The quick answer
Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is a hardy berry-bearing plant whose small fruits are rich in vitamin C and carotenoids. The berries give two different oils: seed oil, high in omega-3 and omega-6 fats, and pulp (fruit) oil, unusually rich in palmitoleic acid, an omega-7 fat. People eat the berries as juice and jam, take the oil by mouth, and use it in skin care. A few small trials suggest benefits for dry eyes and dry mucous membranes, but the evidence is still limited.
Lab studies show compounds from sea buckthorn berries can slow blood clotting. If you take a blood thinner or have surgery coming up, talk to your clinician before using concentrated sea buckthorn oil or extracts.
What is sea buckthorn?
Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides, which some botanists now list as Elaeagnus rhamnoides) is a hardy shrub that growers are still turning into a farmed crop. Most of its value sits in the orange berries; the leaves only occasionally end up brewed as tea (Beveridge et al., Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 1999). Each berry holds a single seed inside juicy flesh, which is why the plant yields two distinct oils.
The fruit is processed into juice, jam, jellies, candies and drinks, and its oil, berries, leaves and bark have all been used in traditional medicine (Olas, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2018). Sea buckthorn juice is notable for being very high in vitamin C and carotenes (Beveridge et al., 1999).
Seed oil vs pulp oil: why the difference matters
When a label just says "sea buckthorn oil," it could mean oil from the seed, oil from the fruit flesh and peel, or a blend. They are not interchangeable.
- Seed oil. Linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) make up about 70% of its fatty acids, in close to equal amounts, and it contains almost no palmitoleic acid (Yang and Kallio, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2001; Fatima et al., PLoS One, 2012). It is very unsaturated and has long interested cosmetic makers for its emollient feel (Beveridge et al., 1999).
- Pulp or fruit oil. This is where the omega-7 is. Palmitoleic acid made up 12 to 39% of the oil in pulp and peel in one analysis (Yang and Kallio, 2001) and 32 to 42% in Canadian-grown berries (Fatima et al., 2012).
- Both oils carry phytosterols and vitamins A and E. Mature seeds hold about 8 to 20% oil, and dried pulp about 20 to 25% (Olas, 2018).
| Form | What's notable in it | Common uses | Evidence so far |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole dried berries | Vitamin C, carotenoids, flavonols | Tea, infusions, food | In 254 adults, berries did not reduce colds but slightly lowered CRP, an inflammation marker (Larmo et al., 2008) |
| Seed oil | Omega-3 ALA and omega-6 linoleic acid in near-equal parts | Cosmetics and skin creams | Mostly composition data and lab work |
| Pulp (fruit) oil | Omega-7 palmitoleic acid, carotenoids | Omega-7 products, skin oils | Small trials on dry eye and vaginal dryness used oral sea buckthorn oil |
| Skin creams with sea buckthorn | Usually a small amount of oil in a cream base | Moisturizing dry or dull skin | One burn-dressing trial; little research on everyday creams |
What is sea buckthorn extract used for?
"Sea buckthorn extract" can mean an oil, an oil made with supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, or a concentrated berry or fruit extract. Check the plant part and form on the label before comparing products. Here is what human studies show.
Dry eyes. In a double-blind trial, 100 adults with dry eye symptoms took 2 grams of sea buckthorn oil or a placebo oil daily for three months through fall and winter, and 86 finished. Tear film saltiness (osmolarity) rose less in the sea buckthorn group, and redness and burning tended to be milder, though not every symptom result reached significance (Larmo et al., Journal of Nutrition, 2010).
Dry mucous membranes. In 116 postmenopausal women with vaginal dryness, itching or burning, 3 grams a day of oral sea buckthorn oil for three months improved the condition of the vaginal lining more than placebo when all participants were analyzed (Larmo et al., Maturitas, 2014). The lead author's listed affiliation was a private company, Aromtech Ltd, and the result was only a trend among the most compliant participants.
