Hi NHG, I tried a bottle of concentrated sea buckthorn juice from the HFS once. I was interested in it primarily as a natural source of vitamins C, E and folic acid, as well as lycopene and zeaxanthine. I decided that the juice was simply nothing more an expensive smoothie juice, as it was too processed and diluted with additional 'sweetening' fruit juices to be of any real benefit to me. Of course, your mileage may vary. Too, I found that goji berries work better for me.

Is the product you ordered made with sea buckthorn's bark and leaves rather than the berries (which would have different properties)? If you don't mind me asking, for what specific reason did you purchase it?

Also, here's a previous 'sea buckthorn' thread if you haven't already seen it:

• http://www.dadamo.com/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?b-pres/m-1164059792/
  

Quoted from NewHampshireGirl

I ordered the capsules which are described as Sea Buckthorn oil capsules. I ordered this for my hair, nails and mucous membranes ....

NHG, I've heard of this usage but haven't tried it (of course, I'm too lazy to do much for my skin other than lather it with pine tar soap and slap some witch hazel on it after shaving ... so I'm sure there are others here who have a much better clue than I do about such usage).

I know that last year Doctor Oz added sea buckthorn berry to his list of items extolled on his TV program. Thus, my sole precaution to you would be to only order from a supplement company you really trust (and don't let an unknown company talk you into an auto-ship arrangement). Each new mention of some obscure 'superfood' or whatnot by Doctor Oz, Oprah or whomever brings forth a new wave of snake oil salesmen that purportedly have sourced the most organic, the most pristine or the absolute only one on the market that was harvested during a full-moon autumnal equinox and, at the exact moment of the equilux, blessed by the wild gyrations of mysterious, secret-incantation-chanting Tibetans on a remote mountaintop whilst being spat upon by the eldest of all the tribal Lamas wearing a consecrated raw silk robe made solely from the thread of a single albino silkworm born on the fifth hour of the fifth day of the fifth month in the Year of the Dragon. Sorry, I digress.

Seriously though, too often these 'hyped' products are compounded formulas solely created for exploitation and contain little to even less of the actual active ingredient which you thought you were buying--or it's so diluted by other ingredients--that it is simply a waste of your money (and time in taking it). Also be wary of any product whose ingredient label states "Proprietary Blend," but does not state individual mcg/mg/g amounts for the respective ingredients.

At any rate, I hope yours is exactly what you're expecting, and please do post your experience with the product. Enquiring minds want to know.

Quoted from NewHampshireGirl

I haven't visited Tibet but I'll bet you've thought about it.........just to go skiing, of course. Don't forget your silk robe.

Of course.

I mean, I have the silk robe made from silkworms nursed only on the nectar of the ghost orchid and cocooned in moonbeams but, dang it, now what did I do with that Golden Child? Thought I'd put him on a shelf in this closet.

Quoted from NewHampshireGirl

Did you find the Golden Child, yet, Conor? Good grief, you surely can't have misplaced it!

No, not yet, however Eddie Murphy was looking a little shifty-eyed when he stopped by the house a couple of months ago asking for a bottle of his favorite near beer. I didn't have any on hand so I offered to run to the store and pick up a six-pack. He'd already left when I returned. Didn't think too much about it at the time, figuring maybe he'd just escaped from his latest rehab stint and had to stay on the move. Now, though, I'm betting he took the Golden Child. Which is really quite welcome, in fact, as it has become somewhat mundane lately fending off evil villians almost every day.

On the other hand, I did find some additional information about the omega-7 in sea buckthorn that might be of interest to you (or reinforce what you already know) ...

Quoted Text

The natural botanical source of omega-7 oil, Sea Buckthorn, is comprised of both palmitoleic and cis-vaccenic acids and has been used in the ancient tradition for centuries to promote skin, urogenital and digestive health.

The key source of omega-7’s lauded skin support properties comes from a specific fatty acid: palmitoleic acid. It is a naturally occurring component of healthy skin, and is a highly effective antioxidant providing strong anti-aging support because of its ability to rein in free radicals. A 1999 report suggested that palmitoleic acid may help support healthy skin. This key constituent of omega-7 is also a strong emollient – a substance that soothes and moisturizes the skin and promotes the regeneration of tissues.

Omega-7: Traditional Skin & Membrane Support

While the benefit of Sea Buckthorn on the body’s largest organ, the skin, has been widely documented in ancient texts, it also has an extensive history of traditional use in Tibet and Mongolia for the body’s sensitive internal organs – in particular the mucous membranes that line the stomach/GI tract, upper respiratory tract and vagina. The ability of this botanical to help moisturize and soothe these sensitive internal areas in addition to its external skin benefits has made it a staple of traditional herbal systems. Similar properties have been reported in various modern studies.

Omega-7 nicely complements any essential fatty acid health regimen. The berries and seeds of this revered botanical are also a source of traditional omega-3, -6 and -9 ... making it the optimal form of essential fatty acid supplementation, and one that everyone should consider incorporating into their skin and membrane health routine.

Thanks, NHG, and my pleasure!

And, yes, hopefully (probably) you will ...