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Tamanu Oil: Everything You Could Want In A Skin Care Oil

July 16th, 2011

You may have not heard of it yet, but there’s a carrier oil that’s been used for ages that’s about to make big waves. It has yet to make the headlines, or have models advertising it, so you might want to get yourself some while it’s still relatively inexpensive. Pressed from the nuts of trees growing on islands in the middle of the ocean, the oil is called Tamanu (it goes by many other names actually, but this is the most popular in the States. Indigenous island cultures have used the oil for healing every conceivable skin condition for a very long time.

It really seems to be the perfect carrier oil for creating blends to prevent and treat aging skin. It can be used after surgery to speed healing and prevent scarring, and should work just as well for stretch marks – just about any kind of skin healing you can think of will be benefited by this oil.

In the Journal of Cosmetic Sciences, the oil was called a “panacea” for its pronounced, significant speeding of healing of skin wounds. Application of the oil demonstrated an observable increase in the rate of healing of breaks in the skin. Speeding of skin cell generation has been the foundation of anti-aging, anti-wrinkle creams like Retin-A. The rate of skin cell production slows as we age, and Retin-A (which has the drawback of being quite irritating and making your skin more unacceptable to burning from UV rays) simply speeds up the rate of skin cell production, and reduces wrinkle appearance.

In another study seeking a chemical to prevent UV radiation damage to the eye, researchers found that Tamanu significantly blocked the absorption of UV light rays. So like Retin-A, it speeds skin cell production, and unlike it, it actually protects the skin from sun exposure (now we’re not sure how much relative to sunscreen, but they did say “Tamanu oil, even at low concentration, exhibited significant UV absorption properties”.

On top of all that, it’s been discovered that the oil also inhibits the growth of skin cancer tumors. Plus it has a host of other properties that make it useful for healing of all sorts of skin conditions: it is also antimicrobial (a good base oil for acne formulas) and antiviral as well (supporting the healing of herpes outbreaks.

The oil is very unique in color, texture and scent relative to other carrier oils. Some folks don’t care for the aroma, but it’s really not that strong – particularly if you blend it with other base oils and/or add essential oils. It’s a deep greenish-brown color, and the unfiltered product will be somewhat “grainy” – yet these are just different components of the oil which “freeze” like coconut oil, but will smooth out right away when applied to the skin (or added to a blend).

You can certainly use the oil by itself, and many people do. It blends nicely with other carrier oils as well, and for a great array of essential fatty acids, you could mix it with virgin coconut, argan oil, rosehip seed oil and borage seed oil.

For example, a base could be make of one-third each tamanu, coconut, and rosehip seed oils. To this, any number of anti-aging essential oils can be included. Next time you’re creating your own skin care beauty recipe, seriously consider adding Tamanu – you can see that it really may do all that you’d ever wanted in a skin care formula.

There’s so much more to learn. Expand your knowledge about many single note medicinal aromatics like amyris essential oil and basil essential oil at Ananda Aromatherapy.

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Practical Aromatherapy: Men’s Anti-Aging Skin Care Formulations

October 1st, 2010

Most of the time you’ll find essential oil blends for skin care formulated for women. They’ll have fairly floral scents, and maybe ingredients specifically included to manage estrogen. Well, here’s a look at formulating for men; blends with deeper, mild aromas and therapeutic actions geared toward helping men keep their skin healthy and youthful.

Formulating blends for younger looking skin requires selecting oils which offer these therapeutic properties: regenerative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative. Essential oils are really exceptional skin-care ingredients, as they offer these important anti-aging actions (several having been backed by scientific research), and are well-tolerated and easily absorbed. The essential oils are mixed into carrier oils — which are “oils” in the more classic sense. Yet even these are selected for their specific anti-aging therapeutic effects.

Certain aromatic ingredients have a very long “track record” of anti-aging use; specifically the resins of frankincense and myrrh are highly regarded for this purpose. In aromatherapy, these are available both as “essential oils” and as “CO2 extracts”; for skin care, the latter is best, as it they are most similar to the actual medicinal resin. These oils have a range of properties, including all three that most interest us. They’re also perfect from a “men’s fragrance” standpoint, with their earthy scents.

