Hippophae Rhamnoides Kernel Extract, also known as sea buckthorn kernel extract, is a natural ingredient obtained from the seeds of the Hippophae rhamnoides fruit. This extract is particularly rich in essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins that contribute to improving skin health. It is well-known for its potent moisturizing, regenerative, and protective properties, making it a key component in many cosmetic formulations, especially for mature, dry, or damaged skin.
Chemical Composition and Structure
Sea buckthorn kernel extract is characterized by a high content of omega-3, omega-6, omega-7, and omega-9 fatty acids, which help nourish and repair the skin. It also contains a significant amount of vitamin E, acting as an antioxidant that protects the skin from free radical damage. The presence of phytosterols and carotenoids gives the extract anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties, promoting healing and cell renewal.
Physical Properties
This extract is generally a viscous oil, with an intense yellow-orange color due to its high carotenoid content. It is easily soluble in oils and can be incorporated into a wide range of skincare products, including creams, lotions, serums, and oils. Its lightweight texture and quick absorption make it non-greasy on the skin, providing a smooth and hydrated feel.
Production Process
Sea buckthorn kernel extract is obtained through a cold-pressing or supercritical CO2 extraction process from the seeds of the fruit. These methods preserve the integrity of the bioactive compounds, including the fatty acids and antioxidants, ensuring a high-quality and nutrient-rich product. After extraction, the oil can be refined for use in cosmetic products.
Harvesting the Kernels: The kernels of Hippophae rhamnoides are harvested from mature plants. It is essential to follow sustainable harvesting practices to ensure the quality and biodiversity of the plant.
Cleaning and Preparation: After harvesting, the kernels are cleaned to remove dirt, residues, and impurities. This step is crucial to ensure that the final extract is of high quality.
Drying: The cleaned kernels may undergo a drying process to remove moisture. This helps preserve the active properties and facilitates subsequent extraction.
Extraction: The extraction of active principles occurs using appropriate solvents, such as water, ethanol, or methanol. The dried kernels are immersed in the solvent, and the mixture is agitated or heated to promote the release of bioactive compounds.
Filtration: Once the extraction process is complete, the obtained solution is filtered to remove undissolved solids, resulting in a liquid extract containing the active principles of the kernels.
Concentration: The extract may be further concentrated by evaporating the solvent to obtain a product richer in nutrients and with greater stability.
Quality Control and Packaging: Finally, Hippophae rhamnoides kernel extract undergoes quality control checks to verify its purity, efficacy, and compliance with standards. After analysis, it is packaged for distribution and use in cosmetic products and dietary supplements.
Applications
Skincare: Thanks to its regenerative and nourishing properties, sea buckthorn kernel extract is used in products for mature, dry, and damaged skin. It helps restore elasticity, improve skin tone, and promote cell regeneration.
Anti-aging Products: The high content of essential fatty acids and antioxidants makes it a valuable ingredient in anti-aging products, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines while protecting the skin from environmental damage.
Repair Products: Its soothing and regenerative properties make it ideal for treating sun-damaged or irritated skin, promoting healing and restoring the skin's barrier function.
INCI Functions:
Fragrance. It plays a very important role in the formulation of cosmetic products as it provides the possibility of enhancing, masking or adding fragrance to the final product, increasing its marketability. It is able to create a perceptible pleasant odour, masking a bad smell. The consumer always expects to find a pleasant or distinctive scent in a cosmetic product.
Skin conditioning agent. It is the mainstay of topical skin treatment as it has the function of restoring, increasing or improving skin tolerance to external factors, including melanocyte tolerance. The most important function of the conditioning agent is to prevent skin dehydration, but the subject is rather complex and involves emollients and humectants that can be added in the formulation.
CAS: 90106-68-6 290-292-8
Health and Safety Considerations
Safety in Use
Sea buckthorn kernel extract is considered safe for use in cosmetics. No significant side effects are known, and it is well tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive skin. Regulatory authorities, such as the European Union and the FDA, approve its use in skincare products.
Allergic Reactions
Allergic reactions to this extract are rare, but it is advisable to perform a patch test before use, especially for those with very sensitive skin or allergies to plant oils.
Toxicity and Carcinogenicity
It is considered beneficial for skin health due to its antioxidant and regenerative properties.
Environmental Considerations
Sea buckthorn kernel extract is obtained from a renewable and sustainable resource. Extraction techniques, such as cold pressing and CO2 extraction, are environmentally friendly. Additionally, sea buckthorn is a resilient plant that grows in harsh conditions, reducing the need for pesticides and harmful chemicals.
Regulatory Status
Sea buckthorn kernel extract is approved for use in cosmetic products by major regulatory authorities, including the European Union and the FDA in the United States. It is widely used in skincare formulations, particularly in moisturizing, regenerative, and anti-aging products.
Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) Studies
From the leaves and berries of the sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is extracted chloroform and n-hexane, components with intense antibacterial activity (1).
It is a rich source of vitamins C and E, carotenoids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, organic acids, amino acids, sterols, triterpenols and isoprenols (2) with an antioxidant activity.
The berries produce an oil containing carotenoids, palmitic, palmitolic and oleic acid, while the seed oil is composed of linoleic, linolenic and oleic acid as main components (3) .
This oil has traditionally been used to improve blood circulation and for the treatment of dermatological problems including wounds, gastritis, peptic ulcers, uterine erosion and inflammatory disorders of the genital organs (4).
Sea buckthorn has significant cardioprotective activity and a positive effects on the healing of the cardiovascular system, including inhibition of platelet activation (in particular platelet aggregation), reduction of cholesterol concentration, blood pressure and antioxidant action (5).
In this study, a positive evaluation of the topical effects on atopic lesions as it improved the severity of dermatitis by reducing epidermal thickness (6).
The results of this study on the extract of Sea buckthorn, provide a basis for affordable, low side-effect therapy for the treatment of psoriasis (7).
Cosmetics
It produces a regenerating effect on the skin produced by carotenoids, vitamin E and unsaturated fats contained in the pulp and seeds.
Other applications
It is placed in foods, candies, to give a particular taste.
Sea buckthorn studies
