Seabuckthorn

Hippophae rhamnoides

The elegant, silvery-white, needle-like leaves and bright yellow to orange berries give sea buckthorn a rather exotic appearance. It's thought to have come to Europe from Tibet 17,000 years ago with the ice age. It can be found growing on sand dunes, on the banks of rivers and streams and on sunny slopes across Europe and Asia.

The shrub is tolerant of both drought and frost as well as air pollution. It produces a large number of small, green and brown flowers which grow together in racemes. After the flowering period, they turn into tasty and nutritious round berries, which ripen in September.

In ancient Greece, sea buckthorn was fed to horses to keep their coats healthy and shiny. This fun fact may explain its Latin name. “Hippophae” originates from the Greek words “hippo,” which means “horse” and “phaos”, which translates into “to shine.”

These vibrant orange berries have been used as an herbal cure-all by many cultures, particularly in the treatment of digestive issues and the skin. Tibetans even declared them as the “holy fruit of the Himalayas.” With its exceptional nutritional profile of over 190 bioactive compounds, it’s no surprise that its reputation is legendary.

Seabuckthorn is a super-food for your skin, with oils from both the seed and berries. The deep, rich orange colour in both oils comes from skin nourishing beta-carotenes, which are well-known and appreciated antioxidant powerhouses that protect the skin against damaging UV exposure. It’s antioxidant properties are further enhanced by the numerous flavonoids, catechins and procyanidins to neutralise free radicals helping to slow down the ageing process.

Cutting-edge research shows sea buckthorn's proanthocyanidins may activate stem cells, aiding in tissue renewal and repair, It's predicted to become the new buzz word ingredient in 'anti-ageing' skincare.

The oil from the berries is known as the single highest vegetal source of Vitamin C. It also contains Vitamin E, a host of B complex vitamins including folic acid, B1, B2 and B6, Vitamin A (alpha- and beta-carotene and a mixture of other carotenoids - such as lycopene, cryptoxanthin, physalien, zeaxanthin).

The fruit oil contains rare palmitoleic acid (omega-7) which is a component of skin lipids and stimulates regenerative processes in the epidermis and wound healing. Applied topically it soothes and relieves skin burns (caused by sun exposure or radiotherapy) and chafed skin. It also provides powerful antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, great for acne and healing wounds while also effectively supporting collagen production to ensure healthy, glowing skin.

The seed oil is packed with omegas 3-6-9 and vitamins A and E to further protect from free radical damage, support skin regeneration and stimulate collagen production, helping to keep skin firm and protecting it from sun, dry air and wind.

Sea-buckthorn oil also improves blood circulation, facilitates oxygenation of the skin, removes excess toxins from the body and easily penetrates through the epidermis to protect against infections, prevent allergies, reduce inflammation and inhibit the ageing process.

Ingredient Library

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