Next up are the oils that are known specifically for their regenerative and cell-stimulating effects. Helichrysum italicum and rosemary verbenone are found in nearly every “scar reduction” recipe; the features which make them so useful in these blends make them great anti-aging essential oils as well. Helichrysum is anti-inflammatory and high in regenerative “di-ketones” (the only oil in common use to have these specific molecular components). Rosemary of the “verbenone” chemotype is considered a “specialty skin care oil”, as it too has unique regenerative ketones. It is also thought to enhance skin cell metabolism, increasing the nutrients-in and waste-out processes.

We’ll also select one or more oils with high levels of anti-oxidant and rejuvenative nutrients. These oils have a deep reddish-orange color, indicating the presence of these vitamin-like compounds: carrot root, whole rosehip and whole sea buckthorn. While these can be found as “carrier oils”, it is the “CO2 extracts” of these plant parts that are best for our men’s anti-aging formulation. They’re a very concentrated extract, providing an incredible concentration of carotenoids and polyphenols.

And no “men’s” skin care formula would be complete without sandalwood essential oil. In addition to being a soft, relaxing aroma, it’s very balancing and protective at the same time. Sandalwood balances skin oils (helps both “too oily” and “too dry” become “normal”), and has even been shown to protect against skin cancers.

All these essential oils and extracts are measured into the base of your formula, the “carrier oils”. The base of these anti-aging recipes is 1/3rd each rosehip seed, tamanu and argan. Even without the essential oils, using these three oils together would be truly exceptional skin care. Each of these has been evaluated for youth-enhancing skin care effects; we blend them together because they each have unique properties which synergize when combined.

On to the mixing! This is really, really easy. And you can make several ounces at once, enough to last a couple of months (store everything over one ounce in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them). These essential oil quantities are given for each ounce, so increase according to your final volume. For normal-to-dry skin: eight drops frankincense OR myrrh “CO2″, six drops rosemary verbenone OR helichrsyum, six drops sandalwood and sixteen drops rosehip “CO2″. Yes, it sounds so simple, but this, in the three base oils, is a downright excellent formula for anti-aging skin care.

For men with skin prone to acne breakouts, remove all rosehip from your formulas; it can exacerbate over-oily acne conditions. You may consider adding a little spike lavender to your recipe if you feel a little extra antiseptic support could be useful. For those with sensitive skin a few drops of lavender is an excellent choice.

Feel free to modify further! The only caution to heed is that it’s easy to use too much essential oils in your formula. Only four or eight drops seems like so little, yet if you use too much, you’ll find you can make your eyes water with the intensity. Imagine essential oils acting almost like signaling agents — just a little bit of them tells your skin cells what to do, and in this case, it’s to give you a healthy, smooth, youthful glow (yes, men can glow too)!

Visit the website for more on essential oil research, Lavender essential oil and more.

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Choosing And Using Essential Oils To Treat Acne

September 7th, 2010

Acne breakouts, both “teenage” and adult, is due to a combination of factors including the proliferation of bacteria, inflammation, and hormonal imbalance. Teenage acne also involves a temporary overproduction of skin oils, as well as a thickening of the skin — factors which lead to further inflammation and conditions for bacterial growth. Using essential oils for treating both teenage and adult acne is a smart choice, as you can create a blend of oils which address every aspect of the condition. Here we’ll look at creating a blend that does just this, by selecting from groups of oils with the desired effects (be aware that several oils will have multiple properties) and basing them in therapeutic carrier oils (which actually have been successful at treating acne themselves).

First examining the antiseptics, the choice for many people is tea tree essential oil. It has been the gold standard of topical antiseptic essential oils. It is readily available, inexpensive, and actually “proven” effective. A recent study was produced comparing the efficacy of tea tree to oxybenzone, the most popular over-the-counter active ingredient for acne treatment. A 5% tea tree formulation was found to be as effective as a 5% benzoylperozxide preparation, without side effects (benzoylperoxide can cause drying and peeling). Tea tree can be used at much higher concentrations if desired, as it will not produce the peeling and drying action of oxybenzone. Some people find they can use it “neat” (undiluted) without side effects, though it’s crucial you test a very small amount to see if this is both safe AND effective for you personally. Other popular antiseptic essential oils in acne blends include geranium and palmarosa — you can combine one or more of these in your formula, which may result in greater therapeutic activity.

