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.

The red colored oil can be either solvent extracted or

'cold-pressed' - pressing is the really way to go, as there

is no chance of any solvent residues remaining in the final

product, and it is easier on the environment. The

cold-pressed oil is the closest to nature; it has a high

essential fatty acid content, and is considered more

delicate than other seed oils. For this reasons, pure

rosehip seed oil should be kept in a cool place, out of

direct light, and should be used within 1 year of purchase.

Otherwise the more fragile of the fatty acids could begin to

turn bad, and your skin might not be so fond of them.

The oil is one of nature's best sources of vitamins E and

A. Retinoic acid, the acid derivative of vitamin A, is the

active ingredient found in Retin-A, which has been used for

years as a wrinkle cure because of its ability to speed the

time it takes for your skin to regenerate. Rosehipseed oil

has been studied for many of the same actions attributed to

this pharmaceutical preparation, and has been shown

effective without side effects that the man-made version may

have.

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 it's skin regenerative properties, the oil is

also a fantastic moisturizer and nutrative agent due to it's

high essential fatty acid content. The oil easily penetrates

the skin and is well absorbed - it does not leave an oily

feeling, but rather one of healthy skin moisture.

Rosehip seed oil may be used directly on the skin daily - It

may also be blended with other oils like jojoba and sweet

almond, and will still give noticable results at one-tenth

of the concentration. In addition, rosehip seed oil makes an

excellent carrier oil for aromatherapy, blending it with

essential oils having skin regenerative properties will make

an exceptional natural skin care product.

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.

A little Rosehip seed oil will go a long way - and once you

use it, you may forever include this wonderful natural

botanical in your skin care collection. It is truely a

beauty-care miracle from mother nature.