Rosacea affects up to 1 in 10 people in the UK and is characterised by redness on the face including flushing, spots and visible blood vessels. It’s a poorly understood, inflammatory skin condition, which can really affect the self-esteem of those who suffer with it.

So, we thought we’d blog about it to help raise awareness and also share some stories from sufferers who have used rosehip oil to help fade the redness associated with rosacea.

What are the symptoms?

Rosacea usually begins with episodes of flushing on the face and develops into more long-term symptoms. It’s commonly mistaken for rosy cheeks, sunburn or acne, and occurs more frequently in women (although men tend to have more severe cases). Other symptoms include one or more of the following:

• Burning and stinging sensations on the face
• Permanent redness on the cheeks, nose, forehead and chin
• Dry, sensitive skin with spots
• Small blood vessels in the skin becoming visible

What causes it?

The exact cause of rosacea is unknown, however, there does seem to be a genetic link with some sufferers. Other environmental factors can trigger flare-ups and worsen symptoms including:

• Natural sunlight
• Exercise
• Spicy / hot food
• Hot drinks
• Alcohol
• Emotional stress
• High and low temperatures

What can treat rosacea?

Unfortunately, there’s no known cure for rosacea, but as it’s a relapsing condition, symptoms can sometimes worsen / alleviate naturally.

Doctors can subscribe oral antibiotics and topical treatments to help with rosacea, however, if you’d rather go down the natural route, here are a few self-help options:

• Make sure you protect your skin from the sun
• Don’t rub your face too vigorously or clean with soap
• Avoid any harsh, perfumed skincare products
• Consider lifestyle factors, such as reducing alcohol consumption

Can rosehip oil help?

We’ve received lots of testimonials from rosacea sufferers over the years, who’ve used Rio Rosa Mosqueta rosehip oil.

Actress, Lisa Faulkner, has used Rio Rosa Mosqueta in the past to improve the appearance of her rosacea. She said: “I am very careful with what I use on my skin… and since finding out about and using Rio Rosa Mosqueta I have seen a marked improvement in my rosacea.”

Blogger, Kelly Martin, also saw an improvement in her rosacea after using Rio Rosa Mosqueta for just two weeks. Read her story here.

Whilst rosehip oil is 100% natural and kinder to sensitive skin types, it’s always advisable to test a small patch of skin when using a new skincare product, especially on skin affected by inflammatory conditions such as rosacea. Rosehip oil should also not be applied to broken skin.

Have you used Rio Rosa Mosqueta on rosacea before? We want to hear from you! Comment on this post or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter.

Find out more about our Chilean rosehip oil here.

Rio Rosa Mosqueta x

It’s the start of a New Year, so we’re all thinking about ways to be more healthy in 2016. Many of us detox in January to help our bodies recover from the excesses of the festive season – but have you ever thought about detoxing your skin?

The skin is our biggest organ and absorbs hundreds of chemicals every day from processed foods, makeup and toiletries. It also excretes a third of your body’s toxins! Giving your skin a detox can be a great way to help improve its appearance and may even encourage you to change your normal skincare routine for the better.

There are lots of ways to give your skin a detox – check out our top tips below:

1. Drink more water. Water is essential for your body to function properly and helps to eliminate toxins from the body. It’s fairly easy to drink more water – make sure you carry a bottle of water with you throughout the day and sip regularly. You could even add a slice of lemon to promote healthy digestion.
2. Eat organic. Processed foods are packed full of sugars and artificial flavours. They  have little nutritional value so make sure your diet is packed with vitamin and nutrient-rich foods. This means plenty of organic fruit and vegetables – eat as pure as you can!
3. Swap to natural cosmetics and make-up. As we mentioned previously, our skin absorbs hundreds of toxins every day from beauty products. When choosing your makeup and toiletries, pay special attention to the ingredients list and avoid anything that contains parabens, paraffin, mineral oil, petrochemicals, sulphates, synthetic fragrance, PEG, TEA or DEA. The safest way to make sure your beauty products aren’t full of nasties is to choose all-natural cosmetics that will nourish your skin cells with nutrients.
4. Avoid caffeine. Caffeine is acidic and can affect your hormones, particularly the stress hormone, which controls your skin’s oil production. It’s also a diuretic that can leave your skin dehydrated and lead to a buildup of toxins in the body. Swap to caffeine-free herbal teas such as peppermint, chamomile or ginger, or opt for plain hot water with lemon as an alternative.
5. Dry brush your skin. Using a natural bristled brush, dry brush your skin with long sweeping movements. Start at your feet and always brush towards your heart. Dry brushing is a great way to remove dead skin cells, but it will also kick-start your lymphatic system, which helps to remove toxins from the body.
6. Avoid using perfume. Perfume can contain hundreds of chemicals, which are absorbed directly into your skin when you apply it. Try to avoid perfume for a few weeks to really detoxify your skin.
7. Bathe in Epsom salt. Epsom salt is a naturally occurring, pure mineral compound of magnesium and sulfate. It helps to flush toxins from the skin and reduce inflammation. Plus, it’s a good excuse to relax and take time out from your busy schedule!

If you decide to try a skin detox, let us know how you get on!

Rio Rosa Mosqueta x

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but it can also be the most stressful! There are parties to plan, presents to wrap and family to entertain. We’ve compiled a list of the best ways to relax and get some much-needed chill-out time during all the festivities!

1. Turn off the TV early. Whilst there’s plenty of great TV to catch up on over Christmas, it’s always a good idea to have a break just before bed. The light emitted from televisions and other tech gadgets promotes wakefulness – which isn’t ideal if you need a good night’s sleep! Curl up with a good book instead.
2. Have some “me time”. Even if it’s just 20 minutes in the bathroom, having some alone time can really help you to organise your thoughts. Take a bath, pop on a face mask or hair treatment to pamper yourself!
3. Find the time to exercise. We know this is the last thing you feel like doing at this time of year, but a brisk walk, jog or even 15 minutes of HIIT is enough to get the heart rate elevated and really blow out the cobwebs!
4. Plan ahead. In the run up to Christmas there’s so much to do – from organising presents to negotiating busy supermarket aisles. Our top tip is to write plenty of “to do” lists so you can relax in the knowledge you won’t forget anything. You could even try allocating a few of the “to do’s” to other family members too ahead of the big day!
5. Enjoy yourself! Don’t let all of the “to do’s” and stresses get on top of you. If you don’t get everything done or forget something here or there, everyone will still have a brilliant time!
   

Have a very Merry Christmas from the Rio Rosa Mosqueta team x

The colder weather and dehydrating central heating can all play havoc with our skin during winter! So, to help your skin survive the season, we’ve shared some top tips below…

Eat dark chocolate

Yes that’s right, chocolate (in moderation) can be good for you! The dark variety is packed full of flavonols, which help to protect your skin from harmful UV damage, fight free radicals and increase blood flow. Enjoy!

Swap to an oil-based moisturiser

An oil-based moisturiser like our Organic Anti-ageing Day & Night Cream will give you extra protection against the elements.

Read the label: avoid products that contain mineral oil

Mineral oil is made from petroleum and is also known as liquid petroleum, paraffin oil and white mineral oil. If you want to ensure your skincare routine is all-natural, this is certainly one ingredient to avoid! Mineral oil can be contaminated with toxins and clog pores, causing breakouts. When applied to the skin, it also creates a barrier that doesn’t allow it to breathe.

Don’t forget the sunscreen – winter sun is damaging too!

Make sure your daily moisturiser contains an SPF to protect against those harmful rays!

Protect your hands with gloves and a nourishing hand cream

Our hands can really suffer during winter, so make sure you nourish them and give them TLC by regularly applying hand cream. When outside, try to wear gloves to protect them from the elements.

Avoid long hot baths and showers (as tempting as they may be!)

Hot baths and showers can dehydrate the skin! If you do have a hot bath, make sure you replace any lost moisture with a rich body butter afterwards.

Exfoliate

Brighten your complexion and get your skin party-ready by removing dead skin cells with a gentle, natural exfoliator.