Then there’s the important balancing of sebum secretion. Green myrtle essential oil is actually both balancing and a potent antibacterial. Like tea tree, it has been suggested as a treatment all by itself, and may work better for may individuals. If you’re seeking a single oil for direct application, consider experimenting with myrtle and tea tree — finding the one that works best for you. Myrtle will work synergistically with tea tree in an overall acne treatment blend.

Somewhat less potent of an antibacterial, but perhaps a more important oil for sebum balance and overall skin health is rosewood. You’ll find rosewood included in a great many skin care formulas, and is an especially good choice for adult acne care. If you choose rosewood for your blend, look for one from a sustainable source, or from a location other than Brazil, such that it’s not from wild-grown trees in the Amazon rainforest.

To summarize a few other highly-regarded oils for acne-care blends: Lavender essential oil may be the most commonly used essential oil in all of skin and hair care. It is thought to synergize — or tie together — all other oils in a formula. It is known for its anti-inflammatory and wound healing actions. Spike lavender, sort of a cross between sage and lavender, is a more potent antiseptic, if you feel you need something stronger in that respect. Myrrh has been used for skin care for thousands of years, with an excellent combination of antiseptic and healing actions. Sandalwood, too, is a soothing, protective, and balancing oil to include in adult-care formulas where the skin may be dry.

You may find other sources discussing the use of citrus oils, particularly lemon and bergamot. While these oils can be highly effective, their topical use on the face doesn’t make sense due to their photo-toxicity. Once applied, they will make that area of the skin hyper-sensitive to sunlight for the next day or two. As there are so many other excellent choices, use of citrus oils for acne care should be avoided altogether.

As mentioned, essential oils can be dabbed (not rubbed!) directly on pimples. However, for treating any area — and limiting future outbreaks in that area — you’ll want to create a blend of oils in a carrier. While there are many choices, the best are oils that have their own therapeutic activity. The two most well-known are coconut and tamanu nut oils; both are naturally antiseptic, and have been used by some individuals to successfully treat acne alone. Equal parts of these oils will create a simple, effective base to which you’ll add your essential oils.

Creating you blend is a simple process: chose up to 4 essential oils and measure them into an empty bottle. Create a blend with a total of around 5% essential oil concentration: 1 milliliter, or 20 drops, of essential oil in each ounce is a 3% concentration — 7 drops of essential oil in each ounce is 1%. This means you can use around 35 drops total (from a standard glass eyedropper) of essential oils in each ounce of base. You may want to measure the number of drops per ml using a measuring pipette.

On to the recipes! These are the number of drops of essential oil in one ounce of carrier. To make two ounces, simply double the number of drops. So for your base, mix equal parts of virgin coconut, tamanu and grapeseed oils (or just tamanu and coconut, if you don’t mind the thickness). For teenage acne, use 14 drops each tea tree, spike lavender and myrtle. For adult acne with oily skin, use 9 drops each myrtle, tea tree, rosewood and lavender. For adult acne with dry to normal skin, use 7 drops each tea tree, spike lavender, rosewood, myrrh and sandalwood. Please feel free to adjust these recipes, depending on your intuition and the oils you have on hand. Using 3 or more of any of these essential oils together in the carrier oils mentioned should produce effective results for nearly any acne condition.

For more on the therapeutic value of essential oils, and the many ways to employ these oils such as in aromatherapy and essentia oil diffusers, visit The Ananda Apothecary online.

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Blend Your Own High End Formula For Anti-Aging Skin Care

August 10th, 2010

Sometimes we get lured in to thinking we need to spend big bucks on fancy skin care creams to protect our skin from aging. And while many of these products are wonderful, you can make your own highly effective anti-aging formulas with essential oils and therapeutic carrier oils. Essential oils and their “carrier oils” are well-known to have many therapeutic properties for skin care. Here’s a look at how the oils do their job, and how to easily blend your own highly effective and inexpensive formulas at home.

