Sea buckthorn – plants in cosmetics

Hippophae rhamnoides (Hippophae rhamnoides) is a shrub from the olive family. It has thorny branches and is found in central Asia and Europe. It grows mainly in sunny places, in mountains, valleys and on sandy dunes close to the sea. The sea buckthorn usually reaches 1 to 3 metres in height and its fruit is yellow or orange in colour.

 

It is the characteristic fruit that is most often used in the production of medicinal and cosmetic products. It is in it that most active substances such as flavonoids (isorhamine, rutin, quercetin, astragalin, kemferol and quercetin glycosides), phenolic acids and numerous vitamins: A, B₁, B₂, C and E.

 

Medicinal properties of sea buckthorn

Medicinal use of sea buckthorn has a long tradition. Ancient medics used decoctions and extracts of the fruit and leaves to combat chronic stomach, respiratory and liver ailments, as well as for rheumatism and skin infections. The Greeks fed sea buckthorn berries to their horses to ensure a beautiful and shiny coat. Hence the origin of the botanical name sea buckthorn (Hippophae), which is a combination of two Greek words – hippos (horse) and phaos (shine). Tibetan and Indian medicine also appreciated the properties of sea buckthorn in treating a number of conditions, such as pneumonia, poor digestion and stopping bleeding. Since the 8th century, we can find more than 300 recipes with sea buckthorn berries in the Tibetan pharmacopoeia. These medicinal properties have also been confirmed by modern scientific research. In Russia during the First World War, sea buckthorn berries were used as a substitute for vitamin C tablets.

Today, sea buckthorn oil produced in the former USSR is used to combat burns, frostbite, sores, eczema, tuberculosis and to treat skin and mucous membranes damaged by radioactive radiation. Russian cosmonauts used sea buckthorn oil to protect themselves from solar radiation. Sea-buckthorn is one of the few plants with scientifically proven effects in a very wide range. There are many publications on its cytoprotective, anti-stress, immunomodulating, hepato-protective, anticancer or tissue regeneration stimulating effects.

 

Cosmetic uses of sea buckthorn

Nowadays, sea buckthorn is most often used for cosmetics. Due to its antioxidant properties, the extract from this plant is used in anti-ageing preparations and cosmetics that protect the integrity of the skin and hair from harmful oxidation processes. The polyphenols present in the extract are among the strongest naturally occurring antioxidants. Sea buckthorn has also been proven to affect skin regeneration. The substances it contains stimulate collagen and elastin synthesis in the tissue, which can significantly accelerate wound healing. In addition, the anthocyanins and flavonoids contained in sea buckthorn extract have an inhibiting effect on enzymes that degrade our connective tissue.

Sea buckthorn has a high concentration of vitamin C and thus has collagen synthesis-stimulating properties and healing properties, which can be used to treat injuries and cuts, skin burns or surgical wounds. The extract also has a beneficial effect on the formation of new tissue. Tests conducted on gram-negative bacteria have shown the strong antimicrobial properties of sea buckthorn. For this reason, the extract can be useful in cosmetics with antiseptic effects. Sea buckthorn extract is ideal for skin normalising products. Products with sea buckthorn extract regulate sebum secretion and balance skin hydration.