5 quirky but true facts about sea buckthorn berry
Let’s shine the spotlight on sea buckthorn berry, shall we? We just can’t seem to get enough of the superfruit because 1. It’s ultra beneficial to hair, amongst other things (more on that in a sec!) and 2. It has a catchy name that’s fun to say. The bright orange berry may be small but oh, is it mighty. In fact, it’s the signature ingredient used in every single product that we make! Here, we’ve rounded up five facts that give sea buckthorn berry its unique charm:
It’s exotic: Sea buckthorn berry is native only to Siberia and parts of the Himalayas. In China, it has been used in medicine for more than a thousand years and has only been gaining popularity in North America within the last decade. Although it may sound like it, sea buckthorn berry does not actually come from the sea, but rather, it is originated from the mountains. Our Russian co-founder and creative director’s childhood experiences first led her to discover the powers of the superfruit in which she shared with the team. No wonder it has been—and continues to be—the ingredient in every one of our amika hair care and styling products since the very start.
It has nicknames aplenty: You can also call it seaberry, obliphica, or Hippophae rhamnoides L. The latter—and perhaps the hardest to pronounce—is Latin and references to “shiny horse,” since the ancient Greeks fed sea buckthorn berry to horses which, hence the name, led to their glossy hair. Also, it’s been said that the sea buckthorn berry was a favorite food of Pegasus, the divine winged horse of Greek mythology. It must be pretty powerful because it contributed to Pegasus’ ability to fly. What do you say...myth or legend?
It’s a nutrition powerhouse for hair: Shininess! Smoothness! Strength! Sea buckthorn berry is essentially every hair enthusiast’s dream as it conditions like no other. Our soulfood nourishing mask is rich in antioxidants and omega fatty acids to keep your mane lookin’ healthy and happy, thanks to sea buckthorn berry. The superfruit is loaded with 15 times more vitamin C than an orange and 3 times more vitamin A than a carrot. And it doesn’t stop there: it has 190 biologically active compounds that nourish the body’s cells—this protects the hair and skin against free radical damage and the natural aging process.
It’s versatile, too: Hair benefits are aplenty when it comes to sea buckthorn berry. Take, say, our vault color-lock shampoo, for example. All of the goodness mentioned above works like a dream with other key ingredients such as UV filters and betaine to effectively shield color and ups the hair’s elasticity. In addition to helping maintain a great-lookin’ mane, sea buckthorn berry promotes heart health, protects against diabetes, strengthens the immune system, and supports a healthy liver. No wonder it’s called a “miracle plant”. It can be interpreted in many forms; from beauty products to supplements, and oils.
It’s tart to the taste: Technically, the flavor-packed sea buckthorn berry can be eaten raw, but it's super tart. As a food, it is often found in juices, marmalades, sauces, or even baked into a cake. The taste is likened to a mix of passionfruit and pineapple, minus the sweetness, that is. Think of it like a snappy friend who tells you the honest truth, even if it’s not what you expected to hear, but so glad you did. Or reaching for a bottle of amika normcore signature shampoo expecting it to do just its normal job and, yes, clean, but realizing its ingredients are designed to go the whole nine yards to boost hair health. That’s sea buckthorn berry in a nutshell—incredibly good for you and surprisingly bold!
By Wendy Sy, The Strand Contributor
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