Stay hydrated

Festive partying can leave your body dehydrated – give your body (and skin) the moisture it needs by drinking plenty of water.

Pamper your skin whilst you sleep

Give your skin some extra TLC by applying an intensive night treatment to help rejuvenate the skin and replenish moisture.

Feed your face

We’ve all heard the phrase “you are what you eat”! There are some delicious winter foods that can really benefit your skin check them out here.

Remember to remove your make-up

After festive partying this can be the last thing you feel like doing – but you’ll feel better if you do! Leaving make-up on overnight can clog your pores and lead to breakouts, which nobody wants!

Perk up tired eyes

If you’re in need of a pick-me-up, nothing feels better than taking ten minutes to relax with refreshing cucumber slices on your eyes. In a hurry? Try an eye contour cream instead.

Do you have any winter skincare tips? Let us know!

With less exposure to sunlight, dehydrating central heating and harsh weather conditions, the cold winter season can really put our skin through its paces!

There are some delicious foods that are at their best during winter and packed full of nutrients that your skin needs to look and feel great. Check out our top skin-boosting foods below (the last one is our favourite!).

Walnuts & Brazil Nuts

Walnuts contain significant amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids, which help to protect your skin. Brazil nuts are also rich in selenium, a mineral that helps to improve the skin’s elasticity.

Grass-fed Beef

The main event in your warming winter roast not only tastes great, but is beneficial to your skin too. It’s high in protein, which is the building block of collagen and elastin tissue that keeps the skin firm.

Vegetarian? Get your protein fix with quinoa, nuts, chickpeas, tofu, leafy greens and chia seeds.

Oily Fish

During winter, the dark mornings and nights result in less exposure to the ‘sunshine vitamin’, vitamin D.

Vitamin D is crucial for immune system and bone health, but can also help to boost the skin’s elasticity and collagen production.

Oily fish such as mackerel or salmon are good dietary sources of vitamin D, along with essential fatty acids that help your skin to retain plumpness and moisture.

Carrots

Boiled, roasted, mashed or steamed, carrots are one of winter’s most delicious vegetables! Carrots are packed with beta-carotene as well as antioxidants, vitamin A and C.

Beta carotene is converted into vitamin A in the body which is helpful in repairing skin tissue and providing enhanced immunity to the sun’s harmful rays.

Dark Chocolate

Yes that’s right, you can eat chocolate guilt-free! Whilst not always so ideal for the waistline, dark chocolate is great for the skin. It contains flavonoids called flavonols that help to protect your skin from harmful UV damage, fight free radicals and increase blood flow.

Choose your chocolate wisely though – you must eat chocolate with at least 70% cocoa to reap these benefits!
Whilst eating a healthy, balanced diet is key to maintaining a radiant winter complexion, applying natural skincare products can help give it a helping hand! Our natural skincare range features a variety of botanical extracts to help repair, protect and hydrate the skin. View them here.

As well as tasting delicious, grapefruits are packed full of nutrients to help give you healthy looking skin! This is why we’ve included grapefruit oil in our new hand cream and body butter…

Grapefruit oil is obtained by cold-pressing the rind, not the flesh or pulp. The oil is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, which help to neutralise free radicals that damage the skin and speed up signs of ageing.

When applied to the skin, grapefruit oil provides a refreshing feeling. It’s particularly beneficial for oily skin and can clear toxins and tone to help improve the appearance of cellulite.

Grapefruit oil is commonly used in aromatherapy, but can also be applied topically with a carrier oil, such as rosehip oil. It works perfectly with the other active plant ingredients in our body butter and hand cream to nourish, hydrate and repair your skin.

Top tip: If you suffer with cellulite, try using a body brush on dry skin before bathing every day. For the best results, use strong, smooth strokes brushing towards the heart. After bathing, follow up with our body butter, gently massaging it into the affected areas with a kneading motion.

Find out more about our new body butter and hand cream.

We all know that sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy body and mind. Whilst we sleep, our body goes through a number of different processes to ensure we wake up alert and well-rested for the day ahead.

