Nature's Beauty Wonder: Rosehip Seed Oil

By: Misty Rae Cech, ND

The use of Rosehip seed oil alone or in cosmetic preparations has become extremely common due to this magical oil's effective skin and beauty care properties. The luscious reddish oil has been heralded as a miracle cure for a myriad of skin conditions in. What really is this wonderful liquid, and can it work it's natural-beauty wonders for you?

Rosehip seed oil is extracted from the seed within the fruit of the wild thorny rose bush. Native to Chile, the plant is now cultivated elsewhere in South America with many countries producing the oil. Also found under the name 'Rosa Mosqueta', the oil has been used by native people for hundreds of years, but only recently became known to the rest of the world.

The oil can be solvent extracted or cold-pressed, though pressing is the optimal method, as there is no chance of chemical traces being left in the final product. The cold-pressed oil is the most natural; the oil has an exceptionally high essential fatty acid content ('essential' meaning the body cannot make it on it's own from other oils), and is considered quite delicate. Rosehip seed oil should be kept in a cool place, perhaps even under refrigeration, away from light, and should be used within one year of storage.

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. Rosehip seed 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 done at the University of Santiago, Chile. The participants had diverse forms of skin damage: wrinkles and other premature aging, sun and radiation damage, scarring, and other skin damage. Rosehip seed oil was shown to have significant, noticeable effects in regenerating the skin, reducing results of all skin damage types, and contributing to an overall smoothing of the skin's appearance.

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.

Besides its regenerative properties, rosehip seed oil is also an excellent moisturizer. This is most likely due to its high essential fatty acid content (fatty acids that the body cannot produce itself), which are necessary for healthy skin. The oil penetrates the upper layers of the skin quickly and, being known as a 'dry' moisturizer, 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, Shae Nut or Hazelnut, and will produce it's regenerative effects in dilutions as low as 1 tenth of the total concentration.

To smooth scars on the skin, blend of twenty drops of Helichrysum Italicum essential oil in each ounce of rosehip seed and applied daily to the area. Helichrysum Italicum essential oil is well known for its content of regenerative di-ketones, and has long been used for this purpose. For a more luxurious beauty blend, experiment with this combination in four ounces of rosehip seed: five drops Helichrysum, five drops Lavender angustifolia, 3 drops Sandalwood (Pacific Island Sandalwood is an excellent choice), three drops Neroli (bitter orange flower oil), three drops Carrot Seed oil (a very moisturizing essential oil), three drops Geranium (also for hydration), two drops Roman Chamomile (for it's anti-inflammatory properties), two drops of Jasmine absolute and one drop each of Palmarosa and Ylang Ylang essential oils. This blend is very much appreciated by those using it on a regular basis. Even a simple blend using the Helichrysum and Lavender essential oils will go a long way.

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 truly a beauty-care miracle from mother nature.

Article Source: http://appliedhealtharticles.com

The author is a degreed natural health professional offering personal consultations to support overall wellness through a variety of modalities. She may be contacted through her website at www.anandaapothecary.com.

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