Sea Buckthorn Oil: The Northern Superfood Your Skin Is Missing

It grows on thorny shrubs across the coastal dunes of northern Europe and the high altitudes of the Himalayas. Its oil has one of the most remarkable nutrient profiles of any plant on earth. Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries and in Scandinavian folk remedies for just as long.

Why Sea Buckthorn Oil Is Exceptional

The orange colour tells you something important: sea buckthorn oil is extraordinarily rich in carotenoids. But that's just the beginning. Sea buckthorn berry oil contains:

• Omega-7 (palmitoleic acid): A fatty acid that is actually found naturally in human skin and plays a direct role in skin regeneration and barrier repair. Sea buckthorn is one of the richest plant sources of omega-7 in existence.
• Beta-carotene and lycopene: Powerful antioxidants that protect against UV-induced and pollution-related oxidative damage
• Vitamin E (tocopherols): In concentrations significantly higher than most other plant oils
• Omega-3, 6, and 9: A balanced fatty acid profile supporting overall barrier function

Sea Buckthorn and UK Skin

There is something poetically fitting about a plant that thrives in harsh northern conditions being particularly good for northern European skin. Sea buckthorn evolved its extraordinary nutrient density as a survival mechanism against cold, wind, and intense UV at altitude — and those same compounds provide exactly the kind of antioxidant and barrier support that UK skin needs year-round.