A tiny shrub with a big impact (and no, you won’t find them in the sea!), sea buckthorn oil is a powerhouse ingredient to help keep your skin glowing, healthy and strong.

Oils are having a (well-deserved) moment in the world of skincare - from jojoba to rosehip to argan, there are plenty of oils that have become synonymous with glowing skin support. But nature has many tricks up her sleeve, and a hidden gem that deserves to have its own moment in the sun is one with an equally sunny appearance and a memorable name: sea buckthorn oil.

An orange-hued oil with a slightly bitter smell, sea buckthorn oil is bursting with potential health benefits ranging from heart support to protecting against diabetes and repairing skin damage. While it has long been a popular remedy in both Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicines, sea buckthorn has only recently been gaining momentum in the world of modern skincare.

At Iremia, we believe that nature provides us with an abundance of ways to support our skin health, and sea buckthorn oil is an amazing example of how a few well-chosen ingredients can help keep our skincare routine minimal and stress-free.

What is sea buckthorn oil and what does it do for your skin? This is an oil worth making some room on your counter for.

What is sea buckthorn oil?

Also known as seaberry, the sea buckthorn plant (Hippophae rhamnoides) is a deciduous shrub that grows at high altitudes in the Himalayan region, China, Russia, and northern Europe. 

Harvested shortly before the first freeze, sea buckthorn produces tart, yellow-orange berries that have been used for centuries in traditional medicine and eaten as part of a healthy diet. With roughly 190 bioactive substances, sea buckthornis loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that provide a multitude of health benefits, including all four types of omega fatty acids and fifteen times more vitamin C than an orange.

And the benefits of sea buckthorn aren’t limited to eating the berries: applied topically to the skin in the form of an oil, sea buckthorn is deeply therapeutic and beneficial for all skin needs, including sensitive and acne-prone skin.

What are the benefits of sea buckthorn oil?

Skin-strengthening and repair

When it comes to maintaining your skin as a first line of defense, sea buckthorn is top of the list for both strengthening your skin and helping repair skin following damage.

Sea buckthorn’s essential fatty acids – linoleic and linolenic acid, palmitoleic acid and vitamin E – are believed to help strengthen the skin’s barrier. Linoleic acid in particular (a component of skin’s natural oil, sebum) prevents skin from losing moisture, which improves hydration levels and therefore assists in skin strengthening.

Research has shown that sea buckthorn oil may be helpful in promoting skin elasticity, as well as playing a part in the formation of collagen. Further, sea buckthorn oil can be applied topically for sunburn prevention and providing sunburn relief, as well as healing woundslike burns, bedsores and cuts.

Anti-inflammatory

Sea buckthorn oil contains potent anti-inflammatories that help to reduce swelling and redness associated with conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and rosacea. Sea buckthorn’s secret? Its anti-inflammatory abilities stem from the rare combination of omega-7 and omega-3 fat content, and is supported by the high levels of Vitamin C in the oil.

Fatty acids are essential for healthy, clear and glowing skin, and sea buckthorn is bursting in omega 3, 6 and 9. It’s also the only plant source on the planet that contains omega 7. Fatty acids not only promote a radiant glow, but their anti-inflammatory effects are astounding. Palmitoleic acid in particular, an omega 7 fatty acid found in sea buckthorn oil (and also a main component of skin), diminishes inflammation, relieves pain, increases blood circulation, and promotes regeneration of tissues.

Further, sea buckthorn oil contains phospholipids and glycolipids which have skin renewing and moisturizing benefits, which reduce the appearance of redness and irritation. Sea buckthorn also boasts high concentrations of phytosterols, naturally occurring compounds found in plant cell membranes that help to visibly calm irritation.

Antioxidant powerhouse

Many of the skin benefits of sea buckthorn oil can be linked to the levels of flavonoids, carotenoids, and vitamins A, C and E: these vitamins and antioxidants neutralize damaging free radicals that can cause premature aging and skin cancer. Protecting against external stressors helps to smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, plump the skin, and even out tone and texture, including scarring or discolouration.

Sea buckthorn oil is a source of flavonoids, plant compounds which may strengthen your immune system by increasing resistance to illnesses. Research shows that flavonoids and other phenols in sea buckthorn oil can increase the resistance of the human body, strengthen capillary blood vessels, and increase the effectiveness and absorption of Vitamin C.

Carotenoids are powerful antioxidants, and research shows that sea buckthorn contains 2.4 times more carotenoids than other oils. Because antioxidants like carotenoids help improve immune function by protecting the body from infections caused by bacteria, sea buckthorn oil may be able to keep infectious bacteria from causing skin inflammation.

We know the importance of vitamin C for your skin, and sea buckthorn is a great source of this “beauty vitamin”. Vitamin C is easily absorbed through the skin via sea buckthorn oil and is a powerful antioxidant, participates in the synthesis of collagen fibers, removes free radicals and strengthens immunity. 

Sea buckthorn oil at Iremia

At Iremia Skincare, we use sea buckthorn oil in our Restorative Facial Oil - created to revitalize and restore your skin’s natural glow. The Restorative Facial Oil combines sea buckthorn with a blend of 10 other botanical oils, including jojoba and rosehip. Designed to calm and nourish at the same time as it repairs your skin’s natural barrier, we have crafted a quick-absorbing, non-comedogenic formula to keep your skin luminous, healthy, and completely hydrated.

Summary

Sea buckthorn oil is a powerhouse skincare ingredient that will help keep your skin glowing, healthy and strong. Loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that provide a multitude of health benefits, sea buckthorn is deeply therapeutic and beneficial for all skin needs, including sensitive and acne-prone skin.

As always, enjoy the ritual of using your natural skincare knowing that you’re making healthy and simple choices for radiant, glowing skin.