Rosehip is not an essential oil but a carrier — a cold-pressed vegetable oil from the seed of the rose hip, the fruit left behind after the flower fades. It has become a favourite in natural skincare, and it is worth understanding on its own terms.
The oil is cold-processed from the small seeds inside the hip, which keeps its delicate nutrients intact. It is rich in essential fatty acids — particularly the omega-6 and omega-3 types — and in natural compounds that give it a faint golden-red colour.
Character and feel
Rosehip is a dry oil: light, quick to absorb, and non-greasy, which is unusual and much of its appeal. It has a mild, slightly earthy scent that fades quickly and does not compete with any essential oils you add to it.
In skincare
Rosehip is regarded as a nourishing, conditioning oil for the face and body, and is a popular base for facial blends and for mature or dry skin. It is used as a carrier: a few drops of a complementary essential oil — lavender, geranium, frankincense or a touch of rose — can be added to it for a simple facial oil. It is for external use only.
Storing it
Because it is high in unsaturated fats, rosehip oil oxidises faster than sturdier carriers. Keep it in a dark bottle, tightly capped, somewhere cool — the refrigerator is ideal — and use it within a few months of opening for the best of it.