What Is Sea Buckthorn?

If you’re looking for sea buckthorn, you won’t find it in the sea. You actually have to look in mountainous and coastal areas of Europe and Asia to find this shrub. Botanists believe it originated in the Himalayas and spread from there. There are mentions of it in ancient Tibetan writing, in early Chinese formularies, in Indian Materia Medica and ancient Greek mythology.

Seed Oil and Fruit Oil

The two types of oil derived from the sea buckthorn plant come from the small, yellow-orange berries and the seeds found inside them. The small dark seeds are the source of the seed oil, which is yellow or pale orange. The fruit oil comes from the pulp of the berries and is a dark red or red orange color.

The method used for extracting the oil from the plant affects the quality and potency of the product. Cold- or hot-pressing, solvent extraction and maceration in other oils are common ways of making sea buckthorn oil, but these methods are not the best at preserving the oil’s nutrient value.

The favored method of extracting sea buckthorn oil is supercritical CO2 (carbon dioxide) extraction. This method uses liquid carbon dioxide, which pulls the oils from the seeds and fleshy pulp of the berries while preserving the nutrients.

While sea buckthorn is a rich source of vitamins K, C, E, A, B1 and B2, folic acid, minerals and antioxidants, it is best known for its topical uses for skin treatments.

Sea Buckthorn Oil for the Skin

Because it is so versatile in its range of treatments, sea buckthorn oil is considered a powerful botanical ingredient in many homeopathic products, however due to its rarity prices are typically high. Many of the products infused with sea buckthorn oil feature oil from both seeds and fruit, thus providing products with a more comprehensive approach to health and beauty.

Sea Buckthorn oil topical products can be helpful in a variety of skin disorders. The benefits to the skin that sea buckthorn oil provides rival the well-known benefits of any other botanical oil on the planet.

Analgesic effect. When used in topical application, sea buckthorn oil can provide relieving effects to soothe the discomfort of sprains and aging joints.

Anti-aging. Sea buckthorn oil applied to the skin may help reduce the signs of aging, such as age spots, wrinkles, blemishes and scars. The generous range of antioxidants and tocopherols in the oil reduces oxidative stress in the skin, helps boost collagen production and stimulates the body's natural healing process.

Soothes sunburn Sea buckthorn oil’s moisturizing element and nourishing components can help to quickly soothe a sunburn and work to rapidly eliminate the irritation. 

Rejuvenate your hands. The skin covering our hands is the thinnest skin found on the body. There is a very limited amount of fat beneath the skin on our hands. Applying sea buckthorn oil as a moisturizer to your hands can relieve the dry look to hands, help lighten dark spots and smooth the wrinkles that can come with age.

Sea buckthorn is a versatile plant with many benefits that help improve our appearance and our health. As with any medications, it is best to check with your personal physician before adding any new substances to your daily regimen. The sea buckthorn we use to craft our products is sourced from the only reputable supplier in the world and is certified USDA organic.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.