One of my favourite things to do while I’m travelling is check out the local beauty shops and see what locals keep on their shelves. As of the time of writing this, I’m in Melbourne, Australia, visiting family, escaping our Nova Scotia winter for a few weeks.
One product has stood out as a must-have for many product lovers down under: rosehip seed oil. This fabulous seed is mainly produced in Chile, where women swear by its anti-inflammatory properties and moisturizing benefits. The ingredient has caught on with beauty manufacturers globally, but it seems to have been lost in the deluge of products in North America, but in Australia is has risen to the top. Rosehip seed oil has a few key benefits that are worth considering. Rich in vitamins, rosehip seed oil is high in vitamin A, which is the holy grail of skin care vitamins. This can help smooth texture and lighten dark spots. It’s also high in essential fatty acids, which add a healthy dose of moisture to your skin, without being heavy or oily. In fact, rosehip seed oil is recommended for people with acne, even inflammatory acne. It has the gift of adding moisture to your skin while controlling excessive sebum and calming redness.
This oil comes in many forms. Some manufacturers produce a pure oil with no additives and the price can run from barely $10 to upwards of $50.
Other skin care companies will add the oil to other ingredients to make a facial oil that is either heavier or that has other uses. These can go from $20 to more than $100.
A few standout products run the range of prices but all have been highly reviewed. Kate Blanc’s Organic Rosehip Seed Oil sold on Amazon is available for about $25, Laura Mercier has an oil Mixture containing rosehip seed oil called Flawless Skin Infusion de Rose Nourishing Oil for about $70 and Kate Middleton’s favourite, Trilogy’s Organic Rosehip Seed Oil, for about $50. This oil has largely positive reviews, so it may be something you can add to your skin care routine as a replacement for a moisturizer or as an additive to your existing favourite. You can also use it as a serum or under makeup. As always, if you have any thoughts, questions or ideas, send me an email or direct message me on Instagram @skindeepsurette.
Denise Surette is a journalist, master esthetician and part-time instructor at the Hair Design Centre’s school of esthetics. She lives in Lawrencetown with her family and two cats.
