Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, also known as sea buckthorn fruit oil, is extracted from the fruit of the Hippophae rhamnoides (Sea buckthorn) plant. This oil is particularly rich in essential nutrients, including omega-3, omega-6, omega-7, and omega-9 fatty acids, as well as potent antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, and carotenoids. It is highly valued for its moisturizing, regenerative, and anti-aging properties, making it an ideal ingredient in cosmetic formulations.
Chemical Composition and Structure
Sea buckthorn fruit oil contains a combination of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3), known for their ability to improve skin hydration and restore the lipid barrier. The oil is also rich in palmitoleic acid (omega-7), which has powerful regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties, helping to repair damaged skin. Antioxidants like carotenoids and vitamin E protect the skin from free radical damage and promote cellular renewal.
Physical Properties
Sea buckthorn fruit oil has an orange color due to its high carotenoid content and has a lightweight texture that is easily absorbed by the skin. It is oil-soluble and used in a wide range of skincare and haircare products, where it acts as a moisturizer, regenerator, and protector.
Production Process
Sea buckthorn fruit oil is obtained through the cold pressing of mature fruits, a process that preserves the essential nutrients and vitamins found in the oil. This extraction method ensures a high-quality product, rich in natural nutrients and antioxidants.
Harvesting the Fruit: Hippophae rhamnoides fruits are harvested when ripe. It is essential to follow sustainable harvesting practices to ensure the quality of the plant material.
Cleaning: After harvesting, the fruits are cleaned to remove dirt, residues, and impurities. This step is crucial to ensure that the final oil is of high quality.
Extraction: The fruit oil is extracted using appropriate methods, such as cold pressing or solvent extraction. In cold pressing, the fruits are mechanically pressed to obtain the oil, while in solvent extraction, the plant materials are immersed in a solvent to dissolve the oil.
Filtration: After extraction, the obtained oil is filtered to remove undissolved solids and impurities, resulting in pure, high-quality oil.
Refining: The extracted oil may be refined to remove further impurities and improve the flavor and appearance of the final product. This process may include deodorization and bleaching.
Quality Control and Packaging: Finally, Hippophae rhamnoides fruit oil undergoes quality control checks to verify its purity, efficacy, and compliance with standards. After analysis, it is packaged in appropriate containers for distribution and use in cosmetic products and dietary supplements.
Applications
Skincare: Sea buckthorn fruit oil is ideal for hydrating dry or damaged skin, improving elasticity and radiance. It promotes cellular renewal and helps reduce the signs of aging.
Anti-aging Products: Due to its antioxidant and regenerative properties, the oil is commonly used in anti-aging formulations to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines while protecting the skin from environmental damage.
Hair Care: The oil is also used in hair care products, where it nourishes and moisturizes the scalp, adding shine and strength to dry or brittle hair.
INCI Functions:
Skin protectant. It creates a protective barrier on the skin to defend it from harmful substances, irritants, allergens, pathogens that can cause various inflammatory conditions. These products can also improve the natural skin barrier and in most cases more than one is needed to achieve an effective result.
CAS: 225234-03-7 607-094-8
Health and Safety Considerations
Safety in Use
Sea buckthorn fruit oil is considered safe for cosmetic use. It is well tolerated by the skin and does not pose significant risks of irritation or sensitization. Major regulatory authorities, including the European Union and the FDA, approve its use in skincare and haircare products.
Allergic Reactions
Allergic reactions to this oil are rare, but as with all botanical oils, it is advisable to perform a patch test before use, especially on sensitive or allergy-prone skin.
Toxicity and Carcinogenicity
It is considered a safe and beneficial ingredient for skin health due to its nourishing and protective properties.
Environmental Considerations
Sea buckthorn oil is obtained from a renewable and sustainable resource. The plant thrives in harsh environments, reducing the need for pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Cold pressing is an eco-friendly process that preserves the oil’s nutrients.
Regulatory Status
Sea buckthorn fruit oil is approved for use in cosmetics by major regulatory authorities, including the European Union and the FDA in the United States. It is widely used in skincare and haircare products, particularly in moisturizing, regenerative, and protective formulations.
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
