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Benefits of Rosehip Oil for Hair: An Expert Guide on Its Uses
Rosehip oil for hair is tailor-made to combat your hair issues. It can benefit your hair immensely due to its anti-inflammatory properties and may promote hair growth.
Rosehip oil for hair has been in use in some cultures since ancient times. But, with its benefits out in the open, the oil has become a global solution for scalp-related problems like dryness and itchiness.
Our contributor Natalie Xerri, Hair Colour Specialist from AMR Hair & Beauty, says, “Rosehip oil is packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids which are beneficial for healthy hair. Although rosehip oil doesn't smell like roses, it can have a subtle herbaceous scent. Combine that with the fact it is lightweight, making it useful as an amazing ingredient in hair care products.”
This oil comes from the plant Rosa Canina. The seeds and fruits are pressed to obtain the oil. It is different from your traditional rose oil which is made from rose flower petals. Rosehip oil has been largely known for its therapeutic properties and may have antifungal, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory effects on your scalp. This makes it a front-runner within your hair care products. Rosehip hip oil benefits not only your scalp but also promotes healthier hair. Anybody who is not allergic to it can greatly benefit from using this oil to massage the scalp. When looking at natural ingredients that may lead to healthy hair, the options may seem limited but Rosehip oil balances the act. 
Benefits of Rosehip Oil for Hair
1. Moisturizes the Scalp
Your scalp health may change depending on the season and winter can be quite challenging. Your scalp may experience dryness leading to itching. At such times your scalp requires moisturization and rosehip oil does the job very well. Rosehip oil is rich in Vitamin C which is essential to moisturize the skin and eliminate free radicals (1). Applying the rosehip oil benefits dry hair tips as well as it locks moisturizer, giving your hair and scalp the much-needed moisturization.
2. Helps With Inflammatory Scalp Conditions
Rosehip oil may also have healing properties for scalp inflammatory issues. Research done on patients having osteoarthritis found that using rosehip oil not only reduced inflammation but also relieved some amount of pain (2). More research can help support the idea that rosehip oil may help with other skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis as well.
However, if you have any scalp-related inflammatory issues it may be ideal to consult your doctor before making any changes to your hair care routine.
3. Natural Conditioner
Rosehip oil can also be a great conditioner for your hair. It has hydrating properties and gets easily absorbed by your scalp (3). Rosehip oil contains an abundance of essential fatty acids like gamma-linolenic acid and hence acts as a great conditioner (4). The oil helps not only with keeping your hair soft and nourished, but also helps in keeping your scalp health balanced (5). This keeps your scalp flake-free and healthy.
4. Promotes Hair Growth
Rosehip oil benefits you by getting absorbed quickly by the scalp and nourishing it from deep within. The oil promotes the rejuvenation of hair follicles, the hair grows stronger and you may have reduced hair fall. Given the fact that it helps maintain scalp health, it is naturally expected to promote hair growth. More research needs to be done to support this, however anecdotal evidence suggests that it has been helpful. Rosehip oil is packed with Vitamin E, antioxidants, and fatty acids which help revitalize your hair and skin.
Side Effects of Rosehip Oil
While it is evident that there are quite a few benefits of using Rosehip oil for hair, you may want to have a full understanding before using it in your hair care routine.
Talking about its suitability, our contributor Natalie Xerri, says, “Rosehip oil is best suited for a dry scalp or dry and damaged hair. The oil helps hydrate the scalp which in turn helps prevent further damage to the hair as well as frizz and split ends.”
The oil is known to have healing properties and studies have found it effective in treating inflammatory conditions. However, it may not be the cure for your issues.
You may want to make sure that you pick an organic version of the oil. Rosehip oil need not be diluted like other essential oils, it is used as a carrier oil for other oils. The side effects of Rosehip oil are fewer but there are some symptoms you would want to look out for:
- Skin rash
- Crusty skin or scalp
- Itchy skin
- Redness or hives
If you are planning on using the oil, it may be ideal to do a patch test. Apply a little oil on the inside of your elbow. Wait for 24 hours to check whether you develop any allergic reactions.
How to Use Rosehip Oil for Hair
Rosehip oil is meant only for topical use. There are multiple ways in which this oil can be used in your hair care routine. One of the easiest ways is to use a hot oil massage.
1. Hot Oil Massage
This is one of the easiest ways to use rosehip oil. You want to heat the oil to a warm temperature before you massage it onto your scalp. Make sure the oil is not too hot in order to avoid burning the scalp.
You can then tab the oil into your scalp at various spots and massage it. Leave it on for about 30 minutes and then wash your hair as usual.
2. Homemade Rosehip Oil Hair Mask
Prep time: 5-6 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 - 4 drops of peppermint essential oil
- 2 tbsp jojoba oil
- 1 teaspoon Rosehip seed oil
Steps to follow:
- Take a glass jar and mix all the ingredients.
- Massage this mixture on your wet hair. Make sure the hair is clean.
- Leave this mask on for a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Rinse the mask with lukewarm water and shampoo.
It may be important to wash your hair with lukewarm or cold water as hot water leaves your hair follicles open which can lead to moisture loss. It is important to seal the cuticles to maintain moisture.
3. Spot Treatment
The above methods have been largely used for inflammatory scalp conditions and scalp dryness. You can follow these steps for spot treatment.
- Massage your scalp with drops of rosehip oil for about 15 - 20 minutes.
- Put a shower cap on to keep your hair in place.
- Let this rest for 30 minutes.
- Rinse your hair and be careful with your eyes.
- Allow your hair to naturally dry off.
If you have sensitive skin or any other scalp issues, it may be better to consult your doctor before trying any of these treatments with rosehip oil.
You can also use rosehip oil in combination with other oils for your hair. For example, Rosehip oil and coconut oil hair or rosehip oil with argan oil.
Precautions When Using Rosehip Oil
If you have done a patch test and do not have any allergic reactions you can use rosehip oil as a part of your hair care routine.
It may be essential to take care of your eyes when applying rosehip oil or even rinsing it off. It can irritate the eyes and hence is best to take care. You also need to understand that this oil is used topically and is not to be ingested by any means. However, if you have sensitive skin or any other medical conditions related to the skin, you may want to consult a doctor first.
If you are on medication this can at times interact with the oil and cause a reaction, so it's best to check with a medical professional before using the oil.
Conclusion:
Rosehip oil for hair is the perfect antidote to combat your hair woes. It has minimal side effects and is convenient to use. It can be used as a hair mask or applied directly and massaged into your scalp. With its growing popularity, the oil’s availability is no longer a concern as well.
You can use rosehip oil in combination with other oils like coconut oil, argan oil, or jojoba oil as well to achieve the best possible results for your hair. That being said, if you have any pre-existing hair and scalp issues you may want to consult a medical professional before you integrate the oil into your hair care routine.
Contributor: Natalie Xerri, Hair Colour Specialist from AMR Hair & Beauty
Sources:
- Total Polyphenol Content and Antioxidant Capacity of Rosehips of Some Rosa Species - PMC (nih.gov)
- Does the hip powder of Rosa canina (rosehip) reduce pain in osteoarthritis patients? – a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials - ScienceDirect
- The Enigma of Bioactivity and Toxicity of Botanical Oils for Skin Care - PMC (nih.gov)
- Full article: Characterization of Rosehip (Rosa canina L.) Seed and Seed Oil (tandfonline.com)
- The Enigma of Bioactivity and Toxicity of Botanical Oils for Skin Care - PMC (nih.gov)
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