Sunday 25 September 2016

Coming up rosehips | Pai Skincare



When you start exploring organic skincare, you almost inevitably get sucked in into the world of plant oils. And what a confusing place it is! Different oils vary by their composition, weight, and feel, making them work for some skin types and not others. Throw in the fact that essential oils are not the same as carrier (also known as base or fixed) oils, and that each month there seems to be a new hyped up contender vying for your attention, it can be very overwhelming trying to figure out which is the real and which is a flash in the pan.

Rosehip oil is one of those base oils that has really proven itself many times over. The plant from which the oil is obtained is sometimes referred to as rosa mosqueta, but the term actually covers the three main species of rosehip plants used for oil: rosa rubiginosa, rosa canina and rosa moschata. Rosehip oil in beauty products is likely to come from the Andes (Chile or Argentina) where the shrubs grow wild, but rosa rubiginosa and rosa canina (dog rose) are also native to Europe  and Western Asia (dog rose also comes from North Africa).

Rosehip seed oil is considered to be a dry oil, meaning it absorbs fairly quickly and without living residue. Like with all oils, it is advised to apply it to damp skin so it can lock in the moisture. This oil is particularly rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, making it great at bringing plumpness back to the skin and helping it retain moisture (as we age our skin starts to lose moisture quicker, so the topical use of oils rich in fatty acids becomes particularly beneficial). On the other hand, the presence of these polyunsaturated fatty acids also means that rosehip seed oil has a much shorter shelf life and is not as stable as some other carrier oils. In the case of rosehip oil it appears that cold-pressed isn't necessarily best, and instead, Pai Skincare uses supercritical CO2 extract.

This extraction method uses carbon dioxide as a solvent, but at the end of the process, there is no solvent residue. CO2 is volcanically sourced, and the method not only makes the rosehip oil more stable with a longer shelf life, but the oil ends up having more of the good stuff like carotenoids which act as antioxidants.

Typically rosehip oil used in cosmetics refers to just the seed oil, but Pai also uses the fruit extract. Rosehips are similar in size to cranberries, the flesh is fairly thin, and the inside is filled with tiny seeds and tiny hairs (the hairs are really irritating). Before turning into oil rosehips go through a process of drying, de-hipping, and removal of irritants. Using the extract from both the flesh and seeds gives more of a nutrient-rich profile to the oil.

Rosehip oil is one of the rare oils that is beneficial to many skin types from oily, to sensitive and even to very dry skin. Of course, like with most things, there is a possibility of a reaction for some people. Particular benefits reported are the improvement of the skin tone, scars, and skin elasticity.

The hero product from Pai is naturally their Rosehip BioRegenerate oil, which contains CO2 extract of both fruit and seeds. You only need to use 2-3 drops, and as it is so light, it is a wonderful product to use at night without overwhelming your skin. The great thing about their rosehip oil is that not only can you use it as a face serum, but also as a targeted scar treatment, or even a body oil if you like. Containing twice the sterols and five times the amount of carotenoids than the seed oil alone, it deserves its place on the top shelf. However, this is far from the only product that is benefiting from the wonderful qualities of rosehip in the Pai skincare range. Rosehip BioRegenerate rapid radiance face mask also contains both the seed and the fruit extract. It is designed to calm sensitive skin and give it a moisture boost. Rosehip seed oil is excellent for cuticle care and is great for nail health, so it is no surprise that you can find it in Instant Hand Therapy Cream. You may have heard of the effectiveness of rosehip oil on stretch marks, and if you take a look at the ingredients of Pai stretch mark system, you will notice that the oil contains rosehip seed oil, and the cream sports the rosehip fruit extract. Of course, we can't forget the Chamomile and Rosehip calming day cream. Here, the rosehip seed oil is used for its reparative properties and to protect skin from environmental stresses.

Rosehip oil is really versatile and it is great not only for facial care but all over, and with potentially beneficial results from as little as 10% of a formulation, you really don't need to use it neat if you prefer creams. Pai Skincare has you covered whether you want a quick boost from a mask, something gentle and long-term like their face cream, or a really potent treatment in the form of the BioRegenarate oil. Whatever product you decide to go with, your skin is bound to reap hips of benefits!

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