Sea Buckthorn – The Miracle Berry
May 30, 2022 2022-06-05 19:05
Sea Buckthorn – The Miracle Berry
Highlights:
- Things you definitely didn't know about sea buckthorn
- Benefits of sea buckthorn oil for your skin
- How to use it?
- Skincare products with sea buckthorn
THINGS YOU DEFINITELY DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT SEA BUCKTHORN
Sea buckthorn can be found all over the world, mostly in Europe and Asia, but also in North America. It has been used for food and in traditional medicine since ancient times, in various forms (as a juice, tea, oil, even jam, you name it).
Each berry is packed with an extreme amount of vitamin C, so much that puts oranges and lemons to shame.
Not to mention it has one of the highest vitamin E doses in all plants.
This comes very handily when it comes to oil and cosmetics, as vitamin C and E are some of the crucial factors that promote skin resilience to the sun and oxidation.
Fun fact, astronauts have been using it as a remedy. You can imagine how being exposed to radiation in space can be stressful to the skin. So when re-entering the atmosphere, they were using sea buckthorn oil to soothe the skin and heal radiation burns. It was even used to treat burns after the nuclear accidents.
BENEFITS OF SEA BUCKTHORN FOR YOUR SKIN
Fights signs of aging
Sea buckthorn oil promotes the formation of collagen, which is a protein your skin desperately needs to stay young. The anti-aging benefits of collagen are endless, from helping to plump the skin and prevent sagging to smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles.
With regular use, skin can become much smoother and fine lines can reduce, leaving a more refined skin texture.
It is no surprise that sea buckthorn oil is a common ingredient in many anti-aging and wrinkle-reducing cosmetic products.
Anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties
Studies suggests that it possesses potent anti viral and anti microbial properties, which can be beneficial in fighting diseases and especially skin conditions. Although the results are still not sure, some studies indicate promising impacts in fighting acne, skin eczema and psoriasis.
Traditionally used for healing wounds
Sea buckthorn has traditionally been used to aid skin regeneration and has also found applications in modern medicine. Sea buckthorn fruit and seed oil contains high levels of beneficial unsaturated fatty acids (omega-3,6,7), natural antioxidants, vitamins (E, K), carotenoids, and phytosterols. All of these chemicals combine to protect cell membranes and enhance cell regeneration. Palmitoleic acid is a component of skin used in burn treatment and wound healing. Sea buckthorn oil has been reported to have preventive and curative effects against different types of issues and even atopic dermatitis.
Soothing for the skin
A lot of us that usually don’t have a more serious skin condition, are struggling with dry, irritated flaky or itchy skin from time to time. Sea buckthorn oil is a great source of linoleic acid, an omega 6 fatty acid that is the most abundant fatty acid in human skin. It acts as protection against a dry or scaly skin, and that is the reason why most people just love the feeling of this miracle oil on their skin.
When it comes to more serious skin conditions, like psoriasis or eczema, unfortunately, the number of studies are limited. But some of them indicate that regular use of small amounts of sea buckthorn oil can significantly reduce the discomfort of mild to moderate psoriasis.
HOW TO USE SEA BUCKTHORN?
As mentioned, there is a wide variety of options how you can use sea buckthorn and experience its benefits, whether it be in a form of juice, jam, dried berries, oil, heck you can even make a sea buckthorn pie if you like.
When it comes to skin, you can use it alone or as a part of some other cosmetic product. If used alone, you can add a few drops to your palm and apply to the skin but be carefull, it can leave yellow stains as it is very concentrated.
Probably the easiest way to incorporate sea buckthorn oil into your daily routine is in a form of a balm, serum or oil, where you can apply them in the morning (before sunscreen) or in the evening as the last step of your routine, after cleaning.
Resources:
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sea-buckthorn-oil
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
- https://www.drugs.com/npp/sea-buckthorn.html#11714369
- Yang B, Karlsson RM, Oksman PH, Kallio HP. Phytosterols in sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) berries: identification and effects of different origins and harvesting times. J Agric Food Chem. 2001;49(11):5620-5629.11714369
