Excessive up within the Himalayas, bravely enduring temperatures as little as -40°C, stands a thorny shrub with densely-packed vibrant orange berries. Outlasting the worst of frost and drought, and thriving additionally within the salty soil and sea spray of the northern Baltic coast, sea buckthorn is among the most sturdy vegetation on the planet.

Much like ectoine – the high-performance ingredient that will get its particular, skin-beneficial properties by surviving harsh environments – this berry accommodates concentrated magnificence advantages.

With hovering ranges of carotenoids and uncommon palmitoleic acid, sea buckthorn oil is a robust beauty ingredient and a famous person for pores and skin and hair. On this article, you get to search out out simply how and why it’s your best-kept secret as beauty formulator.

What’s sea buckthorn oil?

Sea buckthorn oil is extracted from each the fruit and seeds of the ocean buckthorn shrub. Also called seaberry or Siberian pineapple, this Nordic berry grows naturally within the sub-alpine areas of mountain ranges and in varied cold-temperate areas of Europe, Russia and Asia. It’s additionally cultivated in Canada. For another Nordic oils to discover, in addition to best-in-class provider oil choices for nourishing skincare and haircare, give these learn:

Prime 10 Nordic magnificence components and their advantages
10 Finest provider oils for pores and skin and hair

Sea buckthorn (Hippophaes rhamnoides) belongs to the oleaster (Elaeagnaceae) household. Its botanical title is from the Greek ‘hippos’ (horse) and ‘phaos’ (to shine) as a result of the traditional Greeks fed these berries to horses to maintain their coats shiny.

4 forms of oils can be found for beauty formulation:

• the cold-pressed fruit oil (generally known as berry or pulp oil)
• the cold-pressed seed oil
• the CO₂-extracted provider oils of each

In case you’re unsure what CO₂ extracts are, we now have you lined in CO₂ thriller and strategies defined.

Properties of sea buckthorn oil

Sea buckthorn fruit and seed oils each comprise a formidable quantity of vitamin E, phospholipids (a few of that are lecithin), and sterols (beta-sitosterol). However, there are important variations between them – of their fatty acid profiles, constituents, and bodily traits. Let’s have a better look.

Sea buckthorn fruit oil
INCI: Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea buckthorn) Fruit Oil

The 2 most prized parts of this oil are excessive ranges of palmitoleic acid and carotenoids. It accommodates 24–42% palmitoleic acid, which is increased than some other plant oil (and there aren’t many who have it to start with), together with about 3-30% oleic acid and 1.7-6.8% linoleic acid.

Some sources embrace gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), though it’s not clear whether it is within the oil itself or transformed within the pores and skin from linoleic acid (i). Its deep red-orange hue is because of the abundance of carotenoids. When absorbed by the pores and skin, they’re processed to turn out to be retinol and retinyl esters, the storage types of retinoic acid, the lively type of vitamin A. (ii).

The oil smells earthy and nearly like a butter as a result of that’s nearly what it’s; its 24-42% palmitic acid content material provides this oil substance and it’ll solidify in chilly temperatures. If jojoba oil is a liquid wax, then sea buckthorn oil is a like a liquid butter. The phospholipids lend much more softness and physique to this oil.

Sea buckthorn seed oil
INCI: Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea buckthorn) Seed Oil

In distinction to the fruit oil, sea buckthorn seed oil accommodates solely small quantities of palmitoleic acid (about 4.4%), nevertheless it nonetheless has loads of worth for beauty formulators.

It accommodates about 28-45% linoleic and 35% alpha-linolenic acids making it lighter on the pores and skin, sooner to soak up, and extra appropriate than the fruit oil for some formulation and pores and skin sorts – in actual fact, this oil has a extra balanced ratio of oleic, linoleic and linolenic fatty acids. It has about 5-11.3% palmitic acid and is decrease in carotenoids, so the color is usually much less intense.

Sea buckthorn CO₂ extracts (fruit and seed) INCI are:

INCI: Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea buckthorn) Fruit Extract
INCI: Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea buckthorn) Kernel Extract

Once you evaluate fatty acids and constituents, the CO₂ extracts aren’t a lot totally different from the cold-pressed oils. Nevertheless, the extracts are extra concentrated and may carry in additional risky compounds. As an illustration, the CO₂ fruit extract is cloudy, thicker and darker than the cold-pressed oil, and it smells brisker, tart and pleasantly fruity.

Advantages of sea buckthorn oil for pores and skin and hair

It’s the knockout ingredient for mature pores and skin
Few oils pack extra of a punch than sea buckthorn fruit oil in formulations for mature pores and skin, resembling lotions, serums and balms.

Beneficiant quantities of palmitoleic acid helps stimulate pores and skin regeneration, which in flip helps restore UV harm and encourage collagen manufacturing for plumper-looking pores and skin. Carotenoids (pro-vitamin A) are antioxidants and cut back the looks of wonderful strains (iii).

Moreover, the big quantity of palmitic acid locks in moisture with an occlusive layer and helps stop trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL). Phospholipids and beta-sitosterol additionally assist fortify the pores and skin barrier whereas softening pores and skin and bettering its elasticity and firmness (i).

For some background on how the pores and skin barrier capabilities, see our complete information:

Pores and skin barrier 101: important information for pure beauty formulators

Sea buckthorn: the win-win for shiny pores and skin
In case you’re formulating a cream or serum for oily or blemish-prone pores and skin, the plentiful polyunsaturated fatty acids in sea buckthorn seed oil are what these pores and skin sorts crave. It’s been proven that oily, acne-prone pores and skin has decrease ranges of linoleic acid (i).

