(Hippophae rhamnoides · INCI: Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil)
Biomimetic lipid · Rare omega-7 (palmitoleic acid) · Carotenoid and vitamin E antioxidants · Grown in the harshest climates
6 min read · A botanical lipid in both hero formulas
Sea buckthorn oil for menopausal skin is one of the most nutritionally dense oils in nature, and one of the very few plant sources of omega-7. Pressed from the vivid orange berries of a thorny shrub that survives on Himalayan slopes and Scandinavian coastlines, it carries a rare fatty acid found in human skin, alongside a deep reserve of antioxidant carotenoids and vitamin E.
The lipid gap, and a rare skin-matching fatty acid
Most oils bring the familiar omega-3, 6 and 9 fatty acids. Sea buckthorn brings those plus omega-7, palmitoleic acid, which is unusual in plants but naturally present in human skin and sebum. That makes it a genuinely biomimetic lipid: a fatty acid the skin recognises, offered back to skin that is making less of its own oils in the lipid gap of perimenopause. Read more in The Lipid Gap.
The fatty-acid and antioxidant profile
Sea buckthorn is unusually complete. Its berry oil is rich in palmitoleic acid (omega-7) and palmitic acid, while its seed oil adds linoleic (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic (omega-3) acids, so together they span an exceptional range. What truly sets it apart is its antioxidant load: intense orange carotenoids including beta-carotene, plus one of the highest natural vitamin E contents of any oil. These fat-soluble antioxidants protect the oil and help defend the skin.
What sea buckthorn oil does for skin
- Replenishes with a skin-matching lipid: its omega-7 palmitoleic acid is naturally present in skin.
- Strong antioxidant defence: carotenoids and vitamin E help defend against environmental stress.
- Nourishing and conditioning: a rich, restorative oil for depleted skin.
- Supports a resilient-looking complexion: adds antioxidant depth and a natural warmth of tone to the blend.
Where it comes from
Sea buckthorn is a survivor, thriving where little else will, on cold, exposed, poor soils across Asia and northern Europe, and it has been used in traditional practice in those regions for centuries. It is also nitrogen-fixing, meaning it enriches the very soil it grows in, and it stabilises fragile land against erosion. An ingredient that heals the ground it grows on speaks directly to how we think about sourcing.
What the research shows
Sea buckthorn is valued in the literature for its antioxidant richness. In one in vitro study on cultured human keratinocytes and fibroblasts, sea buckthorn seed oil partially reduced UV-induced oxidative stress and supported the cells' own antioxidant defences, including their vitamin E and A levels (Antioxidants, 2018). As with the other oils, we present sea buckthorn on the basis of its fatty-acid and antioxidant chemistry and this laboratory evidence, rather than clinical claims.
Ingredient profile
- INCI: Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
- Common name: Sea buckthorn oil
- Key fatty acid: palmitoleic acid (omega-7), with omega-3, 6 and 9
- Also rich in: carotenoids and vitamin E
- Character: rich, antioxidant, naturally orange-toned
- In Philogeni: in both the Bio-Lipid Concentrate and the Resilience Balm
Featured in
Sea buckthorn is in both hero formulas. Start with the Resilience Balm, our most-loved formula, or explore the Bio-Lipid Concentrate. In each, it adds omega-7 and antioxidant depth alongside the M-Veil active complex.
Common questions
What is special about sea buckthorn oil?
It is one of the very few plant sources of omega-7 (palmitoleic acid), a fatty acid also found in human skin, and it is exceptionally rich in antioxidant carotenoids and vitamin E.
Is sea buckthorn good for menopausal skin?
Yes. Its skin-matching omega-7 and its antioxidant load make it a nourishing, protective oil for drier, more stressed skin.
Will it stain or tint my skin?
Sea buckthorn is deeply orange, but at the level used in a balanced blend it lends warmth without colouring the skin.
References and further reading
- Sea buckthorn seed oil and UV-stressed human skin cells: antioxidant activity (in vitro). Antioxidants, 2018. PubMed Central
- Vegetable butters and oils as cosmetically active ingredients: a review of clinical studies (2022). PubMed Central
At a glance
- Common name: Sea buckthorn oil
- INCI: Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
- Key fatty acid: palmitoleic acid (omega-7)
- Cosmetic function: antioxidant, nourishing, replenishing
- Sourcing: hardy, soil-enriching shrub
- Found in: Bio-Lipid Concentrate and Resilience Balm
- Status: vegan, plant-derived
A rare omega-7 oil, dense with antioxidants and grown where little else survives, sea buckthorn brings resilience to the Philogeni ritual. Shop the Resilience Balm or explore the Bio-Lipid Concentrate.