Cholesterol. A 2022 meta-analysis of 15 trials found sea buckthorn lowered triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, mainly in people whose blood fats were already abnormal, with no effect on blood sugar, blood pressure or BMI. The included studies varied widely (Geng et al., Phytotherapy Research, 2022).
Skin. In a trial of 55 people with second-degree burns, a sea buckthorn cream led to faster healing than silver sulfadiazine cream (Abdullahzadeh and Shafiee, Wound Repair and Regeneration, 2021). That is one hospital study, and burns need medical care, not home treatment. For daily skin care, sea buckthorn oil is mainly valued as a rich, unsaturated emollient.
Who should be cautious
Sea buckthorn berries have a long history as food, in juices and jams. The open questions are mostly about concentrated oils and extracts. Lab tests found that flavonols isolated from the berries had antiplatelet and anticoagulant effects in human blood (Stochmal et al., Molecules, 2022), and a review of trials in healthy people lists sea buckthorn berry among plants that inhibited platelet clumping (Nouruzi et al., Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences, 2022). That makes a bleeding interaction possible, though not proven, for people on anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs and before surgery.
Research on concentrated products during pregnancy and breastfeeding is thin, so ask your clinician first. On skin, patch-test a new oil before using it widely.
Find it at William's
- Starwest organic sea buckthorn berries, sold by weight: whole dried berries in our bulk herb section. In the store you can weigh out as much or as little as you want for tea or cooking.
- LifeFlo pure sea buckthorn oil, 1 fl oz: organic sea buckthorn oil with a touch of vitamin E (0.5%) added for freshness, sold for skin, hair and nails and described as rich in omega-7. The online listing doesn't say whether it is seed or fruit oil, so check the bottle.
- Now vitamin C and sea buckthorn moisturizer, 2 oz: a face cream combining sea buckthorn seed oil with vitamin C (as magnesium ascorbyl phosphate), niacinamide, organic olive oil and aloe, for dry or combination skin.
Related reading: our guide to rose hips, another vitamin C-rich berry; our herbal oils guide; and our avocado oil page for another rich skin oil.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sea buckthorn good for?
It is used as a food (juice, jam, tea from the berries), as an oral oil supplement, and in skin care. Small trials suggest the oil may help dry eyes and dry mucous membranes, and a meta-analysis found modest effects on blood fats, but none of this is strong proof.
What's the difference between sea buckthorn seed oil and fruit oil?
Seed oil is mostly omega-3 ALA and omega-6 linoleic acid with almost no omega-7. Fruit (pulp) oil is the one rich in omega-7 palmitoleic acid. If you want omega-7, look for fruit or pulp oil, or a blend that states its palmitoleic acid content.
Can I put sea buckthorn oil on my face?
Yes, many skin products use it, usually diluted in a cream or blended with other oils. Pure oil is rich, so start with a drop or two mixed into your moisturizer and patch-test first.
How do you use dried sea buckthorn berries?
Steep a spoonful of dried berries in hot water as a simple tea, or add them to your own herbal tea blends. Because they're sold by weight, you can buy a small amount to try first.
Is sea buckthorn safe to take every day?
The berries are eaten as food, and the oral oil trials used 2 to 3 grams a day for three months. Long-term safety data for concentrated products are limited. Check with your clinician if you take blood thinners, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have surgery planned.
Does sea buckthorn have omega-7?
Yes. The fruit pulp oil is rich in palmitoleic acid, an omega-7 fat, at about 12 to 42% of its fatty acids depending on the berries tested. The seed oil has very little.
Shop it at William’s
-
STARWEST
SEA BUCKTHORN BERRIES ORG
$45.50
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LifeFlo
LifeFlo Pure Sea Buckthorn Oil 1floz
$23.29
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Now
Now VIT C & SEA BUCKTHORN MOISTURIZER 2 OZ
$12.99
Online prices can differ from in-store prices. Call ahead to check stock.