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Inside the Lab

The skincare ingredients to know now

Published 8 May 2024

The term ‘high performance’ gets bandied around a lot when it comes to skincare ingredients. But none come more naturally high performance than rosehip oil. One of nature’s greatest gifts to skincare – in its purest form this multitasking ingredient is rich in Omegas 3, 6, 7 and 9. Nutrients that help the skin to repair and regenerate. It’s also packed with carotenoids – antioxidants that brighten and protect the skin, and give the oil its rich orange colour.

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙨𝙠𝙞𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙩𝙨?

Think of rosehip oil as a catalyst for improving your skin – whatever its specific needs are. That’s because it’s so highly concentrated in nutrients that help the skin rejuvenate at speed. So if you’re looking to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, rosehip oil will help. If you’re experiencing acne and acne scarring, rosehip will help the skin to repair too. Stretch mark prevention? Add a few drops to your favourite body cream and massage it into your bump, thighs and anywhere else your skin feels tight. And because it’s rich in antioxidants (similarly to Vitamin C), it will boost the skin’s radiance and glow – almost instantly. That’s why so many make-up artists keep it in their kits for red carpet clients.

While all skin types will benefit from using a facial oil, it’s most recommended for dry skin. Unlike dehydrated skin that lacks water, dry skin lacks oil. Supporting dry skin with oil will not just soften and soothe flakiness, but will help prevent water loss by sealing moisture into the skin.

𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙍𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙊𝙞𝙡

While there are endless rosehip oils to choose from – and other skincare products that contain rosehip oil – there are two natural and highly effective oils that reign supreme. First, is Trilogy, a science-backed natural skincare brand founded by two sisters in New Zealand. Fans of their signature £19.99 Rosehip Oil – available from Holland & Barrett at Lakeside – include The Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton (as well as her mum Carol), Victoria Beckham and Cara Delevingne.

Then there’s Pai’s Rosehip Bioregenerate. A skin-saviour for sensitive skin – it’s the bestselling product from the British brand and is available from Next at Lakeside. They’ve sold over a million bottles – and celebrity fans include Kourtney Kardashian who told US Vogue she uses it to give “a little glow under your make-up”. The brand also uses their potent rosehip oil as the star ingredient in their cleansing oil Light Work, which Dua Lipa and Kate Bosworth use to remove stubborn make-up and SPF. Pai’s founder, Sarah Brown explains how they create such a pure product, “With other rosehips on the market, the oil comes from the seed, inside the hip. We use the whole hip – fruit and seed – and we do not cold press. Never cold press rosehips! It’s an incredibly fragile plant, the essential fatty acids can degrade very quickly if they’re exposed to oxygen at extraction. We CO2 extract ours, it’s much cooler than cold pressing. And you get a more complete product. You can smell the concentration. And it means our Rosehip Bioregenerate contains 700% more antioxidants, 65% more regenerative sterols and 20% more fatty acids than our competitors”.

𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙡𝙮 𝙍𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙊𝙞𝙡 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙚

As a rule, face oils should always be the final step in your routine, whether you apply yours in the morning or evening. As rosehip oil is a skin regenerator, it’s best applied before bed so it can get to work while your skin is also in its natural repair mode. Once you've cleansed and applied any serums, night creams or retinoids – your rosehip oil can then go on last to lock in all ingredients you’ve applied underneath. It also acts as a moisture barrier to stop your skin becoming dry or dehydrated overnight. Remember, the more potent and pure rosehip oils will have quite a deep orange colour, so make sure it’s fully absorbed before going to bed to protect your white pillows!