1, February 2024
What Are the Benefits of Rosehip Oil?
Hip hip for rosehips! These tiny fruits of the spiky wild rose shrub give us rosehip oil. Not to be confused with rose oil, rosehip oil is known for being a nutrient-rich tonic for skin and hair, straight from Nature. But what exactly does this beloved plant ingredient do for skin, scalp and strands?
What is Rosehip Oil?
Rosehip oil (or rosa canina fruit oil) is cold pressed from the seeds of rosehips. But what are rosehips? They’re the red or orange ‘accessory’ fruit that’s left behind on a wild rose bush (A.K.A. dog rose or wild briar) after the flower has wilted and dropped. And you can find them easily growing wild in the UK. Look in woodland or hedgerows in autumn and you may well see the oval-shaped fruits where the delicate pink and yellow roses bloomed weeks before.
What Does Rosehip Oil Do for Skin?
Rosehip oil is jam-packed with vitamins and fatty acids, all of which can do great things for skin. It contains vitamins A, C and E (often shortened to ‘ACE’), a teamworking trio known to help care for skin in myriad ways. Tiny-but-mighty rosehips are especially rich in vitamin C, containing more per weight than lemons! The ACE vitamins are all antioxidants, which may help protect the skin from free radicals. Vitamins A and C are thought to support the production of collagen, which may reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Vitamin E, meanwhile, is loved by many as a redness-reducer, as it is believed to help soothe red or inflamed skin. Then there are those essential fatty acids: oleic and linoleic acid, which occur naturally in rosehip oil. They’re known to deeply hydrate skin, improve elasticity and even help with cell generation and skin barrier repair.
How to Use Rosehip Oil on Your Face
Rosehip oil is readily available to buy by the bottle. It can be applied directly to the face – fans often talk about how it feels less greasy than other oils and is easily absorbed by the skin. People often massage it into skin as a nourishing overnight mask. Others choose to add a couple of drops of rosehip oil to their regular moisturiser. Alternatively, you can build rosehip oil into your skincare routine by using formulas that contain the ingredient.
What Does Rosehip Oil Do for Hair?
So, rosehip oil is something of a skincare saviour, but what can it do for hair? Many of the nutrients in the oil that are good for skin are also good for hair. The ACE vitamins in rosehip oil have antioxidant properties, which are known to help protect strands from free radicals – and anti-inflammatory vitamin E may help to calm and balance the scalp. Essential fatty acids can keep both strands and scalp moisturised and may help strengthen the skin barrier of the scalp, laying the foundations for healthy, shiny hair.
