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Unless you live under a rock, the abbreviation CBD is everywhere. Enthusiasts rave about the benefits CBD oil has on your skin, metal clarity, and physical body. You can get your CBD in a cocktail, coffee, pills, and other edibles. And lately it’s been popping up all over the beauty scene as the latest and greatest skincare ingredient and is being marketed to improve everything dryness to acne. Mainstream brands like Milk Makeup, Glossier, and Peter Thomas Roth are cranking out kush, cannabis, and CBD infused products while The Body Shop has had a hemp line for decades. . But is any of this true, or is CBD oil just another marketing hype?
what is cbd?
CBD, otherwise known as cannabidiol, is a naturally occurring and non-psychoactive compound harvested from the cannabis plant and is only one of the many cannabinoids (cannabis plant chemicals) present in hemp plants including THC, the chemical responsible for the psychoactive effects of marijuana. To simplify: while CBD is technically found in the marijuana plants, it’s completely non-psychoactive. And to simplify further: it won’t get you high.
benefits of cbd
Basically, what doesn’t CBD treat? It’s claimed to be anti-inflammatory and treat ailments like insomnia, anxiety and depression and epileptic seizures, and aid in pain relief and focus/mental clarity.
CBD has been studied for its relaxing, pain-relieving, and anti-anxiety properties when taken internally, but recent research has alluded to CBD having calming and therapeutic benefits when applied to the skin. CBD has been deemed safe and effective for all skin types, but especially helpful to those with inflammatory conditions like headaches, skin sensitivity, skin dryness, and acne. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, CBD can help support the skin’s natural healing process, shortening the lifespan of breakouts and psoriasis/eczema flare ups. CBD can also reduce redness in the skin, potentially decrease sebum, and counteract free radical damage. It is also said to be incredibly moisturizing.
cbd criticism
Although there are tons of claims surrounding the benefits of CBD oil, there is a bit of criticism surrounding the buzzed about ingredient. Because the CBD industry is still fairly young, it’s currently being sold without regulation. This means you could potentially get varying quality from product to product. Price is often a marker of purity when it comes to skincare ingredients; if you find a CBD oil claiming 100mg potency for under $40, chances are that the CBD is not pure and can’t be sold throughout the country. Also pay attention to products labeled “full spectrum,” which may contain traces of THC and can only be states that have legalized marijuana.
Additionally, not all skincare experts are fully on bored with the CBD craze. Dr. Fances Prenna Jones, a London based dermatologist, has an understandable cynacism toward the subject. “I think it’s a bit of a hype,” she say, “It’s a great ingredient, but no more special than a lot of other emollient and anti-inflammatory ingredients like ginger, for instance.”
And despite Internet hype implying anyone can buy it, that’s not the case.
is this even legal?
The answer is kind of.
There are currently 10 states where hemp derived OR marijuana derived CBD is legal for medicinal and recreational use:
- Alaska
- California
- Colorado
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Nevada
- Oregon
- Vermont
- Washington
- and Washington DC
As of 2019, three states have restrictions on all cannabis
- Idaho
- Nebraska
- South Dakota
The remaining states allow hemp derived CBD.
I believe that even if you reside in one of the three states listed that have regulations against cannabis, you can still purchase it online in terms of mainstream skincare products like Milk Makeup’s Kush Mascara. I’m not 100% sure; there isn’t a whole lot of research I could find.
conclusion
There really hasn’t been a ton of research done on the benefits or harm of CBD in skincare, at least none that’s credible. The studies that have done have warranted positive results in terms of reducing psoriasis flare ups, acne, anti-aging, and general skin sensitivity; however, they’ve been pretty inclusive.
Considering The Body Shop has had a hemp line for decades, it’s hard to determine if CBD actually the new “it” ingredient or if it’s just a means of rebranding to sell to Millennials and Gen Z beauty enthusiasts. In my opinion, I’m leaning toward the latter.
As Dr. Jones said, I think it’s probably a fine ingredient but is predominately hype.
What do you think about CBD in skincare?
Images courtesy of Milk Makeup Instagram/ User @kayjwill ; Peter Thomas Roth Instagram ; The Body Shop Instagram
I guess with the legalization of marijuana in many states, it’s starting to be seen as more normalizing. That’s why it’s getting hyped up a lot. I have been using skincare from cannabis stem cells, it’s the CannaCell line from Andalou Naturals but it’s CBD-free.
Hannah the Mad Dog
I know quite a few people who take it internally and really have had good results. In skincare? I guess it probably is good if you have any issues with redness or any inflammatory issues. I think I’ve decided it’s one of those ingredients that won’t hurt anything, but I don’t know how much it actually does. I guess we’ll see when there is more research conducted on the matter!
-Jacqie