It has been used for many years in the cosmeceutical industry by manufacturers as it contains a significant amount of nutritive components including essential fatty acids and antioxidants.
The natural ingredient is a stable lipid that has redefined performance and stability standards for oils rich in essential fatty acids, making it appeal for cosmetic use, and has seen ingredient suppliers, such as Natural Sourcing, introduce new products for manufacturers.
The US-based company states that the increased popularity and demand for natural and organic products, coupled with the ingredient’s effective moisturising properties, driven the launch of its latest range.
Properties
Red Raspberry seed oil possesses an exceptionally high proportion of alpha and gamma tocopherols (Vitamin E), vitamin A and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
In a study done on the properties of the extract, the oil showed absorbance in the UV-B and UV-C ranges suggesting that it may be useful as a broad spectrum UV protectant in skin care formulations.
It is also rich in alpha linolenic acid suggesting pronounced anti-inflammatory properties, thus it may be an effective oil to use in the treatment of eczema, psoriasis and other skin conditions.
Applications
Cosmetics applications for rubus idaeus are in lip balm, cream, sun protection, balms and other skin care formulations, and it can be added to any formulation to add protection against the sun.
The SPF of red raspberry seed oil has been found to be equal to that of titanium dioxide and has been rated to have an SPF as high as 28-50.
Its strong antioxidant properties and stable shelf life can help to extend the life of more fragile ingredients included within the same formulation.
Warning
However, despite this, it is still difficult to determine the exact SPF of a product without testing and SPF products cannot be marketed without a license to do so.
Scientists point out that the usage of Red Raspberry Seed Oil on the skin is not the equivalent of using a properly formulated SPF product. “Many factors are involved in how a product works as a sunscreen including absorption rate and viscosity of the formulation,” says Natural Sourcing.