Sea Buckthorn

Sea buckthorn has been valued in Eurasian cultures for more than a millennium. Russian folk healers recorded its use as a wound salve and a tonic for respiratory health as early as the 10th century. In the 1930s Soviet agronomists began systematic breeding in the Altai foothills, creating cultivars with larger fruit and higher oil yield. By the 1960s the Soviet Union exported the oil to Europe, where it entered early cosmetic formulas for its bright color and skin‑protective properties. The plant spread to the Himalayas, where Tibetan monks used the berries in ceremonial incense. In the 1990s Western perfumers discovered the oil’s sharp, citrus‑green character and began blending it into niche fragrances, noting its ability to lift heavier base notes. Today, sea buckthorn remains a bridge between traditional medicine and modern scent design.