PLANT OIL
Rosehip Oil
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
A golden, fast-absorbing oil from the hips of the wild dog rose, rich in essential fatty acids, used to help skin feel soft and look more radiant.
Source
Wild dog rose hips
Used for
Dry, dull-looking skin
How it works
A classic dry oil from the wild dog rose.
Rosehips are the fruit left behind once the flowers of the wild dog rose (Rosa canina) fall. Rosehip oil is extracted from the hips and the seeds inside them, giving a golden to amber-orange oil that's naturally rich in the essential fatty acids linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid, along with carotenoids and tocopherols (vitamin E).
Rosehip oil is especially rich in alpha-linolenic and linoleic acids, and this high level of unsaturation makes it delicate, so it is best kept cool and away from light. In skin care it's valued as a 'dry' oil, one that sinks in quickly rather than sitting on the surface, leaving skin feeling soft and looking more radiant.
Rosehip oil suits most skin types and works well in facial oils, serums and body oils. It's a different material from rosehip extract, a water-based extract of the same fruit, which has its own entry in this dictionary.
Rosehip oil is especially rich in alpha-linolenic and linoleic acids, and this high level of unsaturation makes it delicate, so it is best kept cool and away from light. In skin care it's valued as a 'dry' oil, one that sinks in quickly rather than sitting on the surface, leaving skin feeling soft and looking more radiant.
Rosehip oil suits most skin types and works well in facial oils, serums and body oils. It's a different material from rosehip extract, a water-based extract of the same fruit, which has its own entry in this dictionary.
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01
Naturally rich in the essential fatty acids linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid
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02
A fast-absorbing dry oil that leaves skin feeling soft, not greasy
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03
Contains naturally occurring carotenoids and vitamin E
Questions
What is rosehip oil?
Rosehip oil comes from the hips of the dog rose, Rosa canina, and is especially associated with the seeds inside them. It is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids, and it naturally contains tocopherols (vitamin E compounds). In cosmetics it is listed as a skin-conditioning emollient. (Bakhtiar et al., 2023; Fagoaga et al., 2026; COSMILE Europe)
Is rosehip oil the same as rosehip extract?
No. They come from the same fruit but are different materials. Rosehip oil is made up of fats, mainly polyunsaturated fatty acids, whereas the fruit itself is valued for water-soluble compounds such as vitamin C, phenolic compounds and anthocyanins, which are what fruit extracts draw on. (Bakhtiar et al., 2023; Fagoaga et al., 2026)
What does research on rosehip oil show?
Research has mapped its rich composition. Wild dog rose seed oils are dominated by linoleic acid, the fruits are rich in vitamin C, carotenoids and phenolic compounds, and rosehip oil carries high levels of alpha-linolenic and linoleic acids alongside natural tocopherols. In cosmetics it is used as a skin-conditioning emollient. (Bakhtiar et al., 2023; Fagoaga et al., 2026; COSMILE Europe)
About the plant
The dog rose, Rosa canina, is a deciduous shrub of the rose family that grows two to three metres tall, with toothed leaflets and light pink flowers. It originated across Europe, Africa and Asia and grows wild over wide areas of Europe and western Asia. (Bakhtiar et al., 2023)
The hips hold the seeds, which are the main source of the oil, and rosehip seed oil is used mainly in cosmetics. (Bakhtiar et al., 2023)
The hips hold the seeds, which are the main source of the oil, and rosehip seed oil is used mainly in cosmetics. (Bakhtiar et al., 2023)
The research
- Bakhtiar Z, Eghlima G, Hatami M, Mirjalili MH. Quantification of fatty acids in seed oil and important bioactive compounds in Iranian Rosa canina L. ecotypes for potential cosmetic and medicinal uses. Scientific Reports, 2023 (opens in a new tab)
- Fagoaga C, Moreno A, Fernández-Julián N, Castellano G. Oxidative Stability and Kinetics of Oxidation of Rosehip, Sunflower, Olive and Jojoba Oils. Antioxidants (Basel), 2026;15(5):646. PMID: 42193267 (opens in a new tab)
- COSMILE Europe (Cosmetics Europe) cosmetic ingredient database: Rosa Canina Fruit Oil (dog rose; functions: skin conditioning, emollient) (opens in a new tab)
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