Linoleic acid could also be light-weight, nevertheless it’s mighty – it helps regulate sebum and strengthen the pores and skin barrier. The seed oil retains a low degree of carotenoids for a micro dose of pro-vitamin A, and it’s nonetheless filled with antioxidants, phospholipids and sterols for softness and elasticity. A little bit of palmitic acid can also be there to easy and shield with out feeling too heavy on the pores and skin.

For an in-depth learn on the advantages of together with botanical oils in your formulations, see:

Why you want seed oils in your skincare and haircare

Sea buckthorn oil in haircare
That earlier nod to shiny horses in all probability tipped you off about the advantages of sea buckthorn fruit and seed oil in haircare. It’s very good as an addition to shampoos, conditioners, masks and oils for the hair and scalp.

Sea buckthorn oils (fruit and seed) are good for all hair sorts as a result of they create energy and shine to the hair shaft and restore elasticity. Linoleic acid (and the ensuing GLA) will help regulate scalp oil and increase blood circulation to advertise hair development (i,iii).

Ideas for formulating with sea buckthorn oils

Stability and shelf life

Sea buckthorn fruit oil largely includes monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). These, mixed with a excessive share of saturated palmitic acid and antioxidant vitamin E, give the cold-pressed oil nice stability in opposition to warmth and oxidation, plus they assist lengthen its shelf life. As such, sea buckthorn oil may be heated to be used in lip balms and physique balms, and added to the heated oil section of emulsions.

Sea buckthorn seed oil, in distinction, is usually made up of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), so it’s extra vulnerable to oxidation and warmth sensitivity, and it has a shorter shelf life. It’s finest utilized in cold-process formulation or added on the cool-down section beneath 40°C in emulsions. As effectively, this one needs to be saved within the fridge to assist lengthen its longevity.

The CO₂ extracts provide an extended shelf life than the cold-pressed oils, nevertheless it’s a good suggestion to retailer the seed CO₂ extract within the fridge attributable to its excessive PUFA profile.

Utilization charges

The extreme pink color of the fruit oil can stain the pores and skin in the event you add an excessive amount of (fortunately, it’s efficient in small doses). Utilization charges can range so it’s finest to comply with provider suggestions (and your personal judgement). All sea buckthorn oils are protected to make use of at 100%, however we will’t consider an occasion the place it is smart to take action. As much as 20% is commonly greater than sufficient when utilizing the fruit oil.

The seed oil is usually lighter in color so you should utilize extra of it with out staining the pores and skin or hair. Nevertheless, we’ve seen some darkish seed oils round, so that you’d have to regulate the utilization price in case you are anxious in regards to the color staining. Once more, finest to comply with provider recommendation, however you possibly can often go fairly excessive with this one.

Sea buckthorn CO₂ extracts (fruit and seed) are extra concentrated so utilization is decrease, round 1% (or beneath) – although once more, this may range. We’ve seen the seed extract utilized in formulations as much as 50%.

Bonus formulation tip

Use a mix of the fruit oil and the seed oil in your formulation to benefit from the very best of each sea buckthorn oil advantages.

5 formulations with sea buckthorn oil advantages

Nighttime facial oil
Sea buckthorn CO₂ extract is the star right here. Whereas sea buckthorn is included on this formulation aimed toward mature pores and skin, its comparatively light-weight texture makes it appropriate for many pores and skin sorts.

Oat and cranberry physique balm
This can be a wealthy winter balm with one other Nordic ingredient – cranberry seed oil. Swap the rosehip CO₂ extract within the cool-down section with sea buckthorn CO₂ fruit extract.

After-sun physique oil
Palmitoleic acid and sterols in sea buckthorn fruit oil make a beautiful addition to after-sun merchandise. Merely exchange the buriti oil with cold-pressed sea buckthorn fruit oil.

Sunshine Amazonian physique melts
To stay with the Amazonian theme, exchange half the buriti oil with cold-pressed sea buckthorn fruit oil. Or preserve 9% buriti oil and use the ocean buckthorn CO₂ fruit extract to make up the 0.9% remaining.

Revitalise your locks: methods to make a rosemary scalp and hair oil
Sea buckthorn oil has lots of the similar advantages because the horse chestnut oil on this formulation. Swap the latter with cold-pressed sea buckthorn fruit oil – or use the seed oil for faster absorption and a lighter texture.

Additional studying and references

(i) Aleksandra Zielińska and Izabela Nowak: Abundance of lively components in sea-buckthorn oil, Lipids in Well being and Illness, Might 19, 2017.
(ii) Christophe Antille, Christian Tran, Olivier Sorg, Jean-Hilaire Saurat: Topical beta-carotene is transformed to retinyl esters in human pores and skin ex vivo and mouse pores and skin in vivo, Experimental Dermatology, September 13, 2004.
(iii) Marijana Koskovac, Snezana Cupara, Ana Barjaktarevic, et. al: Sea Buckthorn Oil—A Helpful Supply for Cosmeceuticals, Cosmetics, 2017.

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Shauna is a copywriter and content material creator at Components Botanica. Her love of magnificence started with making a make-your-own cosmetics package for teenagers. A former aesthetician, Shauna can also be an lively formulator and perfumer, and a member of the Components Botanica group.