Did you know sleep is vital for your skin’s health too, and can actually help to improve its appearance? During sleep we release human growth hormone which is a crucial ingredient for collagen production. We also produce melatonin, a skin-protecting antioxidant.

As our bodies are working hard to repair whilst we sleep, our skin actually loses about 25% more moisture than it does during the day. This is why it’s so important to give your skin a helping hand by making sure it is cleansed and hydrated with a night treatment before you snooze off.

Our very own (and brand new!) Intensive Night Treatment has been formulated with our Chilean rosehip oil and natural plant oils to give your skin the extra nourishment it needs whilst you sleep.

This natural, overnight face and neck treatment is blended with hyaluronic acid to hydrate and firm and is suitable for all skin types. It also features the following botanical extracts to help your skin look and feel healthy and balanced:

• Shea Butter which is deeply nourishing

• Coconut Oil that softens the skin and prevents dehydration

• Babassu Butter, which is a gentle moisturiser that’s rich in Vitamin E

• Aloe Vera to keep skin supple and soft

• Chamomile Extract for its soothing and anti-inflammatory properties

As soon as you apply the cream your skin feels like it has been given a moisture-boost, but isn’t greasy or sticky in any way.

How to use:

Apply a small amount onto your fingertips and massage gently into the face and neck. Apply regularly to see results alongside your usual skincare routine.

Night night xx

Psst. Click here for the full ingredients and list and more information about our Intensive Night Treatment.

It’s finally here – a body moisturiser formulated with our pure, Chilean Rosehip Oil! The new Rio Rosa Mosqueta Body Butter nourishes and deeply hydrates the skin. It combines the many benefits of our rosehip oil with the following active plant ingredients to keep your skin looking healthy and balanced:

• Babassu to gently moisturise

• Shea Butter to heal, soothe and protect

• Aloe Vera for it’s anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties

• Sacha Inchi which is high in skin-boosting nutrients Omega 3 and Vitamin E

• Grapefruit to refresh and tone the skin (plus it smells gorgeous too!)

How to use

Massage the Body Butter into clean, dry skin, paying attention to any dry areas like your elbows and knees. A little really does go a long way, so the large 200g tub will last you a long time!

After applying the Body Butter, your skin will immediately feel soft to the touch – a feeling that lasts all day, which is perfect for those of you who find air conditioning or central heating dries out your skin. The butter is perfect for all skin types, even oily skin, so is a good all-rounder for your beauty cabinet.

Top tip

Are you suffering with dry skin on your feet due to the recent flip flop weather? Apply a generous amount of our Body Butter to your feet and pop on some socks. Sleep in the socks and wake up with smoother, nourished feet!

Pick up the August edition of The Green Parent magazine and you’ll spot that our anti-ageing, organic Day & Night Cream has picked up a bronze 2015 Natural Beauty award!

The awards feature in the Natural Beauty Bible which comes free with the magazine. The judges tested thousands of products for the awards from over 60 brands to find the finest, most effective beauty products to help you look after your family’s skin.

The team of expert judges insisted the products tested were free from any nasties such as petroleum-based chemicals, propylene glycol, parabens or sulphates, and were made by brands they could trust.

We’re thrilled to have received a bronze award in the night cream category and would like to say thank you to the judges for choosing us!

Find out more about the Natural Beauty Bible.

Suki Waterhouse, Emma Stone and Khloe Kardashian are just a few of the celebrity fans who are in love with coconut oil – the oil extracted from the meat of matured coconuts. It has many amazing benefits for the skin and hair and is the oil of choice for health-conscious cooks.

We’re big fans of it too, which is why we’ve included it in the formula of our new Intensive Night Treatment and improved, anti-ageing organic Day & Night Cream.

So why do we love it so much?

Coconut oil is renowned for its moisturising properties. It is composed of saturated fats and contains medium chain triglycerides which help to repair the skin barrier and retain moisture,  preventing dehydration.

When applied to the skin it soaks into the deeper layers to soothe and repair, thanks to its high vitamin E content that is essential for anti-ageing and healthy skin growth.

After application your skin feels smooth to the touch and nourished – combine it with our pure Chilean rosehip oil and you have a magical combination!