PLANT OIL
Raspberry Seed Oil
Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil
A light, golden oil pressed from red raspberry seeds, rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and natural vitamin E, used to help skin feel soft and supple.
Source
Red raspberry seeds
Used for
Emollient, soft-feeling skin
How it works
An omega-rich oil from raspberry seeds.
Raspberry seed oil is cold-pressed from the small seeds of the red raspberry (Rubus idaeus), usually recovered after the fruit has been juiced. The result is a light, golden oil.
Cold-pressed red raspberry seed oil is rich in the omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid, with a low ratio of omega-6 to omega-3. It also naturally carries tocopherols (vitamin E), carotenoids and phenolic compounds, which give it antioxidant activity.
In skin care, raspberry seed oil is a light emollient that helps skin feel soft and supple. It's a different material from raspberry extract, a water-based extract of the fruit, which has its own entry in this dictionary.
Cold-pressed red raspberry seed oil is rich in the omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid, with a low ratio of omega-6 to omega-3. It also naturally carries tocopherols (vitamin E), carotenoids and phenolic compounds, which give it antioxidant activity.
In skin care, raspberry seed oil is a light emollient that helps skin feel soft and supple. It's a different material from raspberry extract, a water-based extract of the fruit, which has its own entry in this dictionary.
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01
Rich in omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid and omega-6 linoleic acid
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02
Naturally contains vitamin E (tocopherols) and carotenoids
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03
A light emollient that helps skin feel soft and supple
Questions
What is raspberry seed oil?
It is the fixed oil obtained from the seeds of the red raspberry, Rubus idaeus, and the EU's official cosmetic ingredient database lists it as a skin-conditioning emollient. Raspberry seeds are left over when the fruit is made into purées, juices and jams, and the oil can be cold pressed from them, making good use of every part of the fruit. (European Commission CosIng; Ispiryan et al., 2023)
What fatty acids does raspberry seed oil contain?
It is dominated by polyunsaturated fatty acids. Linoleic acid (omega-6) comes first, followed closely by alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) and then oleic acid, with very little saturated fat. That gives it a low ratio of omega-6 to omega-3. (Ispiryan et al., 2023; Parry et al., 2005)
Does raspberry seed oil contain antioxidants?
Yes. Cold-pressed red raspberry seed oil contains natural tocopherols (vitamin E) and carotenoids, with zeaxanthin the main one alongside beta-carotene, lutein and cryptoxanthin. It is also notably rich in phenolic compounds, with antioxidant activity in laboratory tests. (Parry et al., 2005)
Is raspberry seed oil the same as raspberry extract?
No. Raspberry seed oil is a fatty oil from the seeds and is listed as an emollient. Raspberry fruit extract is made from the fruit itself and has its own separate listing in the EU's cosmetic ingredient database, with functions including astringent, skin-conditioning, smoothing and tonic. On ingredient lists the two appear under different names: Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil and Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract. (European Commission CosIng)
About the plant
The red raspberry, Rubus idaeus, is a thicket-forming, deciduous shrub of the rose family (Rosaceae), with prickly, cane-like stems that typically grow about 1 to 3 metres tall. It has two main varieties: the European raspberry, native to Eurasia, and the American red raspberry, native to much of North America. (Missouri Botanical Garden)
Raspberries are among the world's most important berry crops and are widely processed into purées, juices, jams and wine. The small seeds left over from this processing are the source of the oil. (Ispiryan et al., 2023)
Raspberries are among the world's most important berry crops and are widely processed into purées, juices, jams and wine. The small seeds left over from this processing are the source of the oil. (Ispiryan et al., 2023)
The research
- Parry J, Su L, Luther M, Zhou K, Yurawecz MP, Whittaker P, Yu L. Fatty acid composition and antioxidant properties of cold-pressed marionberry, boysenberry, red raspberry, and blueberry seed oils. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2005;53(3):566-573. PMID: 15686403. (opens in a new tab)
- European Commission CosIng database: Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil (function: skin conditioning - emollient) (opens in a new tab)
- European Commission CosIng database: Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract (functions: astringent, keratolytic, skin conditioning, smoothing, tonic) (opens in a new tab)
- Ispiryan A, Bobinaite R, Urbonaviciene D, Sermuksnyte-Alesiuniene K, Viskelis P, Miceikiene A, Viskelis J. Physico-chemical properties, fatty acids profile, and economic properties of raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) seed oil, extracted in various ways. Plants (Basel), 2023;12(14):2706 (opens in a new tab)
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder: Rubus idaeus (opens in a new tab)
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