Rosehip Oil - causing bad skin reaction?

[Tamisara]

I've bought some organic, cold-pressed, rosehip oil (by Fushi), and have been using it night & morning since Tuesday.

I'm guessing the oil itself is fine. It smells like vegetable oil, but is a rich, orange colour, which I gather is caused by the carotenoids.

The reason I bought it, is to help delay the ageing process. I'm quite lucky in that I haven't really got wrinkles, but I am 42, and apart from wearing sunblock, and (when I remember) Protect & Perfect Serum, I don't really do much to my skin, so I bought the rosehip, as I've read great things about it.

I've noticed a slight itching - after application - since I first started. Last night, I used my weekly face scrub, and my face felt like I'd used sandpaper, and after rinsing my face was bright red, slightly swollen, and with tiny blisters.

Today I used a very mild cleanser, and it still hurts.

I've also noticed that I have little red bumps starting to appear (for the last few days), and my pores appear larger, and I now have a very spotty chin.

I generally have very dry, sensitive skin. The face scrub I use has never caused a reaction before - in fact I used it before when my face was really sore, and it settled it, as it has a waxy/moisturising effect.

My face feels like I've used a really strong acid peel, and the rosehip is just stinging... how can it do this?

[Msarsebiscuit]

I've used the Trilogy rosehil oil for the last few months , Tamisara and not had those problems - it sounds like you may have a sensitivity or allergy to it - you could stop using it, stick a bit of Sudocrem on and maybe ask your pharmacist for advice if it seems not to be calming down.

[BubbleBobble]

I would stop using the oil, if you've not changed anything else in your skincare routine, logic says it's the oil causing the problems.

There are plenty of other anti-aging oils that might be suitable. Sweet almond oil is good and you can mix it with carrot seed essential oil and primrose/vitamin E oil for similar benefits to the rosehip oil.

[MissFoodie]

god that's weird???????????? hope it's not my fault!
stop using it, and see how long it takes for your skin to go back to normal - maybe try a bit on the inside of your arm only.
It's very strange, a pure oil should not give you any reaction whatsoever.....
and you're sure you have not used anything else that's new at the same time? make up? powder? face brush?

[villydilly]

I have used rosehip oil from Akin, and tbh it wasn't nice at all, it left My skin looking orange and spotty.

[ujjayi]

Rosehip oil is far too rich to be used alone. In aromatherapy we use it as an enricher to another base oil on a 70/30 split. I am surprised it has caused such a bad reaction though as it is generally used to treat eczema, psoriasis and scar tissue so excellent for sore, dry and sensitive skins - even on children.

Have you put any essential oils in the rosehip oil? How much of the rose hip seed are you using per application?

I honestly have never heard of a bad reaction so either it has been blended with something else or it has gone off - oils go rancid if not stored properly and that may account for your reaction.

[ujjayi]

That should have read "70/30 split with say sweet almond oil or apricot kernel oil - with the rosehip making up the 30 aspect of the ratio"

[Tamisara]

MissFoodie Not your fault at all. I bought it from Amazon, as I'd heard great things about the Trilogy one, and it was much cheaper.

I've used nothing else, nothing at all. Nothing new whatsoever.

My face feels a bit better now, so I don't know whether it was a reaction, or it's just made my face very sensitive?

I've not blended it with anything.

I don't know how much I'm using, as it doesn't come with a dropper, so I just pour a little into my hand, and apply it. If too much comes out, I apply the excess to my tummy (to help the stretchmarks).

I don't think it's gone off; it doesn't smell rancid. I'm just unsure it suits me iyswim? Like Villy my skin is slightly orange, and slightly spotty (and I'm not really prone to spots, but do have very sensitive skin). It also seems to have made my undereye area darker (which is weird), and it feels more sensitive too.

I don't want it to be the oil, as I really hoped it would be a wonder thing. I wondered if it was just something that happens as you got used to it or not?

[MissFoodie]

why dont you mix it with some face cream?

[blobtobetter]

I have the exact same oil! I don't mix it either and just pour it out and rub it in to my skin. It is strange stuff - feels slightly odd on my face. Moisturised but dryish - not oily at all.

[Tamisara]

I will try that MissFoodie, thanks :)

blob It is weird. I have some Coconut Oil too (Fushi again), and that is very oily, but sort of nice (and yummy smelling), not tried it on the face though. I do want to try eating it, but am a bit scared to be honest.

