Colder months bring a seasonal problem: Dry skin. Itchy, scaly, flaky skin is something no one wants. Not only is it uncomfortable; it can look unhealthy: Ashy, dehydrated, while accentuating wrinkles and sun damage.

Remedies abound for dry skin. Mainstream ones involve mineral oil and petrolatum. The best thing that can be said about these ingredients is that they’re inexpensive. The worst thing is that they can interfere with the skin’s natural moisturizing mechanism, which actually makes dry skin worse, while increasing skin’s sensitivity to light. One thing they cannot do is be absorbed into the skin. Their molecules are simply too big.

ROSA MOSQUETA®
One of Aubrey Organics’ favorite remedies for dry skin is an oil pressed from the seeds of rose hips of Rosa rubiginosa. You may know it better as Rosa Mosqueta®. Organically grown in Chile’s Andes Mountains, it began appearing in several of Aubrey Hampton’s personal-care formulas for skin and hair in 1986.

Rosa Mosqueta oil is pretty remarkable. It came to the attention of researchers at the University of Concepcion in Chile, where it was evaluated in a two-year study ending in 1983. The researchers tested the oil on two groups: People with various forms of scarring, and people with wrinkles resulting from age and sun damage. They found that application of the oil minimized scarring (old as well as recent) and wrinkles, and helped to even out skin tone.

In 1988, another study was conducted on photoaged skin—surface wrinkles, discoloration, and on surgical scars. The group with photo-aged skin used Rosa Mosqueta for four months. Improvements became visible within three weeks. Discolored spots began to fade, wrinkles began to attenuate, and, by the end of the four months, this group had smooth skin and almost no discoloration. The group with scar tissue began applying Rosa Mosqueta the day their surgical stitches were removed. After three months of using the oil twice daily with gentle massage, scars on these patients were less apparent, lumpy, and discolored, yet as well as more elastic. Since that time, Rosa Mosqueta oil has successfully
treated acne scars and skin reactions resulting from radiotherapy.

HOW DOES IT WORK?
The high amount of natural retinoic acid present in Rosa Mosqueta seems to be responsible for its rejuvenating effect on skin. Retinoic acid is a derivative of vitamin A. It is also isolated and sold as the topical prescription drug, tretinoin. Tretinoin has been used for decades by dermatologists to treat skin damage. It works well, but is very strong and must be used carefully or it can have side effects like skin irritation and photosensitivity. No such problem exists with Rosa
Mosqueta because, in its natural state, the retinoic acid is held in unsaturated fatty acids, allowing for a slow, controlled release.

Aubrey Organics uses Rosa Mosqueta oil in an array of products for both skin and hair: Shampoos, conditioners, bath gels, liquid soaps, night crèmes, and hand and body lotions. It is, however, specifically featured in Aubrey’s popular dry-skin facial care line (a pure Rosa Mosqueta oil is also available):

Seaware with Rosa Mosqueta Facial
Cleansing Cream—Gently clears away makeup residue and debris, refreshes and conditions the complexion with nutrient-rich sea herbals and soy protein, and moisturizes with organic Rosa Mosqueta oil.

Rosa Mosqueta & English Lavender
Facial Toner—Removes cleanser residue and cellular debris, while lightly hydrating the complexion; tones and soothes with more than two dozen herbals, including cucumber and witch hazel; and prepares skin for better absorption of a moisturizer.

Rosa Mosqueta Rose Hip Moisturizing
Cream—An excellent source of essential fatty acids plus the antioxidant, vitamin C, which soothes and moisturizes with organic aloe and Rosa Mosqueta oil in an essential fatty acidcream base, and contains skin-enriching silicarich horsetail and coltsfoot. Jojoba Meal & Oatmeal with Rosa

Mosqueta Mask & Scrub — Made with moisture- rich jojoba meal and soothing oatmeal, mild exfoliants, and skin softeners. It hydrates skin as it cleanses with Rosa Mosqueta oil and other herbals. May be used as a weekly mask or exfoliating scrub.

And for dry facial skin, especially complexions prone to signs of premature aging, Aubrey has Rosa Mosqueta Night Crème with Alpha Lipoic Acid. It combines Rosa Mosqueta oil with liposome technology, introducing moisturizing, humectant, and vitamin-filled spheres beneath the skin’s outer layers. It also contains alpha lipoic acid, an extremely powerful antioxidant, and rich emollients, such as organic shea butter and evening primrose oil. It works very well on the backs of hands and other areas where dryness, discoloration, and wrinkles tend to show sooner.

Finally, for all-over dry skin care, there’s Rosa Mosqueta Luxurious Hand & Body Lotion, which features Rosa Mosqueta oil and other emollient herbals in a base of essential fatty acids, glycerine, and rosewater that is naturally scented with geranium, lavender, and orange blossoms. It absorbs quickly, leaving skin feeling smooth and rehydrated.

By incorporating Rosa Mosqueta into your daily regime, the colder, drier months of the year will no longer be known as the season of dry, unhealthy skin.