May protect your skin
Sea buckthorn oil has been used as a traditional skin treatment for centuries.
It’s rich in unsaturated fat, antioxidants, phytosterols, carotenoids, and vitamins E and K — all of which function together to protect your skin’s integrity and promote its renewal
Sea buckthorn oil is also rich in palmitoleic acid, which is a type of fat naturally found in human skin that can be used to treat burns and promote wound healing
It’s also a good source of linoleic acid (LA), an omega-6 fatty acid that’s the most abundant fatty acid in human skin. Research suggests that LA may reduce acne and psoriasis, as well as protect against dry or scaly skin
In addition to LA, sea buckthorn oil contains other omega-6 fats, such as gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which may help reduce eczema and improve acne .
Furthermore, compounds in sea buckthorn oil appear promising in protecting your skin from the damaging effects of UV rays from the sun
Perhaps unsurprisingly, sea buckthorn is commonly added to various pro-aging or wrinkle-reducing products. It’s also a common ingredient in products intended to treat dry, irritated, flaky or itchy skin
That said, few of these purported benefits have been researched in humans. One of the only available studies reported lower psoriasis symptoms after application of a sea buckthorn extract for 4–8 weeks .
Therefore, more studies are needed before strong conclusions can be made.
SUMMARY Sea buckthorn oil may help your skin heal from wounds and burns more quickly. It may also improve acne, eczema, and psoriasis, although more research is needed.