Aging is really a degradation of the structures within each cell, so that each structure becomes less able to do its job over time. There’s two main biological actions going on all the time in our skin cells that contribute to their aging: inflammation and oxidation. The external factors creating these actions are just what you’d expect: over-exposure to UV radiation (sunlight), exposure to environmental pollution, and exposure to less-than-healthy things you eat and drink.

What happens when UV radiation strikes our skin is that oxidative radicals are formed, which begin to damage our skin until they’re “quenched”. Essential oils are known to be some of the strongest natural antioxidants on the planet. Sea buckthorn oil was examined as a potential agent for Russian astronauts to protect their skin from UV exposure. Myrrh essential oil has one of the highest ORAC values known of any natural substance, and has long been a component of blends for mature skin.

The latest research is now pointing to inflammation, rather than oxidation, as being the greatest factor contributing to aging. While a little temporary inflammation is actually healing, chronic inflammation is not. Inflammation wreaks havoc on the internal structure and activity of our skin cells and, like oxidation, leads to permanent damage. Yet again, essential oils to the rescue! Several oils are used primarily for their ability to halt inflammatory processes in the skin. The two most popular for this application are German chamomile and blue tansy. It is the blue pigmented molecules in both of these that imparts their cooling, anti-inflammatory activity. Several other oils have similar properties, and in our blend we’ll use these in addition to German chamomile.

Essential oils are not applied to the skin at full strength however, no matter how effective they are. Instead, they’re blended at relatively low concentrations into seed and nut oils called “carrier” oils. The carrier oils have important, complementary therapeutic properties of their own. They too contain antioxidants, along with other nutrients and anti-inflammatory essential fatty acids. Carrier oils even when used by themselves keep our skin soft, moisturized and protected. When combined with essential oils, they become real therapeutic medicine.

Now that we’ve got a little background, how do we go about creating our blends? First, gather all your tools and containers. The blends are best mixed and stored in cobalt blue or amber glass bottles, and if the bottles have a dropper top or pump top, it’ll make it easier to dispense the blend when your done. Also, you’ll want to know the volume of your bottle(s) in ounces, as you’ll use them for measuring.

You’ll start by filling each bottle up most of the way with carrier oils, then adding your essential oils drop by drop. Always be sure to leave enough space at the top to add your essential oils. All these measurements are for making one ounce of formula — you can simply multiply the numbers if you’re making two, four, or more ounces.

Your carrier oil base will be made of one-third each virgin coconut (you’ll need to warm this for it to become liquid — it will stay liquid once blended with other oils), evening primrose OR hempseed, and argan OR rosehip seed. We’ve included a couple choices here: both evening primrose and hempseed are high in essential fatty acids that are very nutritive to your skin. Both argan and rosehip seed have been documented to actually reverse the signs of aging in the skin. Whichever you choose, fill your bottle up about 9/10ths of the way with your combination of carrier oils.

To this bottle, add the following: 24 drops sea buckthorn essential oil (also found as CO2 extract — not the “cold-pressed” oil), 7 drops myrrh essential oil (or CO2 extract), 7 drops German chamomile, and 7 drops lavender. For extra care for mature skin, you can optionally add 7 drops frankincense. Put the cap on and invert the bottle several times to mix (it’s better to not shake the bottle, as this can blend oxygen into the oils which can degrade it faster). You’re good to go! Apply this wonderful mixture to your face, and any other part of your body you wish, at least once per day. If your bottle is only one ounce, you can store it anywhere. Larger amounts can be stored in the refrigerator for several months. Be consistent, keep using it, and you’ll really help your skin maintain its youthful qualities.

The author is a great fan of Ananda Aromatherapy, a source for world-class bulgarian rose oil, and educational tools like an essential oil use chart are available on this site.

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Should You Use A Fashion Consultant?

July 27th, 2010

Have you ever heard about a fashion specialist before? A fashion consultant, which is also ordinarily referred to as an image specialist, is an individual who consults with you or gives you advice on the latest fashion trends.

