Sea buckthorn Oil No No's

By Seabuck Staff , published Apr 8, 2016

(editors note: This article has been updated as of September 2019 to help share the latest on what NOT to do with sea buckthorn oil.)

If you have never used pure oils as a supplement or part of a natural skincare routine before, figuring out how to use them can be a bit overwhelming. Sea buckthorn oils just aren’t like any other oils out there.

(Our supplements come in two forms: in capsules or in dropper bottles. If you aren’t sure which of these to buy, you can read more about that subject here.)

We love sea buckthorn oil but there are some limitations on what you can do with it. Here are some pro-tips and sea buckthorn no-no's to keep in mind! We created these recommendations based on customer feedback and their experience with the oils…so please- take heed!

Don't Go to Bed with Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil on Your Face

You know the old saying, "don't go to bed angry"? Well, the same can be said for a face covered in sea buckthorn oil. Don't go to bed with sea buckthorn oil on your face- especially sea buckthorn berry oil!

Sea buckthorn berry oil comes from bright orange berries. That means the oil is brightly pigmented in color. Since this oil has high levels of Omega 7, this oil is amazing for facial treatments.

Why you Shouldn't

The orange hue can absorb into your skin after a while during a treatment. How much it absorbs will be different for everyone, depending on many factors. Your skin type, how dry your skin is that day, your actual skin color itself can ALL affect how the oil absorbs into your skin.

We have had customers tell us that the oil actually absorbs completely into their skin. Even so, everyone is different, and this may not be the case for you.

Sea buckthorn berry oil can and will turn your pillowcases orange if you decide to sleep with the oil on your skin!

The Right way to do it

We recommend doing skin treatments well before bedtime. You can find more detailed instructions on how to do this here.

If you choose to sleep with the oil on your skin- do this at your own risk. Another nice way to get the benefits of omega 7 without making your skin completely orange is to dilute the oil a bit.

Get a carrier oil that is a lighter color and works well for your skin type. We recommend jojoba, avocado oil, or rosehip seed oil.

Don't Store Sea Buckthorn Oil the Wrong Way

If you want your oil dropper bottle to last, there are a few things you'll need to do. The bottle must be sitting upright wherever you choose to store it. If the bottle is laying on its side or if it tilts to one side, the oil will collect in the rubber bulb. This will erode or melt away the rubber over time.

Make sure your bottle is in an upright position for storage.

Another way to ensure the rubber cap of your bottle doesn't start to break down, is to empty the dropper completely before closing the bottle. Make sure the rubber part is not pinched before placing it back in the bottle.

Since the oil can be drawn up to the rubber bulb in both scenarios, the bulb is at a much greater risk of becoming damaged while it's waiting for the next use.

All rubber breaks down and "melts" with exposure to any oil — not just sea buckthorn oil.

Don’t store sea buckthorn oil in a hot place. Like a particularly hot closet or the glovebox in your car, for example.

On the other hand, you don't need to refrigerate or freeze sea buckthorn. It won't damage the oil but it can make it weirdly stiff and harder to use.

We like to store our sea buckthorn oil bottles in the kitchen with our herbs and other nutritional supplements.

Upright, at room temperature, in a dark cabinet that closes is best!

Don't Take More Than the Recommended Dosage

We understand the excitement about the benefits of sea buckthorn. However, there is no need to take more than the dosage on the bottle. We suggest taking up to two droppers per day. 

Keep in mind this applies to internal use only. You won’t see results faster if you take more than the recommended dose. Unintended results could come from doing this, so just stick with the recommended amount.

Follow the instructions on the label or from your doctor.

Don't Use Sea Buckthorn Oil as a Sunscreen

Sea buckthorn oil is perfect for after sun exposure for external and internal use. It’s got carotenoids, linoleic and α-Linoleic acids (omegas 3 & 6).

According to research, those fatty acids may reduce the UV-induced inflammatory response when consumed every day. However, this research does not mean sea buckthorn oil will make you impenetrable to the sun or that it's a suitable sunscreen replacement!

Please, do not use sea buckthorn oil as a sunscreen.

Use Real Sunscreen

Our oils are intended for internal supplement use and for external skin support. We don't test our products for their SPF factor and we do not engineer the products to be sunscreens. Stick to the brands that specialize in this area.

Skin Cancer is Serious

According to the American Academy of Dermatology "it is estimated that approximately 9,500 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer every day. Research estimates that nonmelanoma skin cancer, including basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, affects more than 3 million Americans a year."

Squamous cell carcinoma kills 13,000 people each year and basal cell carcinoma kills 3,000! Yes, you can die from skin cancer!

Not Protecting your Skin Makes you age faster

Besides the threat of cancer- which should be enough but still may not be for some, the sun does wicked damage to your skin, putting you at risk for dark spots and wrinkles! We've put together a new list on how to keep your skin looking young. But the number one thing you can do is to protect your skin from the sun.

If you are already burned, sea buckthorn products are wonderful for aiding with recovery. We created an after sun salverecipe if you are interested. Even just using our ready made skincare products are a great way to calm and moisturize angry skin.

Sea buckthorn oil should never replace sunscreen.

      
 

References

MEDICINAL PLANTS USED IN SKIN PROTECTION T.ANITHA Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry,Vanavarayar Institute of Agriculture, Pollachi, India. June 2012, Revised and Accepted:21 July 2012