The Secret behind Sea Buckthorn (Oil)

Hippophae rhamnoides Sea Buck Thorn

Hippophae rhamnoides, commonly known as Sea Buckthorn, gets its common name from growing near the sea and from it's many spines or thorns that are similar to that of true Buckthorn species.  This plant is native to Russia, and the northern parts of both China and Mongolia. It's uses can be traced back to a meteria medica from the Tang Dynasty 617-907 AD. Historically the oil from this plant has been used as a beauty treatment to preserve youthful skin tone and texture, whiten teeth and as an internal medicine since long before the time it was finally written down.

Sea Buckthorn "fields"

 Sea Buckthorn is considered a drought resistant plant and can grow in extreme teperature variations anywhere from -45 to 104 feirinheight (-43 to 40 C).    It sends out extensive roots systems very quickly and is an ideal plant for controlling soil erosion.  Today, this plant is being grown extensively in Canada and through out Euroupe, as it's health benefits have began to become more widely known.

Sea Buckthorn Berries

There are two main variations of Sea Buckthorn oils.  That made from the seeds and that from the pulp of the entire fruit. There is a considerable difference in the fatty acid make up of each of these oils.  Linoleic acid and a-linolenic acid are the major fatty acids in the seed produced oil.  These essential fatty acids are also known as omega 6 fatty acids.  They are anti inflammatory, acne reducive, very moisture retaining and a powerful antioxidant. While the main fatty acid make up in the oil derived from the pulp is called palmitoleic acid and palmitic acid.  These are also known as omega 7 essential fatty acids.  These acids provide building blocks for hair, skin and nails, help combat wrinkles, increase elastin in skin, help maintain hydration and helps repair sun and oxidative damage to skin cells. 

Sea Buckthorn Pulp and Seed Derived Oils

Let's revisit this oil as a whole.  This ancient fruit contains 190 active ingredients between the two types of oil.  Nutrients including Vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D, E, K, carotenoids, flavonoids, amino acids, phenols, folic acid, and over 20 different minerals.  What's more, it is the only plant know to contain Omega 3,6,9, and 7 essential fatty acids.  Most remarkable, perhaps, is this oils ability to heal wound damagaed skin.  It has a high success rate as a skin conditioning and repair oil.  It is nourishing, revitalizing, and restorative to the skin membrains, and can be used to topically treat burns of all kinds.  It has a remarkable sucess rate at helping heal damaged skin after chemotherapy and radiation burns and dryness. 

Healthy Teeth and Gums

Another interesting use for this oil is it's ability to work with strengthening gums, whitening teeth, and providing over all good oral hygene.  It helps with the healing time of herpes and canker sores and simply makes for a beautiful smile.