Why This Rare Nordic Berry Is Called “The Gold of the Forest”
This unique oil is the anti-aging hero ingredient in our Lip Serum and is one of the most potent botanical ingredients available. I’m beyond obsessed with it and knew that it absolutely had to be a part of the formula of our new Illumine Face Oil.
So what berry is it? If you’re Scandi, you might have already guessed it based on the photo or headline above. Drumroll, please……it’s the cloudberry!
Cloudberries can be found in the Arctic and subarctic regions in the Northern hemisphere, such as the Nordic countries of Sweden, Norway and Finland. These precious amber-colored berries grow deep in forests and marshes as well as mountains and fjords. The Swedish word for cloudberry is “hjortron” and is commonly referred to as “skogens guld,” which means, yes, you guessed it, “the gold of the forest.”
Fun nicknames aside, why are cloudberries so highly revered? To really understand this, let’s go back in time to the age of the Vikings (well sort of-ish).
The love for cloudberries among Scandinavians dates back to the late 1400s when Viking explorers would bring barrels of preserved cloudberries on sea voyages to prevent scurvy (a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency). Okay, so technically they weren't called Vikings by this point, as the Viking era ended toward the second half of the 11th century, but it sounds so much cooler than "Swedes on boats." Preserved cloudberries were also used for this purpose in northern Norway, where it was seen as a gift from God, since those regions were extremely remote, and the cold, harsh climate resulted in terrible diseases and frequently failed crops.
You might be wondering, “If Scandinavians knew back in the 1400s that cloudberries are so amazing, why don’t we see them in every grocery store today?” That’s because as extraordinary as cloudberries are, they’re also incredibly complex and nearly impossible to harvest, which means they’re almost exclusively found in the wild.
While cloudberries miraculously grow in freezing -40°C (aka -40°F) temperatures, they also need high altitude. They need sunshine but also not excessive sunshine. They're even pickier about the soil: both humidity and moisture are needed, but not too much moisture...they apparently hate too much moisture as well. All this is funnily enough so very ‘lagom” (inside joke for the Swedes). This scarcity makes cloudberries quite expensive and more of a delicacy than a common dish. In Sweden, we usually only have a dollop of cloudberry jam with ice cream during the summer, or I’ll see it as part of a dessert on the menu at an upscale restaurant.
Another issue is that cloudberries don’t exactly pop up in the wild overnight. It can take up to seven years for a cloudberry plant to fully grow from the initial seed. One cloudberry plant produces one flower, and that one flower only produces one cloudberry. Talk about slim pickings.
Cloudberries usually start to flower in May and June, and the berries are ripe for picking in July. As if they weren’t hard enough to come by, these sought-after berries can only be picked for about 4-6 weeks per year, and you’re not going to find endless shrubs of cloudberries either. Cloudberries are very difficult to find, and those who discover them are usually quite tight-lipped due to worries that others will find their secret spot and steal the few berries available. No wonder cloudberries are called the gold of the forest!
Now that we’ve covered the Nordic backstory of the cloudberry, let’s fast forward to the present and delve into why cloudberry seed oil is fiercely effective on the skin and lips.
Vitamin C
The reason why cloudberry preserves worked so well for the disease-stricken Viking sailors was the incredibly high levels of vitamin C. Cloudberries have four times more vitamin C compared to oranges. This level of potency in cloudberry oil helps brighten and give luminosity to the skin.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A might not sound as familiar as vitamin C, but you probably know more about it than you think! For example, retinol and retinoid are both derivatives of vitamin A. Cloudberries are rich in beta-carotene. Beta-carotene boosts the production of vitamin A, which helps smoothen, firm and thicken the skin by stimulating skin cell regeneration.
Vitamin E
This wonderful antioxidant protects skin from free radicals caused by UV radiation. Vitamin E also deeply nourishes skin and is anti-inflammatory.
Phytosterols
One of the most amazing components of cloudberry oil, phytosterols are a group of compounds within cloudberry oil that have been found in studies to increase both collagen production as well as hyaluronic acid in connective tissue. They also penetrate deeply into the skin, which helps the skin barrier recover and improves skin elasticity.
Proanthocyanidins
While I’m not 100% confident in my pronunciation of proanthocyanidins, I am supremely confident in their capabilities. Proanthocyanidins are phytochemicals that reduce skin inflammation and build up moisture in the skin. Some studies have also showed skin brightening effects from the use of proanthocyanidins. Needless to say, proanthocyanidins are truly impressive!
Omega-3 & Omega-6
The large amounts of essential fatty acids, in particular omega-3 and omega-6, help skin retain moisture and strengthen the skin’s protective barrier, which makes skin look more hydrated and youthful.
Ellagic Acid
The last (but certainly not least) part of cloudberry I want to highlight is ellagic acid. This antioxidant has been proven to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Ellagic acid also soothes skin irritation by preventing collagen breakdown.
I could go on forever about cloudberry oil but as usual, this blog article's turned out to be longer than I initially anticipated. I hope you’ve learned some interesting and fun info about cloudberry oil, and after reading this, I’m sure you have a better understanding of why cloudberry oil is such an important and crucial ingredient in our two most powerful anti-aging Henné products.
Interested in adding Illumine and/or the Lip Serum to your skincare regimen? I’ll add some pics and links (in green) toward the bottom.
