In the world of vegan, natural skincare, certain ingredients are always trending – and for good reason. Ingredients like niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil, and aloe vera are often being talked about. While these ingredients are absolutely worth celebrating, some equally beneficial ingredients go under the radar. 

Raspberry seed oil is a lesser-known ingredient that really works with your skin, not against it. It’s lightweight, antioxidant-rich and wonderfully nourishing. If you’re curious about what makes this tiny seed so mighty, here’s everything you need to know.

What is raspberry seed oil?

Raspberry seed oil is the oil pressed from the seeds of raspberries. As we’re committed to upcycling and the circular economy, we upcycle raspberry seeds from the juicing industry to give them a new lease of life in our products.

The oil itself is rich in antioxidants, carotenoids, and vitamins A and E, which not only boost collagen production for plumper-looking skin but also shield skin from environmental damage by protecting against free radicals and pollution. It protects, nourishes and hydrates delicate skin, making it a wonderful ingredient to use in skincare formulation. 

The benefits of raspberry seed oil for skin

Raspberry seed oil offers numerous benefits for your skin. The nutrient density, versatility and gentle nature of raspberry seed oil make it a great fit for most skin types. It supports hydration, helps protect against free radicals, and brings out a natural glow, all without overwhelming the skin. Find out more about why it’s worth knowing about.

1. Deep nourishment without heaviness

Raspberry seed oil’s impressive fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) work to help reinforce the skin barrier. This is the outer layer of skin that helps to keep moisture in and external stressors out. This makes it especially helpful for dry skin that needs a comforting boost.

2. A brighter complexion

Raspberry oil contains naturally occurring antioxidants that help protect the skin against everyday environmental aggressors, such as pollution and UV exposure. Over time, this support can help your skin appear smoother, more evenly toned, and visibly more radiant.

3. Soothing for sensitive skin

If your skin tends to feel easily irritated, raspberry seed oil could be a welcome addition to your skincare. It has gentle, calming properties that help reduce feelings of tightness or discomfort, making it suitable for sensitive, redness-prone or stressed-out skin.

4. Hydration that won’t clog pores

Raspberry seed oil is lightweight, fast-absorbing and non-comedogenic, offering hydration without the worry of congested skin.

Not only does raspberry seed oil add hydration to your skin, but it also helps reduce the amount of water that escapes from the skin through evaporation. This process is known as transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and it is an objective measurement of skin integrity. TEWL is a natural physiological phenomenon which reflects the skin's ability to retain moisture and act as a barrier.

It’s completely normal to lose some moisture from the skin through TEWL, but being able to minimise that amount with the ingredients in your skincare means more hydrated skin and a healthier complexion. 

Who is it best for?

Raspberry seed oil works well for all skin types, but it’s especially appreciated by:

• Dry or dehydrated skin: for its moisture-supporting fatty acids.
• Sensitive or reactive skin: thanks to its calming, comforting feel.
• Combination or oily skin: because it hydrates without clogging pores.
• Mature skin: for its antioxidant content and barrier-supporting benefits.

UV and raspberry seed oil

Raspberry seed oil is often talked about online as a ‘natural sunscreen’, but the science doesn’t support the oil acting alone as an SPF. While raspberry seed oil does contain antioxidants that help the skin cope with environmental stressors (including UV-induced free radicals), it does not act as a standalone SPF and should not replace sunscreen.

These antioxidants can help reduce stress in the skin after or alongside sun exposure, but they do not offer measured, reliable UV protection. Although early lab findings suggested it might have some UV-absorbing potential, these results were not consistent or clinically validated.

It works beautifully with your sunscreen, not instead of it. Layering raspberry seed oil under your SPF can help keep your skin nourished, comforted and shielded from oxidative stress, but the SPF must still do the heavy lifting. Better still, why not choose a Natural Sunscreen with Raspberry Oil in its formulation?

Our SPF 25 Mineral Sunscreen

Enter, our raspberry oil-infused Mineral Sunscreen. It offers high-performance UVA and UVB protection, and is brimming with skin barrier-supporting ingredients.

This reef-safe, dermatologically approved mineral sunscreen provides an essential physical defence against damage to the skin caused by the sun. We use naturally derived non-nano zinc oxide in our formulation to protect the skin.

Powerful antioxidant raspberry seed oil is infused into the formulation to help defend against free radical damage. We formulate using only the highest quality zinc oxide that seamlessly blends in to leave nothing but a natural glow.