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Rosehip seed oil is amongst the most popular skin loving oils at the moment, and with a good reason. Scroll down to find out what the benefits of rosehip oil for skin are and how best to include it into your beauty routine…
Most of us appreciate roses as some of the most beautiful flowers in the world. From their delicate petals and vibrant colors, all the way to the recognizable sweet floral scent…
Fresh, blooming roses often inspired poets and are amongst the most romantic flowers. But, when a rose dies and its petals fall off, that’s when a real magic begins. At least in terms of skincare.
What Is Rosehip Seed Oil?
Rosehip oil is a skin friendly natural oil that we get from the seeds of rose fruits (red or orange rose seed pods often called rosehips, also known as Rose Heps or Rose Haws). Once roses lose their petals, rosehips stay on the stems. The oil is obtained by cold pressing their seeds.
Surprisingly, rosehip oil doesn’t smell like roses – it has a more woody, leaf-like scent. It ranges in color from gold yellow to deep amber and reddish. It is a dry (non-greasy) oil with low comedogenic rate.
Many people mistake rosehip oil for rose essential oil. However, rosehip oil is a carrier, not essential oil. It is obtained from rosehip seeds using a cold-pressing method (at least quality rosehip oils are).
That means you don’t have to dilute rosehip oil before applying it to your skin. Although, doing a patch-test first is always a good idea, since practically any product has a potential to cause allergic reactions and sensitivities in some people.
Rosehip oil and skincare
Rosehip oil has gained a huge popularity lately, as many bloggers, Instagram influencers and YouTubers started recommending it for treating various skin issues. Even celebrities, like Kate Middleton, Victoria Beckham, Gwyneth Paltrow, Miranda Kerr, etc. love adding it to their beauty routine.
Rosehip oil is best known as the ultimate anti-aging oil. It is loaded with antioxidants (like vitamins A, C and E), fatty acids (omega 3, 6 and 9) and many other beneficial compounds necessary for healthy, beautiful skin.
This oil is also known as a natural retinol alternative – less effective than the real thing, but also with fewer side effects and still beneficial. That is why this oil is often recommended for treating wrinkles and fine lines, acne prone skin, acne marks, dark spots and other skin imperfections.
Rosehip oil is also one of the best natural skin brighteners I have ever found. It noticeably adds glow to my skin without making it look greasy. And, like most natural oils, rosehip oil is very moisturizing, soothing and skin-protective.
I personally can full-heartedly recommend it. Rosehip oil is not something I often use as a base for my DIY products. I see it more as a luxury addition that raises every product to the next level. I also love to use it pure as a facial moisturizer. It is not too greasy, so I can use it even during the day.
As for the evening use, during the winter I often have to add another greasier oil (usually jojoba) since pure rosehip oil feels a bit too dry. But, that is why rosehip oil is perfect for the summer nights, when my skin naturally gets greasier and I need a product to both nourish it and balance it out.
Benefits of Rosehip Oil for Skin
- Even though it is one of the “dry” oils, rosehip oil is very moisturizing and nourishing to the skin. It provides the skin with long lasting moisture, makes it soft and smooth and revitalizes dry patches.
- It is a lightweight, non-comedogenic oil that moisturizes the skin without clogging the pores. This oil is suitable even for acne prone or oily skin.
- Rosehip oil is one of the best anti-aging oils. It protects the skin against free radicals, encourages the skin renewal process and stimulates collagen production.
- It can help you get rid of acne. Since it is high in linoleic acid, rosehip oil can balance out the sebum and make it less thick and pore-clogging. Plus, rosehip oil has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects.
- Rosehip oil contains vitamins A, C and E. Together, they can even out your complexion and reduce hyperpigmentation, small scars, dark circles, acne marks, etc.
- It can also help you reduce the symptoms of atopic dermatitis or eczema, soothe the itching and redness and calm the inflammation.
- Rosehip oil strengthens the skin’s protective barrier, protects the skin against harsh environmental influences and prevents drying out.
- It has been valued since ancient times for its many healing properties. This oil can help you regenerate damaged skin, reduce scars and even fade stretch marks.
- As already mentioned, rosehip oil is one of the best natural skin brightening agents that evens out the skin and improves the overall skin tone and texture.
- Other than to treat your skin, you can also use rosehip oil to repair damaged hair, recover dry, chapped lips, strengthen brittle nails and heal parched cuticles.
