INCI Line: INCI: Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Seed Oil - Also known as: Sea Buckthorn Oil, Seabuckthorn Seed Oil
|
Key |
Value |
|
INCI Name |
Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Seed Oil |
|
Category |
Botanical Seed Oil / Essential Fatty Acid Source / Antioxidant |
|
Concentration in Formula |
Functional level in the Elasticity Reinforcing Lipid-Cream; organic at greater than 5% in the Barrier Repairing Oil-Serum |
|
Suitable For |
Dry, dehydrated, and dull skin; all skin types in the Oil-Serum context |
|
Origin |
Cold-pressed from the seeds of Hippophae rhamnoides, a hardy shrub native to Europe and Asia |
|
Irritation Risk |
Low |
|
Comedogenic Rating |
1 |
Sea buckthorn seed oil is cold-pressed from the seeds of Hippophae rhamnoides, a thorny shrub native to the coastal and mountain regions of Europe and Central Asia, valued in traditional medicine across Tibetan, Chinese, and Ayurvedic practices for centuries. The seed oil is distinct from sea buckthorn berry oil or fruit oil - while the berry oil is notable for its extraordinarily high carotenoid content and vivid orange color, the seed oil offers a more nuanced profile with a high concentration of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids alongside a meaningful carotenoid content.
Sea buckthorn seed oil is one of the few plant oils to contain all four omega fatty acids - omega-3, omega-6, omega-7, and omega-9 - in meaningful concentrations. Its omega-7 content in particular (in the form of palmitoleic acid, typically 2-4%) is relatively rare among plant oils and is studied in connection with the skin's own sebum character, since palmitoleic acid is a natural sebum component. Its fatty acid profile - approximately 30-35% alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3), 35-40% linoleic acid (omega-6), and the additional omega-7 and omega-9 fractions - makes it one of the more complete essential fatty acid sources in the botanical oil category.
At Sweet Chemistry, organic sea buckthorn seed oil is used in the Elasticity Reinforcing Lipid-Cream within the nourishing seed oil complex, and at greater than 5% in the Barrier Repairing Oil-Serum as one of eleven organic botanicals each present at a meaningful concentration.
Sea buckthorn seed oil contributes to skin primarily through its comprehensive essential fatty acid profile. Its high linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid content positions it as a barrier-supportive oil in the same way as rosehip and evening primrose - contributing to the ceramide EOP-associated linoleic environment and the omega-3 pathway associated with a more comfortable skin surface. Its additional omega-7 (palmitoleic acid) content, which mirrors a component of the skin's own sebum, adds a sebum-compatible lipid dimension that is uncommon among plant oils.
The carotenoid content of sea buckthorn seed oil - including beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, and lycopene - contributes a natural antioxidant layer to the formula's botanical oil panel. At the concentrations used in the Lipid-Cream and Oil-Serum, sea buckthorn's carotenoids work alongside tocopherol, tocopheryl acetate, CoQ10, and the enzymatic antioxidant trio to create a multi-source antioxidant approach that spans both isolated actives and whole botanical antioxidant matrices.
For dry and dehydrated skin types - the primary audience for both formulas where sea buckthorn appears - the combination of essential fatty acids, carotenoids, and the oil's naturally emollient character creates a well-rounded botanical contribution to both the barrier lipid environment and the antioxidant layer. In the Lipid-Cream specifically, sea buckthorn works alongside shea butter, jojoba, rosehip, and pomegranate seed oils as part of the most comprehensive nourishing lipid system in the Sweet Chemistry lineup.
In 2 Formulas
Organic sea buckthorn seed oil is present in the two richest, most emollient formulas in the Sweet Chemistry system - the Lipid-Cream for dry and dehydrated skin, and the Oil-Serum where it contributes to the full organic botanical carrier base at greater than 5%.
Elasticity Reinforcing Lipid-Cream Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil - 1.7 oz / 50 ml
The Lipid-Cream pairs sea buckthorn with shea butter, jojoba, rosehip, pomegranate, and raspberry seed oils as part of the nourishing emollient complex - co-delivering 3% Matrikynes® peptides, 2% THD ascorbate, and the full ceramide barrier blend for dry and dehydrated skin.
Barrier Repairing Oil-Serum Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil (Organic, >5%) - 1.0 oz / 30 ml
In the Oil-Serum, organic sea buckthorn seed oil is one of eleven organic botanicals each present at greater than 5% - contributing its complete four-omega fatty acid profile and carotenoid antioxidants to the highest-active formula in the Sweet Chemistry system.
Essential Fatty Acid Linoleic Acid
INCI: Linoleic Acid.
Present as a free fatty acid in the Oil-Serum alongside sea buckthorn seed oil, which itself delivers a high concentration of linoleic acid through its botanical matrix. Synergy Note: Sea buckthorn's linoleic content and the independently listed linoleic acid in the Oil-Serum create a dual-source omega-6 approach - whole-oil matrix delivery combined with isolated free fatty acid delivery in the same formula.
Botanical Seed Oil Rosehip Seed Oil
INCI: Rosa Rubiginosa (Rosehip) Seed Oil.
Present alongside sea buckthorn in both the Lipid-Cream and Oil-Serum. Synergy Note: Sea buckthorn and rosehip are complementary high-polyunsaturated oils - rosehip is dominated by linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid while sea buckthorn adds the distinctive omega-7 and carotenoid dimensions. Together they provide a broader essential fatty acid and antioxidant botanical profile than either oil alone.
Fat-Soluble Antioxidant Tocopherol / Tocopheryl Acetate
INCI: Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate.
Present in both formulas containing sea buckthorn as the primary lipid-phase antioxidant. Synergy Note: Sea buckthorn's polyunsaturated fatty acids are vulnerable to lipid peroxidation - tocopherol's lipid-phase antioxidant character helps protect both the oil's active components within the formula and at the skin surface after application.
ECM Peptide Complex Matrikynes® Bone Peptides
INCI: Hydrolyzed Cow Bone Extract.
At 3% in all four formulas, associated with improvements in the appearance of skin density and aging signs. Synergy Note: A well-nourished, barrier lipid-replete skin surface - supported by sea buckthorn's essential fatty acid contribution - is associated with a more receptive environment for the dermal-targeting activity of Matrikynes® peptides.
