We live in a culture that considers drinking raw milk to be strange and dangerous, but injecting the botulism toxin into our skin (Botox) seems to be a perfectly acceptable way to fight wrinkles. Interesting…
Luckily, there are natural ways to fight the signs of aging that don’t involve risky procedures.
This rosehip seed oil facial moisturizer is a wrinkle-fighting powerhouse… and is better for you than Botox. (Though to be fair, it isn’t too tough to be “better” than botulism!)
Benefits of Rosehip Seed Oil
If you’re trying to prevent wrinkles, or even if they’ve already take hold, rosehip seed oil has many unique properties that make it a great choice for aging or damaged skin.
Penetrates Skin
Unlike other oils for mature skin, rosehip seed oil is astringent and considered a “dry oil,” which means it sinks into skin quickly. This allows its essential fatty acids to really penetrate and soothe dry skin.
Boosts Collagen Production
Rosehip seed oil actually encourages skin to form its own collagen due to its naturally occurring vitamin A. Other facial moisturizers with added collagen might claim to be anti-aging, but there’s a problem: collagen molecules are too large for our skin to absorb when they’re applied topically.
Nourishes and Regenerates
Rosehip seed oil keeps skin supple and strong by nourishing skin with vitamins A, C, and E. It’s also very high in linoleic and alpha-linoleic acids, which promote cellular regeneration and keep skin looking youthful.
Soothes Skin and Scars
A 2015 study published in the Journal of Cosmetics shows rosehip seed benefits in wound healing and reduction in scarring after surgical procedures. This same study suggests rosehip seed oil might also reduce the effects of photo-aging from sun exposure due to its vitamin A (retinol) content.
How to Make Rosehip Seed Oil Facial Moisturizer
This rosehip seed oil facial moisturizer recipe contains seven skin-boosting ingredients and absolutely no junk! A little goes a long way so one batch can last months (and still cost much less than expensive anti-aging products).
Choosing Rosehip Seed Oil
When it comes to rosehip seed oil, color matters. In general, conventionally grown rosehip seed oil is usually pale yellow and lacking in beneficial lycopene, minerals, and vitamins A and C. Organic rosehip seed oil tends to have a more vibrant orange-yellow color due to its higher level of beneficial carotenoids and vitamin A. So the source does matter.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a great ingredient to include in any face moisturizer for its ability to extend the shelf life of homemade products. It is not a preservative, but it slows the oxidizing of carrier oils. It has a similar effect on skin and helps to fight aging and prevent free radical damage.
Mango Butter
Mango butter is also high in potent antioxidants and contains polyphenols to reduce inflammation and rejuvenate skin. This butter helps to thicken the facial moisturizer, but doesn’t feel greasy on the skin.
Essential Oils
Several essential oils fight the signs of aging particularly well. Frankincense and patchouli have potent skin rejuvenating and wrinkle-fighting properties and lend an earthy scent. For a lighter fragrance, opt for carrot seed and geranium instead. (All of these oils have anti-aging properties, so it just depends on your scent preferences.)
Rosehip Seed Oil Facial Moisturizer Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 TBSP beeswax pellets
- 1 TBSP mango butter
- ¼ cup sweet almond oil
- 10 drops vitamin E oil
- 2 TBSP rosehip seed oil
- 7 drops frankincense essential oil (or carrot seed oil)
- 7 drops patchouli essential oil (or geranium oil)
Instructions
- In a heat-safe glass bowl, combine the beeswax, mango butter, and sweet almond oil.
- Put the glass bowl on top of a smaller pan filled halfway with water to create a double boiler (the bottom of the glass bowl should not touch the water in the pan).
- Put the pan on the stove and turn on the heat to medium high.
- Stir gently just until everything is melted, then turn off the heat and carefully remove the bowl from the pot.
- Let it cool for a few minutes, then stir in the rosehip seed oil, vitamin E, and essential oils. Since these oils are more heat sensitive, you don’t want to get them too hot.
