Sweeping views of rust colored mountains and spectacular gorges are only a small part of what makes the Himalayan valley of Ladakh India so enthralling. This region stands proud as one of the last places on earth to be spoiled by travelers, although some do make the trek along the many rugged trails running through the peaks. If you ever find yourself here, you’ll stumble across farming villages dotted along the landscape; the same place the elusive snow leopard makes its home.
But what most people don’t know is that in between these amazing vistas grows an ancient heritage of healing powers amidst the most extreme of conditions. With a resilience and heartiness unmatched by any other plant; it’s the sea buckthorn plant we’re talking of. The specific variety of sea buckthorn grown here is the most nutritious of berries hailing from the subspecies Turkistanica, only grown and harvested here in the Tibetan cultural region of India. It’s exposure to high levels of ultraviolet conditions ensures a plant that offers superior protection against the elements.
Let’s delve deeper into the world of Mother Nature’s super star of super fruits, the sea buckthorn berry, and exactly why and how it will benefit your skin, as it has been doing for those lucky enough to have come across it for over 1300 years.
Why Sea Buckthorn for Skin?
Not introduced to North Americans or western culture until rather recently, the sea buckthorn is a resilient little fruit, shaped similarly but smaller than a grape in size, and quite bitter to taste. Although fairly new to our part of the world, sea buckthorn has actually been used for centuries in parts of the world like Northwestern Europe, Central Asia, Western and Northern China, and of course, the Himalayas.
The gorgeous yellow to bright (and sometimes darker) orange of the berry against the leaves, gives it a decorative look. Both the berry and the leaves are harvested for use. The fruit is processed and used in a variety of products, including but not limited to juice extract, jelly, nectar, oil, and the young leaves for tea.
When topically applied, sea buckthorn has exhibited therapeutic and medicinal properties; helping in the treatment of sun and radiation damage, healing wounds, as well as cosmic radiation protection (Russian cosmonauts).
The sea buckthorn fruit is rich in vitamin E, essential fatty acids, carotenoids, antioxidants, and phytosterols; all which have benefits for helping heal all sorts of internal and external ailments.
You may wonder how such a tiny berry can survive 12,000 feet above sea level in the mountains of the Himalayas in up to - 40°C! It’s secret to survival can be found in the endless array of incredibly powerful nutrients found in the fruit itself…
What Is The Nutrient Power of Sea Buckthorn for The Skin?
Sea buckthorn is full of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial properties, all of which aid in the sought after fortifying, healing, and restoring benefits for the skin. Because of its ability to help hydrate the skin, fade spots, heal scars, and reverse wrinkles; sea buckthorn is often referred to as the beautyberry.
Both the fruit and plant oils of sea berry are useful for skin and health because of the following nutrient properties it possesses:
- Higher levels of fatty acids, including the elusive omega 7 (more on this below
- Contains 10x as much vitamin C than that of an orange
- Contains 3x as much vitamin A than a side of carrots
- High levels of vitamin E
- 190 BioActive compounds that have been trusted and used for over 1000 years by people all over the world
The benefits of sea buckthorn are all encompassing. It’s regenerative, restorative, acts fast and is readily absorbed so your skin can heal.
When applied topically, non-greasy sea buckthorn oil is calming and soothes redness and irritation often associated with anti-inflammatory conditions like acne, eczema, sun burns, rosacea, dermatitis, and more. Because of the essential fatty acids, sea buckthorn acts as a hydrator, locking in moisture and even preventing moisture loss. Rich in antioxidants, and because of the high levels of vitamins A, C, and E, sea buckthorn oil is a superstar ingredient for combatting signs of aging like wrinkles, and loss of elasticity; by promoting the production of collagen and smoothing out the skin.
The Power Punch of The Rare and Powerful Omega 7
Full of fatty acids (Omega 3, 6, 9) in much higher amounts than other foods. The most exciting and dare we say, enticing being the fact that sea buckthorn also happens to possess the rare Omega 7 (also found in macadamia nuts, avocado, fatty fish), which comes with it’s own powerful nutritive properties. It’s important to note that Omega 7 is not actually an essential fatty acid, but rather a monounsaturated fatty acid which is endogenously produced. In other words, the human body can produce Omega 7. Essential fatty acids on the other end (Omega 3, 6, 9) can’t be produced in the body.
Also referred to as, “Palmitoleic Acid” in many clinical studies/publications, the Omega 7 concentration in sea buckthorn is more than twice that of which is found in macadamia nuts. Even though the beauty benefits (aiding in the production of collagen for example) of Omega 7 are unrivaled, it also goes a long way in supporting cardiovascular health, gastro-intestinal health, as well as is known to help you maintain a healthy weight when consumed.
For your skin, hair, and nails, Omega 7 found in sea buckthorn Omega 7 helps nourish, support, and improve all sorts of aging related skin issues and helps support your skin's natural processes in the following ways:
What To Look for In A Quality Sea Buckthorn Oil
Scientifically tested for quality and triple-tested by independent labs to insure nutrient efficacy, our organic sea buckthorn oil has received rave reviews and has been hailed as “liquid gold!” We only use the best quality Turkestanica sea buckthorn, ensuring you get the highest concentration of bioactive ingredients in the berry, which are preserved through the super-critical CO2 extraction method. Our fair trade and sustainable hand harvesting process ensures natural resources are protected, while supporting local farming families in the region.
LIQUID GOLD
"My daughter got me started using this liquid gold.This is all I need. Like most women who has tried all skin care products, I have my fair share. I threw all of these skin care products. Now my best defense from the effects of nature and aging is Sea Buckthorn Oil, been using it ever since. No more skin breakouts, wrinkles diminished, my skin felt so soft and healed !!! Can’t live without. Thank you Swell Skin!!!" - Zeny
Organic Sea Berry is now available in 2 new sizes: 1. a more volumous 1/2 oz 15ml and 2. a larger 1 oz/ 30ml.
SHOP NEW LARGER SIZE
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