The Roman poet Ovid writes that when Perseus, riding the winged horse Pegasus, saw Andromeda chained to the rock for the first time, he thought she was a marble statue, she was so perfect. But then her warm tears streaming down her face and falling into a puddle at her feet and her wind-blown hair made him realize that Andromeda was a flesh-and-blood creature, and in danger, as an offering to a sea monster. Luckily for her, Andromeda was saved by Perseus and Pegasus who brought her to safety, free and alive. Perseus and Andromeda married and had 7 children. Upon Andromeda's death, thanks to the intervention of the goddess Athena, she was taken to the sky where she became a constellation, together with her husband Perseus and her mother Cassiopeia. Andromeda therefore had a very different fate from the one to which she had been condemned and this thanks to the hero Perseus, but above all thanks to Pegasus, the horse with wings that, as the myth affirms, fed on the fruits of a special plant that gave him the ability to fly, sea buckthorn! Sea buckthorn therefore already appears in legends as a remedy capable of real miracles. And reality does not differ much from fantasy, since, in fact, sea buckthorn and its oil are a real miracle for the skin, as we will discover later in the article.
Sea buckthorn oil, the panacea for the skin in summer
Sea buckthorn, scientific name Hippophae rhamnoides L., is a bush characterized by small juicy orange berries. A special oil is obtained from the pressing of these berries, sea buckthorn oil. This oil has an orange color and an intense aroma. Sea buckthorn oil is a highly appreciated cosmetic in every season, but in the summer it can really make a difference! In fact, this product is particularly suitable for application on irritated and sunburnt skin, it is healing and anti-inflammatory (Koskovac et al, Cosmetics, 2017). Studies have shown that the application of sea buckthorn oil on skin subjected to excessive exposure to UV rays reduced free radicals by 25%, thus protecting the skin from aging processes, the appearance of wrinkles, dark spots, dry skin and erythema thanks to its powerful antioxidant action (Wang et al, Front Nutr, 2022). However, this does not mean that you can expose yourself to the sun without taking the necessary precautions! The ability of sea buckthorn to counteract photoaging is to be found in its content of carotenoids, fatty acids and vitamins (Koskovac et al, Cosmetics, 2017). Thanks to its contribution in triglycerides, sea buckthorn oil helps maintain hydration of the epidermis, counteracting the evaporation of water from the tissues (Koskovac et al, Cosmetics, 2017). The moisturizing action of creams based on sea buckthorn oil is significantly higher than that of creams with emollients of synthetic origin with results that are appreciated even after a single application (Koskovac et al, Cosmetics, 2017). Do not forget the ability of sea buckthorn oil to stimulate skin regeneration, thus being useful in case of scars, and to reduce skin spots, discolored areas but also acne and dermatitis (Koskovac et al, Cosmetics, 2017).
Sea buckthorn, here is the do-it-yourself cosmetic to protect the skin in the summer
As we have seen, sea buckthorn oil is indicated for the skin in the summer, it helps to counteract the excess of free radicals generated by exposure to the sun rays, contrasts sunburns, inflammation, is soothing and moisturizing and is good for all skin types, both young, acne prone skin and mature skin. So here's how to prepare an after sun. For the body, mix 5 tablespoons coconut oil and 1 tablespoon jojoba oil in a small bowl. Melt in a water bath. Remove from the water bath, add half a teaspoon of sea buckthorn oil and 2-3 drops of carrot essential oil, which is a powerful skin rejuvenator (Singh et al, J Cosmet Laser Ther, 2019), mix. Pour into a container with a lid and use on a damp body after a shower. For the face, on the other hand, you can prepare a serum oil by adding a few drops of sea buckthorn oil to 50 ml of a vegetable oil, jojoba in case of young skin and argan in case of mature skin. Again, you can add 1-2 drops of carrot oil. To soothe reddened and irritated skin from atmospheric agents, 1-2 drops of blue chamomile can help. Apply a small amount of product to damp skin.
