Creeping its way elegantly into many clean beauty formulas over the last few years, sea buckthorn oil is quite the wonder for so many reasons.

Native to the Himalayan region, the sea buckthorn plant thrives growing in the thin, dry air of mountain ranges and other high, arid places. Incredibly hardy and flourishing even under stress, it stores energy and nutrition within its small, reddish-gold fruit. When harvested, the oil is extracted from the berries, leaves, and seeds of the small shrub, delivering a dream ingredient that is intensely nourishing, rich in unsaturated fatty acids and vitamins, and naturally compatible to be readily absorbed into your skin. 

We love: its supercharged nutrients

Pretty much anyone can benefit from incorporating sea buckthorn oil into their daily beauty routine. Why? Its supercharged vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant profile makes it ideal for improving the overall health of most skin types. While hanging onto the side of mountains, the shrub’s berries absorb the light of the sun and take strength from it, converting its rays into the vitamins that give sea buckthorn its impressive potency. 

The end result is an oil that contains an incredible 190 nutrients and phytonutrients, including the third highest source of vitamin E in the plant world. And if that isn’t enough to get you hooked, its vitamin C concentrations are reportedly 12 times higher than that of an orange – making it an essential we could all do with adding to our skincare arsenal, stat!

We love: its lush omegas

Fatty acids are absolutely amazing for helping promote healthy, clear and glowing skin, and sea buckthorn is jam-packed with omegas 3, 6 and 9. It’s also the only plant source on the planet that contains the elusive omega-7. Fatty acids not only deliver a gorgeous, radiant glow, but their anti-inflammatory effects are seriously impressive. This makes sea buckthorn oil a great choice if you suffer from the likes of increased sensitivity and even rosacea. In fact, it will help to repair the skin barrier in all manner of inflammatory conditions, and the oil is also deeply hydrating, so a top pick for anyone dealing with extremely dehydrated skin

It just may be the Holy Grail for acne

Acne is a result of inflammation in the skin, and because one of the most well-known effects of sea buckthorn is its ability to drastically reduce inflammation, you can be sure you’ll be well on your way to clear skin if you start applying it topically. In addition, sea buckthorn oil is excellent for reducing acne breakouts because it signals the oil glands to stop creating excess amounts of sebum. Unlike conventional acne products, sea buckthorn oil will help to heal your blemishes without actually drying out your skin. Many big brand acne solutions create a poor environment for your skin’s healthy bacteria, leading to an unbalanced skin microbiome and an endless cycle of breakout after breakout that we could all do without.

Clean beauty solutions containing sea buckthorn oil that we love are:

Beuti Sleep Elixir

A favourite of Meghan Markle’s, Beuti’s Beauty Sleep Elixir is a delicious to use, all-natural blend of 14 plant-based oils. It was formulated to reduce inflammation, prevent collagen and elastin breakdown and nourish the skin, and the ingredient deck includes a Caribbean coral extract that is a powerful anti-inflammatory, as well as sandalwood nut kernel oil to help prevent the breakdown of skin elasticity. Needless to say, it smells amazing and deeply soothes before bed at night.

Imbibe Collagen Protect

With an unparalleled blend of 17 active nutrient-rich plant oils that includes sea buckthorn, Collagen Protect re-defines skin’s radiance, clarity, and vitality by providing uncompromised skin nutrition and hydration for every age. This extraordinary formulation delivers focused vitamins and essential fatty acids to promote cellular regeneration and rejuvenation, while high levels of polyphenols and tocopherols drench skin in a protective blanket of age-defying nutrition and hydration.

Henné Organics Lip Mask

New to Clean Beauty Collective, the Henné brand is all about self-care. Their rejuvenating Lip Mask allows nourishing ingredients such as sea buckthorn oil and evening primrose to help restore and soothe your lips, while a fresh yet light sweet citrus scent enlivens your senses. A certified organic lip treatment that is both luxurious and indispensable.