BOTANICAL EXTRACT

Rosehip Extract

A vitamin C-rich botanical extract from the hips of the wild dog rose, used to condition skin and bring antioxidant-rich fruit to a formula.

Source

Dog rose hips (fruit)

Used for

Skin conditioning

How it works

Rosehip extract is made from the fruit of Rosa canina, the dog rose: the bright hips that form after the petals fall. The hips are naturally rich in vitamin C, polyphenols and carotenoids. (Ghendov-Mosanu et al., 2020)

In skincare the extract is used to condition skin and as a tonic, helping it feel refreshed and cared for, while bringing the antioxidant-rich character of the fruit to a formula. (European Commission CosIng)

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Naturally rich in vitamin C, polyphenols and carotenoids
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Helps keep skin feeling conditioned and refreshed
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Antioxidant-rich hips from the wild dog rose

Questions

What is rosehip extract?

It is an extract of the hips of the dog rose, Rosa canina: the red fruits that form after the flowers. The EU's official cosmetic ingredient database lists Rosa canina fruit extract with astringent, skin-conditioning and tonic functions. Dog rose hips are known for their high vitamin C content, alongside polyphenols and carotenoids. (European Commission CosIng; Ghendov-Mosanu et al., 2020)

Is rosehip extract the same as rosehip oil?

No. The extract is made from the fruit, while rosehip oil is a fatty oil obtained from the seeds inside the hip, rich in linoleic acid. The EU database lists the oil with emollient functions rather than the extract's astringent and tonic ones. Rosehip seed oil can also come from several Rosa species, not only the dog rose. (European Commission CosIng; Valerón-Almazán et al., 2015)

What gives rose hips their colour?

The orange to red colour of rose hips comes from carotenoids, chiefly beta-carotene and lycopene, alongside rubixanthin, zeaxanthin and lutein. An analysis of dog rose hip pulp found it rich in carotenoids as well as polyphenols, and measured strong antioxidant activity in laboratory tests. (Ghendov-Mosanu et al., 2020)

About the plant

The dog rose, Rosa canina, is a member of the rose family (Rosaceae) and a native shrub across Europe, including the UK, as well as North Africa and western Asia. (USDA GRIN; Ghendov-Mosanu et al., 2020)

After flowering, the plant forms hips, whose orange to red colour comes from carotenoids. Rose hips are widely used in Europe in food, and the fruit is the part used for the cosmetic extract. (Ghendov-Mosanu et al., 2020; European Commission CosIng)

The research