Benefits of Sea Buckthorn Oil
The sea buckthorn plant
The sea buckthorn oil is native from northwest Europe through central Asia. It is commonly grown in Northern climates as a bush. The meat of the fruit is pressed and used to produce sea buckthorn oil.
The plant itself is relatively simple to grow since it has few pest or disease issues. It also, as the name suggests, is found growing near the sea. As a result, it has evolved to withstand the rough conditions of the coastline. In fact, it’s sometimes planted as a soil stabilizer where loose soil is a concern due to its intricate root system.
To grow your own sea buckthorn plant, the simplest way is from propagation (that is a clipping of a full-grown sea buckthorn plant), however, it can also be grown from seeds.
Outside of the agricultural benefits sea buckthorn has many benefits to offer! especially in skincare.
seaberry leaves
The leaves of the sea buckthorn plant, known as seaberry leaves, can be boiled in hot water to make an herbal tea. This tea can aid in weight loss and also has the potential to treat Rheumatoid arthritis by relieving inflammation in the joints (read more). Although only seen in mice thus far, clinical studies on humans are currently being conducted.
Rich in antioxidants, seaberry leaves even have evidence supporting their antibacterial properties. In a small sample of cells, the addition of seaberry tea showed statistically significant changes in the bacteria count leading researchers to conclude that seaberry tea has the potential to protect the body from bacterial infections including but not limited to general infections, UTIs, and eczema (read more).
sea buckthorn berries
Sea buckthorn berries have has been cited in century-old medicinal texts from Tibet and China. They were commonly ingested as a remedy for coughs or to help the healing of wounds or burns. Some texts even cite it as an anti-aging ingredient. They weren’t far off. More recent studies have found that the oil from sea buckthorn berries consists of a multitude of complex lipids which work together to moisturize and soften the outer layer of skin.
The oil also consists of palmitoleic acid which is known to support cell tissue and decrease wound healing time. Aided by the high concentration of vitamin E and vitamin K, the oil from sea buckthorn berries is a perfect concoction for skin renewal and elasticity.
Present day uses
Sea buckthorn is a trending superfood and for good reason. Its leaves are brewed in tea to help with inflammation and the oil from its berries is practically a fountain of youth. As a result, sea buckthorn oil has found its way into many cosmetic formulations.
Benefits include…
repairing oxidative damage
Oxidative damage occurs when there is an imbalance between the production of free radicals and body’s ability to counteract their damage. An excess of free radicals speeds up the skin’s aging process contributing to the loss of collagen. Collagen in the skin is what prevents fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging from occurring. Sea buckthorn helps to break down free radicals, restoring balance to your body and to your skin.
anti-aging
The anti-aging component of sea buckthorn is due to sea buckthorn’s ability to aid in the repair of oxidative damage. The main factor that induces oxidative stress is UV exposure from the sun. So, in addition to a daily application of sunscreen, sea buckthorn can help counteract any oxidative stress from the days when younger you might not have been religiously applying sunscreen.
stimulating collagen growth
Sea buckthorn is rich in Omega 7, a fatty acid that has research supporting its ability to regenerate collagen. Omega 7 is also why sea buckthorn can help with the speed a wound heals as well as inflammation.
hydration
The skin’s hydration depends on its ability to hold onto water it comes into contact with. Sea buckthorn’s composition of fatty acids form a film on the skin’s surface, reducing any water loss. This all occurs on a microscopic scale, non-perceivable to you in daily life. But that water that is held against the skin feeds the outer layer of your skin leaving your skin soft and plump.
