Raspberry Seed Oil for Hair: What the Research Shows

Raspberry seed oil is promoted for skin and hair care, and often as a natural sunscreen. We found no study of it on hair. The research is on its composition, its quality when stored, and a study of vegetable oils' sun protection that found raspberry seed oil's protection far lower than the claims.

Here's what the research says.

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Key Takeaways

• Raspberry seed oil contains fatty acids, tocopherols, carotenoids, flavonoids, phytosterols and other compounds, and shows antimicrobial and antioxidant activity.
• In a strict test, the SPF of raspberry seed oil and four other promoted oils was far lower than the values reported in earlier, controversial studies.
• Cold-pressed berry seed oils used for cosmetics can oxidize during storage, so quality and storage matter.
• We found no study of raspberry seed oil for hair.

What Is Raspberry Seed Oil?

Raspberry seed oil (RSO) comes from the seeds of Rubus idaeus and is used in cosmetics and nutrition.

Does Raspberry Seed Oil Help Hair?

No evidence says so. And the idea that it protects hair or skin from the sun is not supported by careful testing.

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Using Raspberry Seed Oil

• Don't use it as sunscreen.
• Buy fresh, store well and look for signs of rancidity.
• Patch test new oils.

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What The Research Shows

What It Contains

A review describes raspberry seed oil as a source of bioactive compounds including fatty acids, tocopherols, tocotrienols, carotenoids, flavonoids and phytosterols, with reported antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and uses in cosmetics (Ispiryan et al., 2021).

Sun Protection

A study tested the real UVB protection of 14 virgin vegetable oils sometimes promoted as safe alternatives to sunscreen. The SPF values of the five most promoted oils, including raspberry seed oil, were significantly lower than the values reported in controversial studies. The authors showed the earlier values were overestimated and that the other oils gave no or negligible SPF (Ácsová et al., 2021).

Quality And Storage

Cold-pressed strawberry, raspberry and blackberry seed oils used for cosmetic purposes were bought from three European producers and analyzed after purchase and after 4 and 8 weeks of storage at room temperature for acid and peroxide values and oxidative stability. The study noted berry seed oils are used for skin and hair care (Raczyk et al., 2021).

Wheat germ oil is another plant oil we have reviewed; see wheat germ oil.

See also: Pomegranate Seed Oil for Hair: What the Research Shows · Pumpkin Seed Oil for Hair: What the Research Shows

Comparing oils? See our guide to rosemary oil for hair growth, the oil with the most research behind it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does raspberry seed oil help hair?

We found no study showing that it does.

Does raspberry seed oil protect from the sun?

Not meaningfully: its measured SPF was far lower than claimed.

Is raspberry seed oil safe?

Patch test new oils. Talk to your doctor if you have a skin condition or allergies.

References

1. Ispiryan A, Viškelis J, Viškelis P. Red Raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) Seed Oil: A Review. Plants (Basel). 2021. PubMed
2. Ácsová A, Hojerová J, Janotková L, et al. The real UVB photoprotective efficacy of vegetable oils: in vitro and in vivo studies. Photochem Photobiol Sci. 2021. PubMed
3. Raczyk M, Bryś J, Brzezińska R, et al. Quality assessment of cold-pressed strawberry, raspberry and blackberry seed oils intended for cosmetic purposes. Acta Sci Pol Technol Aliment. 2021. PubMed