Now, it can be relatively straightforward for you to learn about fashion on your own, but there are some people, who just wish to seek pro assistanceWhen it comes down to the use of the services of a fashion expert, many of these who are aiming to get a new job or who have lately been employed for one turn to a professional fashion consultant. Starting a new job or even just interviewing for a new job could be a nerve wracking time, and you need to make an excellent first impression and one of the finest paths to do so is with the garments that you wear.

Professional fashion consultants are those who spend ages every week reviewing the latest trends in fashion, including office fashions. Therefore , if you are inquisitive about revamping your appearance for a new job or merely an interview, you may need to think about using the services of a professional fashion specialist.

Marriages are another time when many individuals seek pro help. A fashion consultant can’t only help you find the ideal wedding ensemble to fit you and your body type, but they can also help you choose the perfect dresses for your bridesmaids.

Many people by mistake believe that fashion consultants only work with clients who want their attention for an extended time period, not just one night or for one person, like important business conferences or sublime dinners. This is simply not right.

As you can see, there are a number of different examples where you may wish to turn to a professional fashion advisor. In all honesty, you actually don’t need an incentive to do so. If you would like to hire the services of a fashion specialist, you could be able to find one by employing your local telephone book, the internet, or suggestions from those that you know.

Next, discover more on perfumes by Ralph Lauren from the Ralph Lauren Perfume Range support site.

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How It’s Possible For You To Find Free Fashion Tips Online

July 26th, 2010

Are you enthusiastic about improving your fashion sense? If you’re, you are glaringly not alone. Actually, that is why a significant number of individuals end up spending lots of dollars a year, if not more, on fashion mags.

However paper-and-ink magazines do not have a monopoly on great fashion ideas.

You may also visit online websites of popular, well-known fashion mags. Many popular fashion mags, like style and Glamour, have sites that are frequently full of free fashion tips, recommendation, and info on the latest fashion trends.

Another way that you can get free fashion tips online is also by performing the standard net search for non-magazine sources. Instead of hunting for online fashion mags, you’ll need to hunt for online internet sites that cover these subjects. There are a big number of net internet sites that are built to give you free fashion tips and a lot of them have a remarkable range of ideas, and are of great quality as well .

These web sites could not always be updated on a regular basis, but they’re frequently a pleasant, free way to study the most recent in the fashion world. In truth, you’ll also find that a large number have online notice boards or online message forums or blog comment areas. In these tiny communities you can interact and talk about fashion with other users in a way that is not only free, but also thrilling and fun.

As a reminder, you can buy printed fashion mags if you want to do so, but you may need to think about getting information on the fashion industry, as well as fashion tips and advice, online as it is free to do. It’s also important to mention that of the information that you will find, you are more likely to find more researchable and consumer driven fashion tips online than you are in a printed mag that may cost you a little fistful of dollars for a problem.

Now, get to know much more regarding Ralph Lauren’s line of exotic fragrances from the Ralph Lauren Perfume Range site.

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Keep Your Skin Protected After Sun Exposure With Essential Oils

July 15th, 2010

It’s summertime again, and time to break out the sunscreen to help protect our skin and keep it happy and healthy. Much of the unwanted effects from sun over-exposure are due to the generation of free radicals in our dermal layers — a process that continues long after we’ve stepped out of the sunlight. Inflammation and tissue damage occurs on a cellular level, and long term sun damage can result if this occurs frequently. Fortunately, we can apply antioxidant and anti-inflammatory formulas topically to keep our skin happy and healthy after sun exposure.

Therapeutic grade essential oils all have antioxidant activity. Many oils have exceptionally high “oxidative radical absorbance capacity” readings found through laboratory testing. From the hard work of scientists, we can select essential oils that will have beneficial effects on our skin, not only through their antioxidant protection, but through other skin healing actions as well. A recent journal publication reported that the essential oil of Myrrh did even better than a potent man-made antioxidant at quenching singlet-oxygen free radicals generated by UV exposure. And all we have to do is rub a little of this precious oil into our skin!

Making your own formula can be fun, and it’s really easy to do. You only need to select a few essential oils and blend them into a natural “carrier oil” base. All these oils absorb particularly well into the skin in a few minutes, without any “oily” feeling. The essential oils are easy to choose: Lavender essential oil, particularly Lavendula angustifolia, may be your first choice. Lavender has a great many healing properties for the skin; it is syngergistically anti-inflammatory, regenerative, and soothing at the same time. It is perfect for general skincare and after-sun use, and is called for by many aromatherapists in cases of sunburn.

