freshest you can find. You need to see a bottled by or use by date on the jar. If it’s not, you have no idea how long the vial has been sitting there.
After a short while the oil loses its power and starts becoming danger to your skin. This is why buying in bulk can be a costly mistake.
The fragile chemical bonds that give the oil it’s powerhouse of omega three, mean that those omega threes are under threat by heat, light and oxygen.
Omega three oils are highly active in our body and only beneficial when they are fresh and un-oxidised., (Think of a car starting to rust from sea air.. this is oxidisation at work)
You most definitely never want to put oxidised oil on your face. Never Ever in a million years. That’s the quickest way to age your skin.
So buy the smallest amount of the freshest you can. It goes without saying, look for organic… no point in skimping. Organic grown and processed is free of the dangerous pesticides used in conventional farming, and also lower in vitamins and minerals.
If you’ve been over-enthusiastic and bought too much, decant the bulk and pop into your fridge or freezer. If you live in very hot climates, keeping your skincare products in the fridge is sensible.
Remember that moisturisers do not like being frozen , so only refrigerate them. You can freeze rosehip seed oil though, just be sure to label the container with the name, date and details from the original bottle.
The DIY-ers out there won’t be able to make their own rosehip seed oil without a huge hassle as the seeds are really tiny and the hips from which the seeds are extracted are filled with little spiky fibres. You need specialised equipment to press the oil out.
If you are blessed with rose bushes and let the rosehips form, you can make yourself a delicious and healthy winter cordial. Email me for my personal recipe.
Most people are ok with rosehip oil. I have heard via grapevines that some don’t react well to it. I have not had any customers saying they had ill effects from rosehip.
My Empress Elixer includes a generous portion of organic cold pressed rosehip seed oil for its utter awesomeness. It works along with other gems on those pesky fine lines and wrinkles that start appearing in your 40’s.
It’s also fab when skin feels raw, flaky, rough or damaged. Like after burning yourself opening the oven door, or ironing a shirt.. those very ouchy burn marks respond well to rosehip and I have sent vials to friends who have had domestic injuries like this.
An on top of all that it’s going to be like a superfood smoothie for your skin, giving it a healthy dose of vitamins A, B, C, E and minerals (Magnesium and Calcium).
Healthy skin looks and feels so comfortable. It means fewer issues and less need for makeup to hide the blemishes and weary patches. I love not having to wear makeup to hide away my skin.
Apart from saving time, it just feels so much better. If it starts raining unexpectedly, no problem either. My skin looks good, always.
If you have a teenager in the house, get them a vial of rosehip seed oil for the acne scarring. Oil will not make the acne worse. Being a teenager is tough enough without having a face that you want to hide under three paper bags all day long.
I suffered badly in my teens and the dents to self-esteem when your skin is spotty are no place I’d ever like to go back to. This is what triggered me to learn everything I could about getting skin happy and healthy again.
Glow Skincare was formed because friends wanted to buy my creams and elixers, instead of waiting for the random surprise parcel in the mail. I make up every recipe myself from hundreds of raw ingredients.
Rosehip seed oil is one of my Must Haves. It would be in my arsenal if ever I had to pick what to take to a deserted Island!
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Wendy Gardner
I’m an Aromatherapist and natural product formulator based in the rolling green hills of Devon in South West England. Because I’m passionate about natural wellbeing and preserving the last remaining rainforests, I created a range of skincare that is free from palm-oil. I hand make everything myself in my small studio. Say hello at www.glow-skincare.com
