Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil

When I met some of the lovely people of Pai at the Vitality Show the other week, I was given their newest product to try, the Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil. Now, I'm a big fan of oils for the skin and rosehip especially. I have used rosehip oil before, as a nourishing night treatment and so I know a thing or two about what makes a nice oil, and I'll give you the verdict first up: this is excellent.

I want to dispell any myths still lurking around that oil is bad for your skin. Mineral oils aren't good for your skin because they clog pores and suffocate it. But plant oils, like rosehip, jojoba, almond, these are all very, very good for for skin. This is because skin just gets oil. It produces it as sebum, and contrary to what is often feared (that applying oil to skin makes skin become more oily) I think it actually allows skin to better regulate oil production as it knows how to absorb and use it. 

Rosehip Oil is known for it's powerful skin healing properties and lots of companies have jumped onto this old wagon. The benefits of this oil have been proven for 30 odd years now so obviously it has been appearing in all kinds of anti-ageing potions. But not all rosehip oil is made equal...

As you can see from this proud little bottle, Pai's rosehip oil is bright orange. I mean vivid! And this is testament to just how potent it is. The colour comes from the high concentration of carotenoids with an anti-oxident effect to seek and destroy free radicals (which damage cell health.)

It is also abundant in trans-retinoic acid which is a naturally occurring form of vitamin A. Because it is naturally - occurring and also in total balance with other essential fatty acids, this makes it very bio-available, healing sun damage and scar tissue and repairing the lipid barrier of the skin. This helps to smooth out wrinkles and fine lines and it is great for boosting collagen in the dermis too. Your new best friend then.

And here's what makes Pai's oil so potent and so rich in colour... they extract from the fruit and the seed, which is quite rare really. All the rosehip oils I have come across only use the seed. The fruit, I have been told, is hard to deal with. Something about it being tricky and messy (I'm picturing vats of sticky, squashy fruit dripping everywhere and spilling all over the place in some kind of magic factory not too unlike Willy Wonka's!?) But they plain do it anyway because it contains twice the sterols (with an regenerative effect) and five times the carotenoids. Determined!

The oil is thicker than some of the others I've used which kind of confirms to me it's better! I use a couple of squirts from the dropper, whatever I feel like really, and massage into face and neck at night time. There is no fear here, slap it on I say! And I usually do get a bit left over which I also attempt to apply to Mr. BEskincareful who isn't in the slightest bit interested in being careful with his skin... And then he moans a little bit about the smell. I admit, the smell of rosehip oil isn't the nicest but it's not awful! It's not going to make you wince! (Unless you are Mr. B who is a little bit of a wuss.) And anyway, you don't use it because it smells good... you use it because of it's anti-ageing prowess! So don't whinge about the smell. Nevermind!

Like with all anti-ageing products,  I find it difficult to tell what effect it is having and won't know until later down the line, but I'm certain it's money in the bank where rosehip oil is concerned... I haven't been using it on stretch marks or scars etc... so I can't quite comment on it's regenerative capabilities on these things but I do think it makes my skin a little more refined and even toned by morning! I'd love to hear how any of you get on with it...

Pai BioRegenerative Rosehip Oil is £20 for 30ml
Available direct from Pai and all sorts of other lovely shops too.