Rose Hip Oil: What It Is, What It Does, and Is It Safe?

Rose hip oil is one of the plant oils in Corium 21 Aloe Vera Skin Cream. Here is what it is, what it does in a cream, and what the safety reviews found, with a link for every fact.

What is rose hip oil?

Rose hip oil is a plant oil from the dog rose, Rosa canina. Rose hip is the common name for the dried fruit of this rose (CIR, 2017). On an ingredient list it appears as "Rosa Canina Fruit Oil," which is its INCI name (the standard name used on cosmetic ingredient lists) (CIR, 2011).

A 2017 review describes rose hip oil as oil extracted from the seeds of the rose hip. Its most plentiful fatty acid (a building block of fats and oils) is linoleic acid, at 35.9 to 54.8 percent, followed by alpha linolenic acid and oleic acid (two other fatty acids) (Lin et al., 2017). The CIR safety report gives a similar range for dog rose seed oil, with linoleic acid at about 48 to 54 percent (CIR, 2011).

The same review notes that rose hip oil also carries lipophilic (oil loving) antioxidants, especially tocopherols (forms of vitamin E) and carotenoids (the yellow and orange plant pigments) (Lin et al., 2017).

What does rose hip oil do in a cream?

Plant oils like this one are used in cosmetics for their skin conditioning, occlusive, emollient and moisturizing properties (CIR, 2011). In plain words, an emollient is an ingredient that softens skin, and an occlusive forms a light layer on top of skin that slows water loss.

Linoleic acid matters because skin uses it. A 2024 review explains that skin turns linoleic acid into complex lipids (fats), including omega hydroxy ceramides (fats that help hold the skin barrier together). The same review reports that in animal and skin cell studies, linoleic acid and oils rich in it, applied to skin, helped repair the skin barrier and supported wound healing (Wang et al., 2024). The authors call for more clinical research in people.

The 2017 review adds that, thanks to its unsaturated fatty acids (fatty acids with one or more double bonds, which keep oils liquid) and antioxidants (substances that slow oxidation), rose hip oil offers relatively high protection against inflammation and oxidative stress (damage from unstable oxygen molecules) (Lin et al., 2017).

Is rose hip oil safe?

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) is the expert panel that reviews the safety of cosmetic ingredients in the U.S. It reviewed Rosa Canina Fruit Oil with 243 other plant oils and concluded that 241 of the 244 oils, including this one, are safe in the present practices of use and concentration (CIR, 2011). The panel noted that many of these oils are edible and have low potential for harm inside the body, so it focused on effects on the skin (CIR, 2011).

In tests reported to the panel, a skin cream with 0.39 percent Rosa Canina Fruit Oil caused no primary irritation (redness or soreness from a single application) in 108 people. In a repeated patch test on 106 people (the cream was applied under a covered patch over and over to see whether skin becomes allergic), it was not an irritant or a sensitizer (an ingredient that triggers skin allergy) (CIR, 2011).

The CIR also reviewed 12 other ingredients made from the dog rose in 2017 and found them safe as used when formulated to be non irritating and non sensitizing (CIR, 2017).

How to spot rose hip oil on a label

Look for "Rosa Canina Fruit Oil." Some labels add the common name in parentheses, as in "Rosa Canina (Rose Hip) Fruit Oil." That is how it reads on the Corium 21 label, where it is ingredient 18 (Corium 21 ingredients).

U.S. rules say cosmetic ingredients must be listed in descending order of predominance, meaning the largest amount comes first. Ingredients at 1 percent or less may be listed in any order after the ones above 1 percent (FDA Cosmetics Labeling Guide).

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FAQ

What is Rosa Canina Fruit Oil?

It is the INCI label name for rose hip oil, a plant oil from the dog rose that is rich in linoleic acid (CIR, 2011; Lin et al., 2017).

Rose hip oil vs rosehip seed oil: what is the difference?

The names overlap. A 2017 review describes rose hip oil as oil extracted from the seeds of the rose hip (Lin et al., 2017), and the CIR lists the fatty acid makeup of dog rose seed oil alongside its review of Rosa Canina Fruit Oil (CIR, 2011). On a cosmetic label, "Rosa Canina Fruit Oil" is the INCI name to look for.

Is rose hip oil good for dry skin?

Plant oils like rose hip oil are used in cosmetics for their emollient, occlusive and moisturizing properties (CIR, 2011), and it is rich in linoleic acid, a fatty acid skin uses to build its barrier lipids (Wang et al., 2024).