3 Reasons To Add Rosehip Oil To Your Skin Care Routine

Natural beauty oils are one of the hottest trends in skin care, and with good reason. Many of us are concerned by the chemical overload inherent in our modern world and we’re looking for natural skincare products — non-GMO, free from petrochemicals and silicone oils — that also deliver results.

Pure plant oils are at the heart of natural beauty; they’ve been used to care for skin for thousands of years. Many of the oils extracted from seeds, nuts and fruit are beneficial and completely compatible with the skin. They nourish, hydrate and provide a protective yet invisible barrier that helps prevent moisture loss and guards against the drying effects of the environment.

My favorite oil for skin care? Rosehip. It's extracted from the seeds of rosehips, the fruit left behind after a rose has flowered and dropped its petals. In fact, I love rosehip oil so much, I sell it. Here are three reasons you should incorporate rosehip oil into your beauty routine and what you should know before you make the switch:

1. It's a serious multi-tasker.

With its excellent ability to nourish and moisturize even the driest skin, rosehip oil is the natural way to achieve and maintain a healthy, glowing complexion.

Ideal for all skin types, it's perfectly pH balanced. Unlike mineral oils, it has a superfine consistency so it feels lighter, drier and absorbs quickly, instantly hydrating the skin without clogging pores. And, with a molecular structure similar to skin’s own natural oil (sebum), rosehip oil can help regulate the skin’s oil production to rebalance oily skin. It’s also gentle enough to be used on even the most sensitive skin.

Rosehip oil is a great all-over treatment and can help improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks and wrinkles. Its skin-loving natural actives are highly effective at treating dry and dehydrated skin, aging skin and uneven skin tone.

2. It's nature’s answer to beautiful, healthy skin.

Rosehip oil is rich in skin-loving nutrients that improve skin’s overall condition. It’s a great source of essential fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6), fatty acids (omega 9) and beta-carotene (pro-Vitamin A). EFAs are vital to the health of our skin, but our bodies don’t produce them.

Naturally occurring in rosehip oil, these lipid compounds moisturize skin and improve softness and elasticity, assist skin cell renewal and repair, and can help restore skin suffering the effects of sun damage and lifestyle stresses. Because rosehip oil is so full of goodness, skin only needs a very small amount; a few drops are enough to transform your skin.

3. Not all rosehip oils are created equal.

Since it’s a naturally occurring product, the quality of rosehip oil can vary significantly depending on the source and the amount of processing the rosehips and oil are subject to after being harvested. To help identify a top quality rosehip oil, look for one with an independent organic certification. This guarantees the oil comes from rosehips grown and processed without pesticides, herbicides and other chemical interventions.

The color of rosehip oil can also be an indication of quality. High quality, pure, cold-pressed rosehip oil ranges from a beautiful deep golden hue, to a rich red-orange color. If the oil is very pale yellow to almost clear, it may have been heavily processed or come from an inferior source.

It’s worth researching company websites to find out whether the extraction process is solvent-free and what testing is carried out to guarantee the concentration of natural actives in the oil.

And finally, a top quality certified organic rosehip oil will have no added fragrance, color or preservatives. The natural fragrance is very subtle and may be slightly woody, but it shouldn’t smell like roses, since it’s not made from the flower.