How to Use Rosehip Oil for Face
There are many ways you can use rosehip oil on your face, to improve your skin’s condition and keep it healthy and youthful. These are just some of the things you can do with it, that I’ve personally tried out and recommend:
1. Improve your moisturizer
One of the simplest ways to use rosehip oil is to add a drop or two to your face cream, mix them, then apply to your face. The oil will improve the moisturizing abilities of your face cream, reinforce your skin’s barrier, make your skin soft and smooth and prevent drying out.
2. Use it as a makeup primer
Rosehip oil is a lightweight, non-greasy oil that easily gets absorbed. It is actually one of the very few oils I can apply in the morning without my makeup running straight down. It is a perfect all-natural primer!
I especially appreciate it during cold winter days, when my skin can really use another moisturizing & protective layer. And my makeup stays in its place whole day long!
3. Facial massage oil
Facial massage has many benefits for the skin. It rejuvenates the skin, tightens it, reduces stress lines and wrinkles and increases product absorption.
Whether you use your fingers, jade roller or gua sha tool, you can use pure rosehip oil as a facial massage oil. The oil will allow the tools to glide smoothly over your face, improve your skin’s elasticity, make it soft and smooth, brighten the complexion and give it a fresh glow.
4. Anti-aging face oil
This face oil blend is fantastic for mature, dry or damaged skin! It revitalizes the skin, deep-nourishes it and restores its youthful glow and healthy appearance. (But make sure to patch-test it first!)
To make this anti-aging face oil, mix 2 teaspoons of rosehip seed oil, 2 teaspoons jojoba oil, 1 teaspoon evening primrose oil, 20 drops frankincense essential oil, 10 drops carrot seed oil and 3 vitamin E capsules. Store the mixture in a dark dropper bottle. Use every night – just apply a few drops of the oil over your night face cream.
5. Add it to a scrub
A gentle, natural face scrub is a great way to get rid of dull complexion and reveal young, healthy skin underneath. Regular exfoliation helps even out your skin tone, maintain your skin youthful and glowing and improve product absorption.
To make a DIY face scrub, mix 2 tablespoons of brown sugar with 1 teaspoon of raw honey. Add just enough rosehip oil (1 – 2 teaspoons) to get the texture of wet sand. Use this scrub to exfoliate your skin 1 – 2 times a week.
6. Make a natural face mask
I love this face mask. It hydrates and brightens the skin, helps fade imperfections and adds a lot of glow.
Mash 3 teaspoons of boiled rice with a fork. Add 2 teaspoons of rosehip oil and ½ teaspoon of matcha green tea powder. Mix well. Apply to a clean skin and leave it on for 20 minutes. Then wash off and apply a face cream.
7. Use it in a face mist
Natural face mists are a great way to provide your face with lots of moisture, nutrients and antioxidants. This DIY rose face mist leaves the skin looking fresh, plump and glowing. And you need only 3 ingredients:
In a glass spray bottle, pour 7 – 8 tablespoons of rosewater, 1 tablespoon of rosehip oil and 1 teaspoon of glycerin. Shake the bottle until everything is well combined. Spray the mist to a clean skin and seal it in with a moisturizer.
8. Oil cleansing method
I love cleansing my face with oils. This technique even helped me to get rid of acne! I tried several store-bought cleansing oils, but I prefer making my own mixture.
To make a DIY oil cleanser, just mix 2 tablespoons of castor oil, 3 tablespoons sweet almond oil (or any other carrier oil that you like) and 1 tablespoon of rosehip oil.
9. Spot treatment
As we already said, rosehip oil is great for acne prone skin. You can even use it to make your own acne spot treatment. All you have to do is mix 1 teaspoon of rosehip oil, 3 – 5 drops of tea tree oil and 1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel.
10. Eye serum for dark circles
Have problem with dark under eye circles? I’ve found a solution on Dr. Axe’s site – rosehip oil eye serum for dark circles & puffiness.
To make it, mix 1/2 ounce rosehip oil, 1/2 ounce aloe vera gel, 10 drops lavender essential oil and 5 drops lemon essential oil. Store in a dark glass bottle and gently massage the mixture under and around your eyes every night before going to sleep.
So, that’s how I use rosehip oil on my face and why I love it so much. If you have any questions or want to share your experience, please feel free to leave a comment down below…
