Rosehip seed oil is packed with antioxidants, making it a fantastic antiaging moisturizer to have in your beauty regimen. Combine it with rosewater, which acts as a skin-soothing DIY face serum that battles aging and acne, and you’ve got yourself the perfect serum for healthy, younger-looking skin!
Why Rosehip Seed Oil?
We love rosehip seed oil in DIY beauty recipes because it’s filled with antioxidants, vitamins, and fatty acids [source].
But why is that important?
Here are three great reasons to add rosehip seed oil to your skincare routine:
It can stimulate collagen production.
Rosehip seed preparations can deeply penetrate the layers of your skin and help stimulate collagen production [source].
One of the super-powered antioxidants in this oil is vitamin A, a powerful vitamin that improves skin in almost every single way. Vitamin A (also known as retinol) is present in the form of beta-carotene, a form of the vitamin that the skin easily absorbs. It works to protect the skin from harmful free radicals that cause dull skin, dark marks, and premature fine lines and wrinkles [source].
To a degree, it can also reverse the damage caused by stimulating the fibroblasts in skin. Dermal fibroblasts are responsible for tissue generation and skin recovery [source], boosting the skin’s own healing process and collagen production. To put it simply, it helps to make skin look younger and firmer—win-win!
It helps balance acne-prone skin.
Rosehip seed oil also has a unique blend of essential fatty acids that work to deeply moisturize the skin, soothing any dryness and irritation away. These same essential fatty acids also make this a great oil for acne-prone skin because it boosts linoleic acid levels [source].
What does this have to do with acne, you ask? Low linoleic acid levels have been associated with acne-prone skin [source], so by balancing your skin out with the right types of oils, you just might have the solution for your persistent breakouts. Who would have thought that oil could be a great, natural solution for some types of acne? It’s all about balance!
It soothes skin inflammation.
It’s also an excellent anti-inflammatory—thanks to high levels of polyphenols and vitamin E [source]. These two powerful types of antioxidants work in tandem to soothe overstimulated skin, making rosehip seed oil a promising way to calm down eczema and dermatitis-prone skin. Antiaging, anti-acne, and anti-eczema—is there anything this oil can’t do?!
DIY Antiaging Rosehip + Rose Water Face Serum
Since this oil is oh so fabulous, we wanted to use it to make a serum that not only does incredible things for our skin but smells amazing as well. So, to do that, we’re mixing up a few simple ingredients that you probably already have.
Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
-1 tablespoon avocado, almond, or jojoba oil
-1 tablespoon rose water (find our rose water DIY here)
-25–30 drops rosehip seed oil
-2 drops ylang ylang essential oil (optional)
-3 drops geranium essential oil (optional)
-2-ounce spray bottle or roll-on applicator bottle
Add all of the ingredients to a small bottle and shake well to combine. If the mixture isn’t fragrant enough for you, add more rose water, or you can even add a few drops of geranium or ylang ylang essential oils (no more than the recipe specifies). That’s the beauty of DIY—tailoring any recipe to suit you.
Shake well before each use.
Store your serum in the refrigerator and use it within 3 months.
How to Use Facial Serum
This DIY face serum is best used 1 to 2 times a day as needed to brighten skin and prevent wrinkles.
1. To start, wash your face to remove any makeup, dirt, or excess oil.
2. Apply this super moisturizing serum on your face, neck, and even the back of your hands (wherever you might find fine lines, spots, and wrinkles) first thing in the morning and at night after cleansing.
3. Follow up with moisturizer and any other serums in your skin cleansing process.
4. If using it in the morning, always apply sunscreen before putting on makeup or heading outside.
You can also put the serum in a mister bottle and spray over your face throughout the day to alleviate dry skin.
Summer tip: keep the mister bottle in the fridge! This does two really important things—first, how good does a cold spray feel on a hot summer day? Amazing, right? Secondly, keeping this solution cold ensures that it stays fresher longer—and at its most potent for your skin.
Rosehip Face Serum FAQs
Do I need an emulsifier in this recipe?
Since oil and water don’t really mix, you might choose to use an emulsifier in this recipe. But it’s not totally necessary. Just give the serum a really good shake before applying, and you should get a healthy dose of both oil and water in each application.
What’s the shelf life of this serum?
If you’re using commercial rose water in your recipe, then the recipe should last 3–6 months.
If your rose water is homemade, then use the recipe within 1–2 weeks and store it in the refrigerator to help slow any bacterial growth. The recipe makes just over an ounce, so it’s a small batch that can be used up pretty quickly.
Can I use this serum as a perfume?
Of course! But the rose water is the most fragrant part of this recipe. You can leave out the rosehip seed oil altogether and add other essential oils to customize your own scent.
Is it okay to use this DIY face serum every day?
Yes, this serum is incredibly gentle, making it perfect for daily application. If you notice any redness or irritation, stop applying the serum and give your skin a break. Then try again.
What is the correct way to apply serum?
Either spray or roll serum directly onto the skin and use your fingertips to gently pat it in. Or take some serum on your fingertips and pat into the skin, being careful not to pull or tug.
More Ways to Add Rosehip to Your Skincare Routine
If you have more rosehip seed oil leftover, go ahead and whip up these DIY skincare recipes to get the most bang for your antiaging buck.
DIY Antiaging Rosehip + Rose Water Face Serum
Equipment
- 2-ounce spray bottle or roll-on applicator bottle
Materials
- 1 tablespoon avocado, almond, or jojoba oil
- 1 tablespoon rose water (find our rose water DIY here)
- 25–30 drops rosehip seed oil
- 2 drops ylang ylang essential oil (optional)
- 3 drops geranium essential oil (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small bottle and shake well to combine. If the mixture isn’t fragrant enough for you, add more rose water, or you can even add a few drops of geranium or ylang ylang essential oils. That’s the beauty of DIY—tailoring any recipe to suit you.
- Shake well before each use, and apply this super moisturizing serum on your face at night after cleansing and first thing in the morning. You can also put the serum in a mister bottle and mist your face throughout the day to alleviate dry skin.
Notes
This post was medically reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Haley, a board-certified dermatologist with extensive experience in medical, cosmetic, and surgical dermatology. Learn more about Hello Glow’s medical reviewers here. As always, this is not personal medical advice, and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
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