What Is Rosehip Oil

What Is Rosehip Oil & How Can It Benefit Natural Textures?

There’s no denying that we all love a nice bouquet of roses—but did you know there’s more to gain from roses than just their sweet-smelling blooms? Rosehip oil is extracted from Rosa canina’s naturally-produced fruits & seeds, found in the wild throughout Europe, northwestern Africa, & western Asia.1

Best of all, rosehip oil benefits for hair abound: It’s a dream ingredient for giving natural hair wearers room to shine, grow & flourish. Packed with strengthening antioxidants & rich fatty acids, this nature-made ingredient pledges to give a host of curl patterns a luscious boost—with room for your scalp to reap the benefits, too.2

Rosehip Oil & Natural Hair Textures: The Benefits

While rosehip oil holds promise in the wide world of hair care, it’s only fair that you might be asking, is rosehip oil good for hair with texture like mine?

We’d bet on it. Rosehip oil & natural textures are essentially a match made in heaven, providing curlies hydrating, restorative properties & a lightweight feel. Plus, there are 3 more reasons why rosehip oil has curlies’ long-term hair health in mind.

#1 May Help Prevent Hair Breakage

Rosehip oil defends against the principal cause of hair breakage & weakened hair strands: lack of moisture.3 Without adequate moisture, hair becomes brittle, inelastic & prone to damage when drying, styling & detangling.

Fortunately, a host of nourishing omega-3 fatty acids are naturally present in rosehip oil.1 One of them, linoleic acid, has been known to protect against the loss of moisture that causes dryness in the first place.4

Remember, hair breakage isn’t reparable, so prevention is key. For those with low porosity hair, rosehip oil can be especially beneficial, since minimal porousness makes it difficult for moisturizing products to truly penetrate the hair strand. Rosehip oil directly targets this issue.

#2 May Assist with Scalp Health

A well-known ingredient to dermatologists, rosehip oil is often celebrated for the therapeutic & restorative qualities it imparts to the skin. Since truly healthy hair begins at the scalp, your curls can ultimately use the following rosehip oil skin benefits for hair that grows & stays strong:5

  • Anti-inflammation – Present in rosehip oil are compounds like vitamin E & polyphenols. These are two powerful anti-inflammatories that reduce inflammatory responses in the skin.2 For your scalp, this means less itchiness & discomfort caused by dryness, as well as reinforcing against inflammatory scalp conditions.
  • Anti-oxidation – The natural antioxidants found in rosehip oil are excellent for maintaining the skin’s natural collagen & connective tissue, which keep hair follicles intact. These powerful effects benefit your scalp & hair right at the root, promoting hair growth as well as hair retention.
  • Phytonutrients – Phytonutrients are a healthy resource you can't supplement regularly, though they're produced naturally within rosehips.6 An impactful bioagent for the hair, phytonutrients help prevent cell damage from free radicals & thus promote the long-term health of your scalp.5,7

    • #3 May Gently Encourage Hair Growth

    In providing some major boosts to hair strength & scalp health, rosehip oil is a top contender for promoting healthy hair growth in more ways than one.

    Because rosehip oil's antioxidants preserve full follicles & the collagen of the scalp, a nice scalp massage complete with rosehip oil to roots may be a stride towards longer, healthier hair.8 Studies also show that oxidation of the scalp, a natural process that occurs as we age, is directly linked to hair fall & hair loss. For this reason, antioxidants may be a key factor in healthy hair retention.5

    How to Incorporate Rosehip Oil Into Your Hair Care Regimen

    If you’re wondering how to use rosehip oil for hair care, you’re in luck: there's almost no wrong way to do it. Since rosehip oil boasts benefits for your hair from root to tip, you can weave it into most anywhere in your routine—without leaving hair greasy like other heavy-duty oils & serums.

    To jumpstart your hair-loving routine, here are a few options for delivering a bouquet of rosehip oil to your curls:

    • Use on freshly washed hair – Try applying rosehip oil in a blended formula along with a suite of sister oils like jojoba & safflower. Use with freshly shampooed, damp hair for an extra dose of pre-styling hydration.
    • Gloss up as a finishing step – Thanks to the super-lightweight nature of rosehip oil, the ingredient can be used on styled hair without weighing it down. Wondering how to style curly hair using this ingredient? Simply, rub between the palms & sweep through strands to smooth & shine.
    • Nourish roots with a scalp treatment – Between washes, some rosehip oil formulas can make for a superstar scalp treatment. A little goes a long way, so massage just a few drops into your scalp in small, circular motions.

    As for formulas that smell like heaven & your hair’s long-term health in mind? We nominate PATTERN's Jojoba Oil Serum. Our favorite all-around hair potion combines rosehip oil’s feather-light nourishment with extra nutrients provided by jojoba, safflower & lavender oils.

    PATTERN: Hair Health, Human Confidence

    Rosehip oil’s benefits are abundant, both for the hair you already know & love & the hair you're yet to meet (hello, healthy hair growth!). At PATTERN, we don’t just want to prioritize your healthy hair journey—we want to help you transform it, by providing nourishing blends made of the highest-quality hair care ingredients.

    We believe in you living your textured truth, so everything from our serums to scrunchies was designed to amplify your crown & your confidence. Define your strands & redefine your hair story by browsing our Curl Guide, products, & hair accessories with PATTERN today.


    Sources:

    1. Ilyasoğlu,Huri. "Characterization of Rosehip (Rosa canina L.) Seed&Seed Oil." International Journal of Food Properties.  https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10942912.2013.777075
    2. Michalak, Monika et al. "Oils from fruit seeds&their dietetic&cosmetic significance." Herba Polonica. 4 March, 2019. https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/hepo-2018-0026
    3. Buster, Kesha et al. "Trichorrhexis Nodosa (Hair Breakage)." Skin of Color Society.  https://skinofcolorsociety.org/patient-dermatology-education/trichorrhexis-nodosa-hair-breakage/
    4. Kawamura, Asuka et al. “Dietary supplementation of gamma-linolenic acid improves skin parameters in subjects with dry skin and mild atopic dermatitis.” Journal of oleo science vol. 60,12 (2011): 597-607. doi:10.5650/jos.60.597
    5. Nayak, B Satheesha et al. “A Study on Scalp Hair Health and Hair Care Practices among Malaysian Medical Students.” International journal of trichology vol. 9,2 (2017): 58-62. doi:10.4103/ijt.ijt_76_16
    6. "Phytonutrients - Nature’s Natural Defense." Unlock Food. https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Vitamins-and-Minerals/Phytonutrients-%E2%80%93-Nature%E2%80%99s-Natural-Defense.aspx
    7. "Antioxidants&Cancer Prevention." National Cancer Institute.  https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/antioxidants-fact-sheet
    8. "Antioxidants: The Secret Protector of Your Hair." AK Clinics. 25 June, 2018. https://akclinics.org/blog/benefits-of-anti-oxidants-for-hair/