We have not spent much time focusing on carriers for a while, but these really are a bit of aromatherapy that can transform something from adequate to genuinely good. Carrier oils add structure and depth to a blend and can contain many things that do not pass through distillation and are not in essential oils. Carrier oils are a whole knowledge set in their own right, but today I am just going to focus on two of the biggest hitters. This is the battle of the skin giants: tamanu oil vs rosehip oil. What are their strengths? When is one better than the other? And when combining tamanu and rosehip oils could be a masterstroke you had not considered.
Carrier Oils vs Vegetable Oils vs Fixed Oils
Ok, so what in Heaven's name is the difference? Nothing. Both tamanu and rosehip oil can be considered all three. They are both vegetable oils. Rosehip seed oil comes from the fruits of a rose, and tamanu is pressed from a nut. They are both fixed oils because the good stuff does not evaporate the way it does with essential oils. This also means that while they both do have a slight fragrance, that is not what we want them for. We are interested in fixed oils for the great stuff they do when they soak into the skin. Carrier oils? Technically, carrier oil means something we use to carry and dilute essential oils. So yes, both can be used as carrier oils, but that is a description of what they do rather than what they are, which is fixed, vegetable oils. I was 15 years old when someone first asked me that question, and I had no idea how to answer. Turns out it is really very simple. Being a lazy writer, I will use the terms interchangeably throughout this article. In all cases, I am describing the actions of tamanu oil and rosehip oil when they are being used as carrier oils, so that will be the term I use most. Next, let us do a quick overview of the unique benefits of each, and then we will compare them.
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Rosehip Oil: Everything You Should Know
First and most importantly, anyone who tells you that lemon essential oil contains vitamin C should be ignored. Unlike essential oils, which cannot contain vitamins (since vitamins are mostly water-based and cannot pass through distillation), some carrier oils do. Rosehip oil is one of them. Organic rosehip oil does not have much of a scent. If anything, it has a very mild honey fragrance, but it is bright yellow. It looks a bit like thick orange juice when you pour it.
Rosehip Oil and Vitamin C
Absolutely chock full of vitamin C. Incredibly, rosehips contain about 20 times as much vitamin C as oranges do. Rosehip seed oil is cold-pressed from the seeds inside the hips, and a large portion of this passes through into the oil during cold extraction. Vitamin C is used in the beauty industry for its anti-aging and pigmentation-reducing properties, and because it is very skin-brightening. It supports collagen production, too, which matters a great deal when you are thinking about the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Essential Fatty Acids in Rosehip Oil
Jennifer Peace Rhind says that the benefits of rosehip oil for skin are probably due to its tremendously high levels of unsaturated fatty acids. It is genuinely rich in essential fatty acids across the board. The most abundant is linoleic acid (Vitamin F), which pours moisture into the complexion and plumps it up, as well as strengthening and protecting the skin's natural barrier. Then, alpha-linoleic acid and oleic acid maintain the moisture permeability of the dermis. In other words, moisture stays locked in so it cannot seep out. You will often find alpha linoleic acid in treatments designed to protect the skin from environmental damage and premature aging. A 2018 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology showed that oils with a higher ratio of linoleic to oleic acid provided enhanced barrier repair potential.
Rosehip Oil as an Emollient
Rosehip oil is a beautifully nourishing emollient, which means it smoothes, softens, and soothes the skin. This makes it a great carrier oil to reach for when the skin is inflamed, hot, or sore. (Incidentally, using helichrysum essential oil in rosehip carrier oil for minor burns was first suggested by the wonderful, late Jeanne Rose and has since become one of clinical aromatherapy's standard approaches.)
Rosehip Oil for Wound Healing and Scarring
Rosehip oil has been researched for its wound-healing properties. In 2019, a team of researchers from Wuhan, China, demonstrated that surgical wounds healed faster and showed improved scar formation following rosehip oil treatments. So rosehip oil is soothing, moisturising, and plumping. It is a brilliant choice if your complexion looks a bit lacklustre or the mirror is telling you that you look older than you feel. It can also help reduce the appearance of acne scars and dark spots, and may help improve the appearance of hyperpigmentation over time when used consistently. For use on acne-prone skin, we use just a single drop to brighten the skin and smooth it. Less is more.