Blue tansy is a wonderful essential oil that is frequently used for its anti-inflammatory action in skin care. Blue tansy is seen in many blends for dermatitis and skin irritation, and it will impart its deep blue cooling nature in your after sun healing recipe. It has a lovely ‘blueberry patch in the forest’ aroma loved by everyone who comes across it. It will also reduce allergic reactions that give us itchy skin in the summertime. Use in relatively small concentrations, of approximately one to two percent in your overall formula. If blue tansy is not readily available, blue chamomile is a perfect substitute.

Helichrysum may be the most dramatically anti-inflammatory and regenerative oil used in skin care. While expensive, just a small amount will have important healing effects. Helichrysum is used in wound healing and scar removal blends, and will do just as well for daily facial care for “mature” skin.

Sandalwood essential oil has recently been the subject of research noting its protective effects for the skin, actually preventing skin cancer when applied before sun exposure. The mechanism of action implies that this same protective effect should occur when applied after sun exposure as well. Another exotic oil has also been researched for anticancer activity: Frankincense. You’ll also find this oil prominently in blends for aging skin, having been researched to actually reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and result in smoother skin texture. Its range of effects makes it an excellent addition to your recipe.

A relative newcomer on the block is sea buckthorn; the oil is cold-distilled from the berries of a bush found in Eastern Europe. Sea Buckthorn “CO2 extract” is now found in many of the world’s most exclusive skincare products, and is very cost-effective when added to your own creations. Its sweet, fruity aroma is very appealing, and its deep red color indicates the many beta-carotene compounds naturally occurring in this oil. Sea buckthorn is highly-recommended for addition to all daily-use aromatherapy skin care blends, and is particularly suited for an after-sun formulation.

If you feel like getting creative, you can include other ingredients that are readily available at health food stores or on the Internet. You can squeeze a couple vitamin E capsules into your blend, or add Ester-C, a non-acidic form of vitamin C, both of which are excellent antioxidants when topically applied to the skin.

All these ingredients will be based in natural “carrier oils”. Carrier oils are common seed and nut oils like avocado, apricot kernel, evening primrose, jojoba, hemp, tamanu and rosehip seed. Any of these oils alone will work wonderfully, though you can use two or more together to provide a synergy of healthy action for your skin. A general-purpose formula may include avocado and jojoba; a potent formula for extra skin health support might include evening primrose, tamanu, and rosehip seed.

The recipes are really flexible and easy to make. You can easily tailor them to your own needs, or to those of your children and other loved ones. Simply choose one or more essential oils and add them to your carrier oil mixture at the rate of between 14 and 35 total drops per ounce. The idea is that you want to have a total essential oil concentration of somewhere between 2 and 5%. Seven drops of essential oil in one once of carrier oil equals a one-percent concentration.

Here’s an example recipe: Make 4 ounces of base using one third apricot kernel, one third tamanu, and one-third rosehip seed (you can simply estimate each in an empty 4 ounce bottle). To this, add 56 drops lavender, 28 drops blue tansy, sea buckthorn and sandalwood — include 15 drops of vitamin E and 2 grams of ascorbyl palmitate for that extra nutraceutical enhancement. You can substitute or add any other essential oil you like, noting that in this formula, 28 drops equals a 1% concentration (and the essential oil concentration is already at 4%). While simple, these formulas will reduce inflammation and quench oxidative radical activity in your skin. These oils are gentle enough for family members of all ages, though for the very young ones use only a quarter as much essential oil in the recipe.

The author utilizes pure essential oils for aromatherapy. More information is available through The Ananda Apothecary at www.anandaapothecary.com.

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Beginning Aromatherapy: Why Choose Rosehip Oil For Skin Care

May 14th, 2010

The beautiful reddish-orange liquid of Rosehip seed oil is becoming well-known as useful skin and beauty product around the world, as scientific study has recently validated it’s positive effects on many types of skin conditions. The pure oil has produced miraculous results for some, useful for a great myriad of conditions from premature aging and over-exposure to the sun, to lessening the appearance of many types of scarring. Where does this luscious oil come from, how does it work, and perhaps of greatest interest, can it work for you?