- Place the glass bowl in the refrigerator for 25-30 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened and cooled, but isn’t so hard that you can’t easily push a finger into it.
- Use a mixer with the whisk attachment, or a hand whisk to mix the facial moisturizer until creamy and smooth. Stop when it looks like lotion.
- Store the moisturizer in a glass jar or metal tin.
How to Use
- Cleanse skin using a cleanser of choice and pat dry.
- Use finger tips to gently massage a small amount of this moisturizer into the skin in a circular motion.
Notes
Ever used rosehip seed oil in a moisturizer? How did it work for you?
I’m so glad I came across this post today! I have a small bottle of rosehip seed oil that I ordered a few months ago, life got busier and I forgot about it. I haven’t been able to figure out what I was going to use it in, but now I have a great recipe to make!
I also have a question, and I’m hoping you might know the answer! A rose bush that I’ve had for at least 10 years went back to it’s wild roots, lol, and the wild roses look very different. Last year I noticed it had rosehips, but it had already frozen twice, so they didn’t look super great and they got tossed out when we had it trimmed. So this year there are A LOT, but I still don’t know when or how to harvest them. Once I have them in my kitchen, what do I use them for? Can I press them for oil, or soak them in oil, etc.? Should I let them become dried out, or not? If you have any ideas, please please let me know! Thanks!!
Is it known if this would help skin with rosecea?
Mary – I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but wanted to let you know that I also have rosacea and using the oil cleansing method (google search, or search this site, she has written about it) has helped me a lot. I no longer have to apply prescription creams to prevent rosacea breakouts. Not completely gone, but MUCH better.
Yes I use a variation of this but I recently started using black seed oil in combination with this oil, it feels wonderful and my skin feels so smooth, but I want to know if this combined with the moisturizer could act as an anti aging treatment because I really do not want to give up using strong black seed oil, it is just a miraculous thing. When I say combination I use it alternatively.
Jennifer do you mean Blackberry seed oil? I have never heard of strong black seed oil. Thanks!
What is the purpose of beeswax?
It thickens the consistency (and provides some benefits, too).
I ordered rose hip seed oil a while ago, and it’s yellow, contrary to the reddish color the oil had before. Is it in any harmful, or does it just lack some of the properties? I’m tight on money and can’t afford to pour something down the drain unless it’s necessary…
Thank you!! 🙂
I can’t say for sure without knowing what brand it is, but it shouldn’t be harmful.
Do you have a suggestion to substitution for the almond oil?Could I maybe use coconut oil?
Coconut, jajoba, or even olive oil would work.
With severe nut allergies in the house, do you have a suggestion for substituting almond oil?
You can use jojoba oil or another nut-free oil. You may just have to play with the ratios until you get a consistency you like.
Does the rosehip seed oil have a strong floral scent? If so, any suggestions for substitutes? Also, do you have a sense for how long this would keep? Thanks!
Rosehip oil does not have a floral scent at all! Nothing like roses. I think it has a more oily scent, just more earthy. Hope that helps. I have kept mine in a room temperature medicine cabinet in a brown glass bottle for about six months before it started to smell a bit rancid. I would suggest also using a bottle with a serum pump rather than a dropper or plain lid, as oxygen in contact with the oil tends to make it smell “off” faster. Using the serum pump seems to be keeping my latest bottle of oil fresher longer, although I haven’t really got records, just a feeling. Hope that helps!
Very helpful! Thank you!
Can any other “butter” or oil be substituted for mango butter? I have shea butter and coconut oil. I hesitate to buy mango butter because I don’t have other uses for it.
Yes, you should be able to use either one as a substitute.
Where can I buy that ready made?
I haven’t found one that I love…
In your article you write about “rosehip seed oil” but the product you linked to is “rosehip oil”. Does this matter?
Thank you!
The title of the product I linked to is incorrect. If you read the description it actually says that it’s “rosehip seed oil” and not rose hip oil.