How to Work with Rosehip Oil: Handle with Restraint
It looks like ambrosia for the gods coming out of the bottle. Liquid gold, the colour of the sun. Anyone in their right mind would want to go full Cleopatra and bathe in it. Really. Bad. Plan. It is too thick, and it will block your pores. Also, the sebaceous glands decide how much sebum to produce based on the oil content they find on the skin. Using rosehip as your main carrier is like feeding your skin a Christmas dinner. The sebaceous glands will spend the rest of the week on the sofa, and when they check out, your skin dries out. Only use rosehip oil up to a maximum of 10% dilution in your blend. 5% may be even better, particularly for combination skin or if sebum production is already higher than you would like.
Tamanu Oil: Everything You Should Know
Tamanu oil is the more clinical option of the two. It is light and absorbs well into the skin, but it is not really a beauty oil in the traditional sense. We reach for tamanu when we are thinking about skin conditions and more targeted skin concerns. It makes a brilliant addition to moisturisers, ointments, and body creams, especially where the skin is sore or inflamed. Aromatherapists tend to choose tamanu oil for creams for skin conditions, including eczema and psoriasis. There is definitely an overlap with rosehip here because part of tamanu's skill set for post-viral skin (chickenpox, for example) is to help reduce the appearance of scars, and the same applies to acne scars.
Tamanu Oil for Wound Healing
A 2015 French study tested the efficacy of five different types of Calophyllum inophyllum oil to explore tamanu's traditional use in wound care. Tamanu's antibacterial properties, particularly against gram-positive bacteria, were shown to support wound healing in skin sores. Fascinatingly, the amounts needed to gain a supportive effect on the skin were lower than those used in vitro. In other words, it appears to work better on skin than it does in test tube conditions.
Tamanu Oil for Hair
Tamanu oil is also traditionally used for the hair. It encourages hair growth that is stronger and healthier. Use it as a hair masque, and it will hydrate the strands, encourage natural shine, and make your hair generally easier to manage. I also think it makes split ends look a bit better, personally.
Tamanu Oil as a Nourishing Oil for Skin
Tamanu conditions the skin beautifully, and as mentioned, supports the skin's response to scarring. It also makes a lovely addition to creams for stretchmarks, alongside a lightweight oil to help it spread more easily. Again, use a small amount at a time. Around 5% dilution in your blends is right. You can bulk it out with a little grapeseed oil or sweet almond oil to make it go further.
Tamanu Oil vs Rosehip Oil: How to Choose the Right Oil for Your Skin
Think about what you want your skin care to do. If it is a beauty treatment, opt for rosehip. If it is more medicinal and targeted, go with tamanu. Both are outstanding natural oils for face and body use, but they suit different skin types and different needs.
Choosing the Right Oil for Wound Healing
In wound healing, ask yourself: what do I need it to do? Rosehip oil seems to help knit the tissues and close the wound. Tamanu oil is the stronger of the two for its antibacterial properties.
Using Tamanu and Rosehip Oils Together
Can you use tamanu oil and rosehip oil together? Absolutely, and probably you should. The two oils have complementary nourishing properties that make them stronger in combination than either is alone. For acne and acne scars, I would think about 5% of each in a blend, perhaps alongside some tea tree essential oil. For anti-aging and brightening work, the combination supports both collagen-linked repair and barrier strengthening at the same time.
Tamanu and Rosehip for Hair
For hair, I am not sure there is much to choose between them. Again, the two together would be excellent.
Safety: Choosing the Right Oil for Pregnancy and Nut Allergies
Rosehip oil would not be suitable for use during pregnancy. So if you were making a stretchmark cream, even though rosehip might be more effective, tamanu oil is the safer option. Tamanu oil would not be suitable for anyone living with nut allergies, as it is pressed from a nut
Quick Comparison: Tamanu Oil vs Rosehip Oil at a Glance
| Rosehip Oil | Tamanu Oil | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Brightening, anti-aging, dry skin | Acne, eczema, scarring, antimicrobial |
| Key actives | Vitamin C, linoleic acid, essential fatty acids | Antibacterial compounds, fatty acids |
| Skin types | Dry, mature, combination skin | Most skin types (avoid with nut allergy) |
| Hair use | Yes | Yes (particularly strengthening) |
| Pregnancy | Not recommended | Generally considered safer |
| Use rate | Max 10% (5% ideal) | Around 5% |
| Pairs well with | Jojoba oil, argan oil, squalane | Grapeseed oil, sweet almond oil |
The Bottom Line on Choosing the Right Oil
Both tamanu oil and rosehip oil deserve a place on your shelf. The question of which is better for your skin type depends entirely on what you want to achieve. Rosehip for luminosity, plumpness, and skin tone. Tamanu for antibacterial, nourishing, and reparative work. And both together for acne scarring, hair health, or any skin that needs serious support. The right oil for your skin is the one that meets your skin where it is right now