Until next time, or as we say in Swedish, “Vi ses!”
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
So what berry is it? If you’re Scandi, you might have already guessed it based on the photo or headline above. Drumroll, please……it’s the cloudberry!
Cloudberries can be found in the Arctic and subarctic regions in the Northern hemisphere, such as the Nordic countries of Sweden, Norway and Finland. These precious amber-colored berries grow deep in forests and marshes as well as mountains and fjords. The Swedish word for cloudberry is “hjortron” and is commonly referred to as “skogens guld,” which means, yes, you guessed it, “the gold of the forest.”
Fun nicknames aside, why are cloudberries so highly revered? To really understand this, let’s go back in time to the age of the Vikings (well sort of-ish).
A Nordic Remedy
The love for cloudberries among Scandinavians dates back to the late 1400s when Viking explorers would bring barrels of preserved cloudberries on sea voyages to prevent scurvy (a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency). Okay, so technically they weren't called Vikings by this point, as the Viking era ended toward the second half of the 11th century, but it sounds so much cooler than "Swedes on boats." Preserved cloudberries were also used for this purpose in northern Norway, where it was seen as a gift from God, since those regions were extremely remote, and the cold, harsh climate resulted in terrible diseases and frequently failed crops.
You might be wondering, “If Scandinavians knew back in the 1400s that cloudberries are so amazing, why don’t we see them in every grocery store today?” That’s because as extraordinary as cloudberries are, they’re also incredibly complex and nearly impossible to harvest, which means they’re almost exclusively found in the wild.
While cloudberries miraculously grow in freezing -40°C (aka -40°F) temperatures, they also need high altitude. They need sunshine but also not excessive sunshine. They're even pickier about the soil: both humidity and moisture are needed, but not too much moisture...they apparently hate too much moisture as well. All this is funnily enough so very ‘lagom” (inside joke for the Swedes). This scarcity makes cloudberries quite expensive and more of a delicacy than a common dish. In Sweden, we usually only have a dollop of cloudberry jam with ice cream during the summer, or I’ll see it as part of a dessert on the menu at an upscale restaurant.
Another issue is that cloudberries don’t exactly pop up in the wild overnight. It can take up to seven years for a cloudberry plant to fully grow from the initial seed. One cloudberry plant produces one flower, and that one flower only produces one cloudberry. Talk about slim pickings.
Cloudberries usually start to flower in May and June, and the berries are ripe for picking in July. As if they weren’t hard enough to come by, these sought-after berries can only be picked for about 4-6 weeks per year, and you’re not going to find endless shrubs of cloudberries either. Cloudberries are very difficult to find, and those who discover them are usually quite tight-lipped due to worries that others will find their secret spot and steal the few berries available. No wonder cloudberries are called the gold of the forest!
Now that we’ve covered the Nordic backstory of the cloudberry, let’s fast forward to the present and delve into why cloudberry seed oil is fiercely effective on the skin and lips.
Why Cloudberry Oil Is An Anti-Aging Powerhouse
Vitamin C
The reason why cloudberry preserves worked so well for the disease-stricken Viking sailors was the incredibly high levels of vitamin C. Cloudberries have four times more vitamin C compared to oranges. This level of potency in cloudberry oil helps brighten and give luminosity to the skin.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A might not sound as familiar as vitamin C, but you probably know more about it than you think! For example, retinol and retinoid are both derivatives of vitamin A. Cloudberries are rich in beta-carotene. Beta-carotene boosts the production of vitamin A, which helps smoothen, firm and thicken the skin by stimulating skin cell regeneration.
Vitamin E
This wonderful antioxidant protects skin from free radicals caused by UV radiation. Vitamin E also deeply nourishes skin and is anti-inflammatory.
Phytosterols
One of the most amazing components of cloudberry oil, phytosterols are a group of compounds within cloudberry oil that have been found in studies to increase both collagen production as well as hyaluronic acid in connective tissue. They also penetrate deeply into the skin, which helps the skin barrier recover and improves skin elasticity.
Proanthocyanidins
While I’m not 100% confident in my pronunciation of proanthocyanidins, I am supremely confident in their capabilities. Proanthocyanidins are phytochemicals that reduce skin inflammation and build up moisture in the skin. Some studies have also showed skin brightening effects from the use of proanthocyanidins. Needless to say, proanthocyanidins are truly impressive!
Omega-3 & Omega-6
The large amounts of essential fatty acids, in particular omega-3 and omega-6, help skin retain moisture and strengthen the skin’s protective barrier, which makes skin look more hydrated and youthful.
Ellagic Acid
The last (but certainly not least) part of cloudberry I want to highlight is ellagic acid. This antioxidant has been proven to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Ellagic acid also soothes skin irritation by preventing collagen breakdown.
I could go on forever about cloudberry oil but as usual, this blog article's turned out to be longer than I initially anticipated. I hope you’ve learned some interesting and fun info about cloudberry oil, and after reading this, I’m sure you have a better understanding of why cloudberry oil is such an important and crucial ingredient in our two most powerful anti-aging Henné products.
Interested in adding Illumine and/or the Lip Serum to your skincare regimen? I’ll add some pics and links (in green) toward the bottom.
Until next time, or as we say in Swedish, “Vi ses!”
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
