Rosehip oil, extracted from the seeds of an Andean rose plant, is made up of a cocktail of powerful compounds, each of which has a beneficial impact on the body. How can you incorporate this health-bringing oil into your life?
If you use a lot of skincare products, the chances are you’ll be reaping the benefits of rosehip oil already. This is because its properties as a skin-healing and anti-ageing agent are widely accepted by the beauty industry. The oil contains Vitamins A and C, is high in essential fatty acids associated with collagen synthesis — including Omegas 3 and 6. Rosehip oil is also used medicinally for treating conditions like eczema, dermatitis and acne.
If you want to go right to the source (without a trek across the Andes!) and use a more concentrated form of rosehip oil in your skincare regime, you can buy bottles of it in most chemists. Boots sells Trilogy Rosehip Oil at £16 for a 2oml bottle, and Neals Yard sells a larger 50ml bottle at the same price.
Many people with chronic skin conditions or minor blemishes find that rosehip oil is great at gently evening out uneven skin tone and pigmentation. Sunspots and scars are said to fade with regular application of rosehip, and the vitamin A content is said to have an anti-ageing effect, as it plumps out skin tone. Retinol (vitamin A) is added to most commercial anti-ageing products, so why not get it straight from the bud?
When you’re buying skincare products – natural or synthetic – it’s good to know that the claims made on the bottle are approved and respected by dermatologists. In the case of rosehip oil, you can be sure that those benefits are backed up by clinical evidence.
Image: Margaret Anne Clarke
