Sea Buckthorn is a beautiful schrub plant which is exceptionably hardy and has been used as food, traditional medicine and skincare treatments. The plant grows in Europe, Caucasus, Asia Minor, Central Asia, Siberia, China and Tibet .Nowadays, Sea Buckthorn skin benefits have been proven by science. Valuable substances contained in Sea Buckthorn oil play an important role in the proper functioning of the human body and give the skin a beautiful and healthy appearance. A balanced composition of fatty acids and the range of vitamins in this oil give Sea Buckthorn incredible skin benefits and over 200 different properties!
At Qualia we use Sea Buckthorn for many of our custom-made skincare formulas, especially those with dry, flaky or rapidly ageing skin. Despite this plant having over 200 properties, here will mention 8 of the most important sea buckthorn skin benefits:
1. Skin regeneration properties
Sea buckthorn oils contains unique unsaturated fatty acids, such as gamma-linolenic acid (omega-6) and rare palmitooleic acid (omega-7), which give this oil skin regeneration and repairing properties. It is a component of skin lipids and stimulates regenerateive processes in the epidermis and wound healing. Thanks to it, Sea Buckthorn Oil activates physiological skin functions and reduces scars.
2. Improves Blood Circulation
Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) improves blood circulation which positively affects the supply of nourishment and oxygen to the skin. Making it look glowy and radiant. GLA is so important that without it, the skin can become drier, less elastic and susceptible to any lesions.
3. Improves skin structure and tone
Not only gamma-linolenic acid improves blood circulation, but also removes the excess toxins in the skin which as result improves the overall skin structure, apperance and tone. One of the most common skin care goals from our online skin quiz involve bringing Radiance to the skin!
4. Protects against infections and prevents allergies
Because inside the skin the gamma-linolenic acid is converted to prostaglandins, sea-buckthorn oil protects against infections, prevents allergies and eliminates inflammation. Prostanglandins are a group lipids made at sites of tissue damage or infection that are involved in dealing with injury and illness. They control processes as inflammation, blood flow, the formation of blood clots and even the induction of labour.
5. Softens the skin
A high content of saturated fatty acids (above 30wt.%) causes sea buckthorn oil to soften the epidermis and protect and secure it against transepidermal water loss. These oils also ensure a high stability of the oil and its resistance to oxidation. These acids form a protective occlusion on the skin which strengthens the protective barrier, as well as providing firmness of skin, smoothing and softening it.
6. Powerful antioxidant
Sea buckthorn oil contains a wide range of vitamins that give this oil powerful antioxidant skin benefits. In particular vitamins A, C, E, F, P and B complex are found in the oil. Vitamin A carotenoids, provide regenerative and anti-wrinkle properties to the oil. It also has a Vitamin C content which is 15 times higher than in orange. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, which can protect the skin from harmful UVA and UVB radiation, and it also evens out the skin tone.
Our Sea Buckthorn is sourced from China, since Chinese Sea Buckthorn is the riches in Vitamin C, with ascorbic acid content of up to 2500 mg% (Hallio et al, 2002; source: here).
The presence of vitamin E in the form of tocopherols and minerals and flavonoids also provides antioxidant effects and strenghtens the walls of capillary blood vessels.
7. Stimulates collagen synthesis
Sea buckthorn oil stimulates wound healing, stimulating collagen and the process of forming new healthy epidermis. In the industry, it is used many times as a healer ingredients as eliminates scars and burns. It is useful in the treatment of burns, frostbites, bedsores and skin damage, for example after being exposed to sun or x-rays - sea buckthorn can be a great after-sun lotion!
8. Anti-microbial properties
Research has proven that sea buckthorn is effective agaisnt microbial infections. This article tested the effectiveness of sea buckthorn extract against E. coli, and Sea Buckthorn was proven to be highly effective against the bacteria.
These are the most important sea buckthorn skin benefits. It is an incredible plant with multiple properties for the human body and the skin, since it is incredibly abundant in botanical actives. Sea buckthorn oil also contains many different polyphenols and mineral salts including sulfur, selenium, copper and zinc, which are essential for the proper functioning of the body and the skin.
We use this botanical active ingredient in formulas for mature, dry and ageing skin, as well as those looking for skin firmness, reducing wrinkles, radiance and even skin tone. If you'd like to know more about our all-purpose formula, take our online skin quiz and get your custom-made botanical formula.
Let us know in the comments if you have tried Sea Buckthorn Oil and if your formula contains Sea Buckthorn!
Main source for this article: Zielińska, A., Nowak, I. Abundance of active ingredients in sea-buckthorn oil. Lipids Health Dis, 16, 95 (2017). DOI.
