Extracted from the seeds of a wild rose bush, rosehip(RH) oil is a popular cosmetic ingredient. It contains vitamins(natural Vit. A), minerals, antioxidants and essential fatty acids that has several benefits such as reducing dark blemishes on your skin, rehydrate the skin and reduce the occurrence of fine lines and scars.
Although RH oil is popular in cosmetics, it is better to use this in its pure oil form as it has not been altered and not contaminated with other cosmetic ingredients. You can start using this oil as part of your morning ritual.
Application after Shower
After taking a shower, apply a small amount of rosehip oil(few drops) onto your hand and gently/softly rub it in (massage like motion) to the areas of your face. Since the oil is super light, it is easily absorbed into your skin. So give a minute or two allowing it to settle down. You can apply twice daily, one time in the morning and at night. At night time you can apply your favorite nighttime moisturizer after the application of the RH oil.
Depending on your skin type and this is subjective to the individual, you can wet your skin first before applying the oil as it may help with the absorption. Some people I have talked to were having absorption issues with RH oil and found it to be more oily than expected. This will dependent on how oily the person’s skin in the first place.
Supposedly it also helps relieves any dandruff issues and reduces brittle hair by nourishing your scalp. If you want maximum benefits, slightly warm up some RH oil in a bowl and massage it in to your hair and scalp.
Word of Caution
Also note that it does not protect against the sun so make sure to use your sunscreen on a sunny day. Apparently it should not be applied during acne outbreaks. Only when your acne subsides, then you can use it to help reduce any scarring caused by your acne. On the flipside some people do use it directly on acne, but it would be better if you discuss with your health official or on a acne forum.
Closer Look at the Benefits of Rosehip Oil
Since it contains essential fatty acids (linoleic acid + omega 6 and 9), it will nourish your skin especially in problem eyes such as the elbows, knees and heels. These three skin areas are prone to being very dry and can be worse depending on the season such as winter.
Other Benefits
- High in vitamin C and lycopene
- Helps rejuvenates your skin by improving any loss elasticity and any damage caused by age, pollution and other stressors.
- Stretch marks, unusual pigmentation, burns and scars? This oil acts as an astringent and will help speed up the healing process.
- Small sunburn? – Gently apply a small amount to the affected area which will give you instant and soothing relief. Again as mentioned earlier, it is not a sun block component.
- Hinder the formation of wrinkles and also help those suffering from skin ageing cause by excessive sun.
Dry Skin
RH oil naturally provides benefits to dry skin. Now it may help those with minor Eczema, but I found its strength to be more helpful with lighten up scars. But I tend to blend it with other essential oils to make my homemade body cream, and you can read more about it by following this link.
Downside?
One downside that many people complain about is the smell. I tend to mix mine with other essential oil that have a better smell which mask the smell fo RH. Another negative is that it is difficult to store for the long term as it is quite delicate. Make sure to store it in your fridge and is properly closed.
