Sea buckthorn oil has an impressive nutrient profile and even more impressive benefits for your skin. If you want regenerative benefits that support signs of aging in skin, look no further than this holy grail facial oil.

Many trending ingredients are lauded as the new holy grail of skincare—but sometimes, it’s really true. The moniker seems well-deserved when we take a closer look at sea buckthorn oil, derived from an incredible little berry that grows in coastal and mountainous regions of Eurasia. Sea buckthorn oil has an impressive nutrient profile including 190 nutrients and phytonutrients, including the rare omega-7. It is a must-have for signs of aging (including early signs in your 20s-30s), and it’s suitable for sensitive and acneic skin. 

Let’s learn what fresh, high-quality sea buckthorn oil can do to revitalize your skin!

Promotes Collagen Production

If you’ve been seeking a smooth and firm complexion, then you probably already know—collagen is where it’s at. 

Collagen is a structural protein that helps maintain the elasticity of our skin and prevent sagging. Its production slows naturally as we age, which leads to fine lines and wrinkles. But never fear! Sea buckthorn is rich in sitosterol, a fatty acid that has been shown to promote collagen production in the skin. By applying sea buckthorn oil topically, you will give your skin a boost to produce more collagen, helping improve the structure of your skin.

Prevents Collagen Degradation

Collagen can degrade due to UV exposure, excessive sugar intake, and more. It also degrades naturally as we age. To maintain a fresh-faced complexion, we need to not only produce collagen but protect the collagen that we already have. Thankfully, sea buckthorn oil has us covered for both. It contains a healthy dose of flavonoids and polyphenols, which help protect your collagen stores from degrading. 

Protects from UV Damage

Aside from loss of collagen, you’re probably aware that one of the biggest culprits of signs of aging is UV exposure. While sunscreen is always necessary, you can bolster your sun protection efforts by including ingredients that add further natural UV protection into your routine. 

Sea buckthorn oil is such a one—it is rich in beta-carotene, which has natural UV protective qualities. Beta-carotene also provides sea buckthorn berries with their distinctive vibrant orange hue. 

When it comes to fending off sun damage, every ingredient counts!

Prevents Loss of Hydration

Another obvious, but not-so-obvious, cause of signs of aging is water loss in the skin. Even if your skin has enough collagen, a plump and fresh complexion relies on plenty of water to support the natural functions of your skin. However, without proper moisturization, we constantly lose water in the skin via TEWL (transepidermal water loss). Sea buckthorn oil is highly moisturizing, so it helps lock in this hydration where it counts. It’s suitable for acneic skin, too!

Reduces Appearance of Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Sea buckthorn oil is teeming with antioxidants, vitamins, and fatty acids, all of which help improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. When your skin is well-nourished, it is better able to maintain its structure and skin barrier. The rare Omega-7 fatty acid enhances the elasticity of the skin while improving hydration levels, both of which help reduce the appearance of fine lines. Vitamin A and E in sea buckthorn oil are also particularly helpful in promoting a smooth complexion.

Supports the Skin Barrier

If you want hydration to stick (which we’ve established is a make-or-break part of a youthful complexion), it’s not enough to rely on topical moisturizers. The skin barrier itself needs to be fortified so that even when it’s been a few hours since applying skincare products, your skin is still functioning at its best. 

Sea buckthorn contains the rare fatty acid omega-7, which works wonders to support your skin barrier. When you moisturize with sea buckthorn oil, not only is it highly moisturizing in the moment, but it has a lasting positive effect on your skin barrier throughout the day.

Promotes Cell Regeneration & Wound Healing

Of course, another major factor in keeping your skin looking fresh is a healthy rate of cell renewal. As we age, this rate naturally slows, which means that it takes longer for fresh cells to be produced. 

Studies have shown that the omega-7 found in sea buckthorn oil can also support your skin in accelerating the rate of cell renewal and wound healing. (And remember, acne is technically a wound!) This helps keep your skin looking fresh and promotes healing blemishes or irritation promptly. 

Protects from Environmental Stressors

UV exposure, pollution, high sugar intake, and toxins have something in common: they lead to excessive free radical formation and oxidative stress in the body. The cell damage that follows has been linked to aging (as well as major health concerns like cancer). 

Our body uses antioxidants to neutralize free radicals, and we can support this process by consuming food rich in antioxidants, as well as applying antioxidants topically to the skin. Sea buckthorn has remarkably high quantities of antioxidants—including carotenoids, tocopherols, flavonoids, tannins, phenolic acids, ascorbic acid, and more—which support your skin in fending off damage from environmental stressors and lifestyle factors.

Regulates Sebum Production

Lastly, sea buckthorn is also a popular ingredient for acne care, where its moisturizing and skin barrier supportive properties are similarly needed. It is rich in linoleic acid, which helps regulate sebum production and thereby decrease the occurrence of acne. 

Although acne and aging skincare can be perceived as different ends of the spectrum, there is actually significant overlap in the holistic skincare approach. Both skin concerns require a fortified skin barrier, deep hydration, and balanced pH to address. Not to mention, these conditions can easily overlap when adult acne shows up. 

So if you have sensitive or acne-prone skin as an adult, don’t be afraid to reach for sea buckthorn oil to support your skin!

Unlock the Full Potential of Sea Buckthorn Oil in Your Skincare

Are you convinced yet that sea buckthorn oil does it all? We haven’t even touched on some of its other benefits, including anti-inflammatory and brightening properties, but we had to stop somewhere. If you’re looking to add sea buckthorn oil to your skincare routine, take note that the freshness and quality of the oil are essential to retain the stated nutritional benefits. 

At Apoterra, our sea buckthorn oil is extracted through a process called CO2 Supercritical Extraction that ensures all of the nutrients stay intact, and we regularly audit the freshness of all of our products. We also use oil derived from the berry of the plant, rather than the more common (but lower quality) seed oil, for the best skin benefits. 

You can now try our two best-selling sea buckthorn products in a new duo to save 15% compared to the price of these products when purchased separately. Check out the Sea Berry Holy Grail Duo to start reaping these benefits in your skincare routine!  

Sources:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0963996920301952

https://www.byrdie.com/sea-buckthorn-oil-5210082

https://www.shoprootscience.com/blog/sea-buckthorn-oil-for-skin

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/antioxidants-explained

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7806965/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S240584402303918X

https://naturalingredient.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/ART.N__2.pdf