[blobtobetter]

Worrying now that I have an orange tinge and just haven't noticed!

[MissFoodie]

blob dont worry about the tinge, wont last
tami same coconut oil I use: make up remover, etc, here is feature I wrote on it: www.yumetcetera.com/2011/05/coconut-oil-ultimate-cleanser.html
(if all else fails, use to make flapjacks!)

[Mrszumba]

I'm just about to purchase Rosehip Oil so wonder Tamisara if you have kept using?!

[Tamisara]

Mrszumba, yes I kept at it for a while. I hated the smell though, so gave up in the end, and bought some Argan Oil, which was much nicer (though smelt like manure).

I have since used my Boots points to buy some Trilogy Rosehip Oil, which doesn't have an odour, and is really nice.

[Mrszumba]

Thank you so much Tamisara!

[Steel01]

I used rosehip oil as well and now I have brown spots every where that I applied it. I always wear sunscreen and don't tan at all.

[MumBoots]

I tried the Trilogy rosehip oil for about 2 months but it made my skin red around the nose/mouth and I didnt see any improvement at all.

Now using Weleda almond facial oil for sensitive skin and have seen a much better effect.

[SofaCanary]

I used the Akin one and my skin hated it! It was left dry, red and scaly - a definite reaction. Must admit I did feel like a bit of a freak cause the interwebz is full of praise for the stuff so it;s reassuring to know it wasn't just me.

Took a couple of weeks to return to normal once I stopped using it, thank god!

[Bubbshjs]

Rosehip is known to make some people itch - it's definitely an allergen for some. It's in a lot of 'natural' vitamin C supplements which is how I found out. I started taking some and began to get really itchy so searched on the net as the supplements were the only thing I'd changed and sure enough it's quite common. Just a few months ago my Mum commented on how my Dad had suddenly started to scratch all the time ... and guess what, she'd just changed the vitamin C supplement to one containing rosehip. No supplement, no itch. I'd definitely try something else.

[Jellypudmum]

I've used rosehip seed oil and been fine. Don't know if this is different to rosehip oil?

[MJL1990]

Rosehip oil is a great anti-aging oil and can help reduce scars and wrinkles, but it can definitely irritate sensitive skin. This is likely due to the high amount of Vitamin A that occurs naturally in the product. If you Google "vitamin a retinol, retinoic acid or retinyl palmitate", you will see how this relates to vitamin A and skin irritation in sensitive skin types. For those who experienced an orange hue to your skin, you must have been applying WAY too much! Rosehip should not discolor the skin. Another tip is that only 2 - 3 pea-size drops should be applied at any given time. Definitely not pouring a bunch in your hand and drenching your face in it. Also it should be applied to slightly damp skin. I would recommend to start slowly with it as well, to give the skin time to get used to it. Only apply it once per day, or maybe even once every other day - to start. For the commenter who experienced brown spots on the skin, did you apply it before going out in the sun without sunscreen? Even if you "never tan", putting an oil on your face and then going out into the sun is basically asking for your skin to be cooked! It is best to wear rosehip oil at night, or if used in the day-time, make sure it is fully absorbed before you go out into the sun, and it would be even smarter to wear a sunscreen over top! Finally, make sure your rosehip oil is high quality and properly preserved. You should look for Vitamin E or Rosemary extract in the ingredients. A cosmetic rosehip oil without something to preserve it is a no-no. Rosehip oil can go rancid very quickly. For best shelf life, store in refrigerator. I recommend "Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil", it is very high quality. Hope this helps!

[MJL1990]

Also, one more thing - rosehip oil is a "dry" oil, meaning that it is not very heavy or greasy, and it sinks into the skin very quickly. The fatty acids that make up rosehip oil are not the most moisturizing type. So in my opinion, rosehip oil is no miracle moisturizer; it should be used in combination with another, more moisturizing oil, or a cream or lotion.

[ImpatientGriselda2]

Not many people report bad reactions to rosehip oil, but that doesn't mean a few don't get them. I'm ridiculously prone to blocked pores, even though my skin isn't as oily as it was when I was younger - and it took months for all the spots I got from a few days' use of rosehip oil to go away. (I wished I'd tested it it on a much smaller area first, not slathered it over ALL the stretchmarks.)