If you obsess over ingredient lists as we do, you may have noticed this one in our bestselling stretch mark products: sea buckthorn oil.
Known as the "miracle berry," the benefits of sea buckthorn oil are vast. With its antioxidants and skin healing abilities, it's one of our favorite natural ways of getting rid of pregnancy and after pregnancy stretch marks and improving overall skin health.
But what makes it so amazing? Let's dig in...
What is Sea Buckthorn Oil?
Sea buckthorn is a shrub native to Europe and Asia and is also known as hippophae rhamnoides
. A commonly dense and thorny plant, sea buckthorn is a popular shrub for gardening and landscaping; however, ancient Greeks and Asian cultures have used sea buckthorn in folk medicine for centuries to aid digestion, promote blood circulation and relieve pain.
Sea buckthorn produces beautiful yellow-orange berries known to be sour and astringent; however, its extraordinarily high content of vitamin C makes it a nutritious and popular drink of choice in some European countries.
What are the skin benefits of Sea Buckthorn Oil?
Aside from being a great dietary supplement, sea buckthorn oil is highly regarded for its ability to soften and improve the look of damaged skin. Made from the fleshy pulp and seeds of the berry, sea buckthorn produces an amber-colored oil that's high in Omega 7 fatty acids and vitamins A, C and E.
FUN FACT:
It's sea buckthorn that gives our #1 selling Tummy Butter for Stretch Marks its yellow hue!
Taken orally or applied topically, this nutrient-rich oil is believed to promote skin elasticity, hydration, and regeneration. Specifically, it may help prevent and treat pregnancy stretch marks, eczema, rosacea and acne.
How can I use Sea Buckthorn during pregnancy?
The Spoiled Mama uses this powerful oil in our stretch mark products. In both our belly butter and pregnancy stretch mark oil , it's a primary ingredient to help fade stretch marks and prevent new ones.
Since stretch marks appear with rapid weight gain and loss, sea buckthorn oil is a great ingredient to apply during pregnancy and postpartum. For new stretch marks that are still red-purple in color, the tocopherols (vitamin E) will aid in healing the skin, while its carotenoids (vitamin A) will promote new, healthy skin cells.
Can I use Sea Buckthorn oil in my post/after pregnancy skincare?
Stretch marks very often appear postpartum/after birth as you begin shedding the baby weight. To prevent and minimize your post-pregnancy stretch marks, use sea buckthorn oil daily in your beauty routine.
For best results, pair sea buckthorn oil with other oils and ingredients to have a well-rounded pregnancy skincare routine. For instance, The Spoiled Mama's postpartum Tummy Butter adds sea buckthorn oil with nourishing cocoa and shea butter, and cold-pressed oils like rosehip and tamanu. With its healing and regenerative abilities, our belly butter works great over C-section scars as well.
