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 made from the seeds of the fruit of wild

thorny rose bushes native to mountainous regions of South

America. Also known as 'Rosa Mosqueta', the oil has been

used by native people for hundreds of years.

Rosehip seed oil is produced via solvent extraction or

pressing of the seed. The cold-pressed oil is the closest to

nature and likely the healthiest variety - it has a high

essential fatty acid content, and is considered more

delicate than other common seed and nut oils. Because of

it's delecate nature, Rosehip seed oil should be

refrigerated, or at least kept in a dark, cool place, and

used within one year of purchase.

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.

A second major study was done with middle-aged women with

noticeable premature skin aging. Again, Rosehip seed

produced noticeable, significant effects in smoothing the

skin, leading to a younger texture and appearance.

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.

Rosehip seed oil is very gentle - it can be used daily

undiluted; because of it's relative high cost, it may also

be diluted in other oils like jojoba or shae nut, and will

produce it's regenerative effects in dilutions as low as 1

tenth of the total concentration.

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.

Using rosehip seed oil for healing your skin or just giving

it a little needed nourishment will almost certainly produce

positive, noticable effects. This fantastic oil, with its

wonderful range of uses, will likely take an important place

in your natural beauty collection.