Rosehip seed oil is extracted from the seed within the fruit of the wild thorny rose bush. Native to Chile, the plant is now cultivated elsewhere in South America with many countries producing the oil. Also found under the name ‘Rosa Mosqueta’, the oil has been used by native people for hundreds of years, but only recently became known to the rest of the world.

The oil is produced via solvent extraction or pressing of the seed. The cold-pressed oil is the closest to nature and likely the healthiest variety – it has a high essential fatty acid content, and is considered more delicate than other common seed and nut oils. Because of it’s unique chemical nature, it should be refrigerated, or at least kept in a dark, cool place, and used within one year of purchase.

The “active ingredients” of rosehip are now available in a highly concentrated form, called a “carbon dioxide extract”. Very similar to an essential oil, but made at a cooler temperature, this very deep red, viscous oil is used in small quantities — and not as the base of your formulas as cold-pressed rosehip seed oil would be.

Rosehip seed oil is an excellent source of natural vitamin E and natural vitamin A, or ‘trans-retinoic acid’. Retinoic acid, the acid derivative of vitamin A, is the active ingredient found in Retin-A or Tretinoin. Retin-A (a pharmaceutical preparation) has been heralded as a wrinkle cure because of its ability to increase skin cell proliferation – or speed the time it takes for your skin to regenerate. In fact, the oil has been extensively studied for many of the same actions attributed to Retin-A, and has been shown effective without side effects (like over-drying and peeling – though unlike Retin-A, it should not be used to treat acne).

The first major study on Rosehip seed oil was done at the University of Santiago, Chile. The participants had diverse forms of skin damage: wrinkles and other premature aging, sun and radiation damage, scarring, and other skin damage. The oil was shown to have significant, noticeable effects in regenerating the skin, reducing results of all skin damage types, and contributing to an overall smoothing of the skin’s appearance.

Another later study was conducted on women ages 25-35 with extensive premature aging of their skin. Again, rosehip seed oil significantly reduced the appearance of wrinkles and sun spots after daily application for four months. Research has continued on the oil, with one study noting: “On some skin troubles like superficial wrinkles, chestnut spots and ephelides, good results have been obtained. After 16 weeks of treatment, wrinkles and spots become imperceptible.” The oil has been used to successfully treat a long list of skin related conditions, including: age spots, wrinkles and premature aging, sun damage, scars from acne, burns, and surgery, eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, hyper-pigmentation, brittle nails, and even dry and damaged hair.

In addition to its skin healing effects, rosehip seed oil is also a perfect moisturizer due to it’s high content of essential fatty acids (EFAs). The oil penetrates the skin quickly and does not leave the skin feeling greasy or oily.

Rosehip seed oil may be used directly on the skin daily – It may also be blended with other oils like jojoba and sweet almond, and will still give noticeable results at one-tenth of the concentration. In addition, rosehip seed oil makes an excellent carrier oil for aromatherapy, blending it with essential oils having skin regenerative properties will make an exceptional natural skin care product.

To smooth scars on the skin, blend of fifteen drops each of helichrysum “italicum” and rosemary “verbenone” essential oils, plus twenty-four drops rosehip “CO2″, in a one ounce base of equal parts rosehip seed oil and tamanu oil. For a lovely beauty blend, experiment with this combination in four ounces of rosehip seed: five drops helichrysum, five drops lavender angustifolia, 3 drops sandalwood, three drops neroli (bitter orange flower oil), three drops carrot seed oil (a very moisturizing essential oil), three drops geranium (also for hydration), two drops roman chamomile (for it’s anti-inflammatory properties), two drops of jasmine absolute and one drop each of palmarosa and ylang ylang essential oils.

Using rosehip seed oil for healing your skin or just giving it a little needed nourishment will almost certainly produce positive, noticeable effects. This fantastic oil, with its wonderful range of uses, will likely take an important lace in your natural beauty collection.

The author has made available much information about aromatherapy, such as using clove and other high quality essential oils.

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