Sea Buckthorn Oil For Skin: Top 10 Benefits, Uses And Tips

What Is Sea Buckthorn Oil?

Sea buckthorn, also known as hippophae rhamnoides, is a shrub native to China and Europe. It produces bright orange fruits that are edible and tasty, known as sea buckthorn berries.

There are two kinds of sea buckthorn oil: seed oil and berry oil. The seed oil is obtained by cold pressing the seeds of the berry. The berry oil is obtained by supercritical CO2 extraction of the fruit pulp. The seed oil is slightly lighter in texture and color and contains less nutrients than the pulp oil. Sea buckthorn berry oil is a dark red color, slightly thicker in texture and contains a wealth of skin beneficial nutrients.

Top 10 Skin Benefits Of Sea Buckthorn Oil

When examining sea buckthorn’s exceptional nutrient profile, it becomes clear why this powerhouse ingredient offers so many skin benefits. It contains roughly 190 bioactive substances, and benefits all skin types, including sensitive and blemish-prone.

1. A Topical Multi-Vitamin For Your Skin

Sea buckthorn oil notably contains vitamins E, A, and K, along with lycopene, zeaxanthin and numerous other carotenoids. These nutrients work in unison to visibly reduce signs of aging, protect skin from aging environmental aggressors while promoting the look of healthy, supple skin. Vitamin E serves as an antioxidant, helping to neutralize damaging free radicals skin is exposed to daily. Vitamin A helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and uneven skin tone, and may even help to banish breakouts. Vitamin K is renown for its brightening ability, reducing the look of dark spots and uneven tone. Carotenoids such as lycopene and zeaxanthin act as powerful antioxidants, as well as precursors for vitamin A. Lycopene is known to prevent the look of photo damage and aids in improving moisture levels. Studies indicate that zeaxanthin is helpful in protecting against blue light damage.

2. Provides Protective Polyphenols

Polyphenols are naturally occurring compounds in plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices, that offer various health benefits. When applied topically, polyphenols protect skin from oxidative stress caused by environmental aggressors and UV exposure. In addition, they inhibit certain enzymes that break down collagen and elastin, thus helping to maintain healthy skin texture and firmness.

3. Contains Skin Strengthening Phytosterols

Phytosterols are naturally occurring compounds found in plant cell membranes. They help to visibly calm irritation and support skin by minimizing trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL). The highest concentrations of phytosterols are conveniently found in plant-derived oils such as sea buckthorn.

4. Delivers Skin Renewing Complex Lipids

Sea buckthorn oil contains phospholipids and glycolipids which have skin renewing and moisturizing benefits. These lipids work together to improve the appearance of skin firmness and reduce the appearance of redness and irritation.

5. Offers A Rare Omega Fatty Acid Composition

Sea buckthorn may be the only plant in the world to contain all four omegas: omega-3, omega-6, omega-7 and omega-9. These fatty acids play a significant role in supporting optimal skin function and improving the overall appearance of skin. They help to protect against dryness, improve skin hydration and balance oil production. Because these fatty acids maintain balanced moisture levels, they reduce the occurrence of blackheads and breakouts. Omega fatty acids are highly skin compatible and help to deliver antioxidants and other skin-beneficial nutrients. Plus, they visibly reduce signs of aging. As you can see, there’s a whole lot to love here.

6. Sea Buckthorn Oil Deeply Moisturizes

Sea buckthorn oil is biocompatible and acts as a nutrient-rich moisturizer, keeping skin exceptionally soft and supple throughout the day.

7. Sea Buckthorn Oil Helps To Reduce The Appearance Of Wrinkles

With over 190 nutrients and antioxidants, sea buckthorn tackles visible signs of aging from many angles. Vitamin E, A and carotenoids, for example, help visibly smooth out wrinkles and fine lines.

8. Sea Buckthorn Oil Promotes The Appearance Of Even Skin Tone

Vitamin E and A work in unison to even the appearance of skin tone, as well as aid in preventing future discoloration by neutralizing free-radicals.

9. Sea Buckthorn Oil Protects Skin From Environmental Stressors

Prevention is key in maintaining your best skin, now and for years to come. And that’s what makes antioxidants an invaluable tool in the good fight against environmental aggressors that accelerate visible signs of aging. With daily application, antioxidants not only provide protection, but also promote a youthful, healthy appearance.

10. Sea Buckthorn Oil Visibly Reduces Redness And Irritation

If you consider your skin finicky, you’re probably very conscious of the ingredients you put on your skin. After all, what’s worse than waking up with irritated skin or unsightly breakouts when trying a new skincare product? What makes sea buckthorn so beloved is that it works wonders on troubled skin, delivering results without the potential down sides.

Sea Buckthorn Oil Frequently Asked Questions

How To Use Sea Buckthorn Oil For Skin?

Sea buckthorn oil can be applied directly to the skin. However, because it’s highly pigmented, it can leave a temporary stain. Therefore, we recommend finding a facial oil blend that incorporates it along with other skin-loving ingredients.

Is Sea Buckthorn Good For Oily Skin?

Contrary to popular belief, certain oils can be very beneficial to oily skin types. If the root cause of excess oil production is dryness, using a face oil such as sea buckthorn will put an end to this viscous cycle. Whether skin is naturally dry or dry due to harsh products such as cleansers and acne products, your skin overcompensates by creating excess oil. However, when you apply oil to your skin, specifically botanical oils, it not only signals your skin to stop producing excess oil, but also locks in moisture, helping to keep it soft, supple and hydrated.

Does Sea Buckthorn Oil Clog Pores?

Sea buckthorn oil has a comedogenic rating of 1. That means it is not likely to clog pores. However, everyone is unique in how they respond to ingredients. As mentioned above, this oil works best when diluted in a properly formulated facial oil blend. This will prevent it from staining skin and if mixed with lighter oils such as squalene or jojoba, the risk for pore congestion is greatly minimized.

Not All Sea Buckthorn Oil Is Created Equal. Buyer Beware.

At Root Science, we pride ourselves on sourcing only the highest quality ingredients available. So, when it came to finding the best sea buckthorn oil, we opted for a supercritical carbon dioxide extraction over cold-pressed. Supercritical CO2 extraction is a state-of-the-art method that preserves the active properties of a plant, yielding the purest plant extracts possible. As popular as the term cold-pressed is, it is an inferior method of extraction when compared to CO2 extractions. Choosing to work with supercritical CO2 extractions of fragile oils, such as sea buckthorn, is especially important because it does not expose the oil to oxygen or high heat, in-turn increasing both shelf-life and the skin beneficial nutrients that keep your skin looking and feeling its best.

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