CBD Skincare Products Online: Truth or Trend?
Over the past two years, CBD has become one of the hottest trends in wellness, nutrition and skincare. Even world-famous actors like Tom Hanks, Jennifer Aniston, and Whoopi Goldberg have started speaking about how they use CBD, and it’s not just actors! Athletes are starting to open up about their CBD use, too, including Gordon Ryan, Mickey Gall, and Anthony Pettis.
But why is it suddenly in skincare products?
The CBD Basics
If you’re already familiar with cannabidiol (CBD), feel free to skip this section. CBD is a non-psychoactive compound found within the cannabis plant. Non-psychoactive just means that it doesn’t get you high. No, if you’ve ever smoked weed and had that high feeling, it’s the tetrahydrocannabinol, aka THC, that’s doing that.
Rather, CBD and THC are just two of 113 known cannabinoids that work with the body’s cannabinoid receptors. Cannabinoid receptors exist in our nervous system and on many organs and cells. These cannabinoids help regulate homeostasis, or balance, in the body to make sure everything’s working as it should through the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). (For more on the ECS, check out blogs here.)
While CBD has been used as an alternative medicine for at least 5,000 years, it was only in 1940 that Robert S. Cahn documented the compound’s full structure. Since then, especially in the past decade, research on CBD has started taking off.
CBD for Your Skin
Okay, so with the basics are out of the way, let’s start focussing on CBD skincare products online. CBD skincare products are exactly what the name suggests: skincare serums, balms, and even lippy that are infused with CBD oil. But do they live up to the hype?
Well, to help evaluate, we looked at work of board-certified dermatologist Dr. Jeanette Jacknin and what she’s written and said on the topic.
What Skin Conditions Does CBD Address?
Like us, Dr. Jacknin bases her CBD recommendations on peer-reviewed studies, and also anecdotal evidence she gathers with her patients. (While we don’t have patients, we have customers, and over 1,000 reviews have told us how effective it is.) Dr. Jacknin says the research, and her own experience, show topical cannabinoids beneficial for acne, rashes, dermatitis, itching, and even psoriasis.
For those not suffering from skin conditions, magazines like Marie Claire and Vogue have covered CBD skincare products online as part of daily skincare routines in detail, too, and how it treats dry skin, fine lines, and wrinkles given its antioxidant and moisturising properties.
Finally, the most recent clinical study on CBD for skin showed it is a safe, effective treatment for a variety of skin diseases, and even scars. If you’d like more on this, we’ve written about several uses for CBD and skin here and cited many more studies within those blogs, too.
How to Incorporate CBD into Your Skincare Routine
First, Dr. Jacknin advises to investigate the brand you’re considering buying from. Read the label in detail, and make sure they have an independent laboratory certification on their products, like ours do here.
Second, start with a small quantity of a high-potency CBD skincare product, try it out, and see how your skin responds. Whether you’re using it to treat a skin condition, or simply to improve the look and feel of your skin and minimise dryness and wrinkles, you can always adjust the frequency or quantity of the serum or balm you’re using depending on the results you’re after.
How Long Does It Take to Notice Benefits from CBD Skincare Products Online?
For conditions like psoriasis or rashes, you should notice a difference within a few days of use. For general skincare, we’ve found that within a day or two you’ll less redness, less puffiness, glowing skin, and a more even complexion.
Is It Possible to Have an Adverse Reaction?
There are always potential sensitivities, but in Dr. Jacknin’s work she has said that she’s found there were no indications of dermatitis or adverse reactions. We’ve never had a customer tell us about any bad reactions, either.
Final Thoughts
With the growing number of clinical studies, anecdotal evidence, and an explosion of brands and products for CBD skincare, it seems clear that this is more a case of ‘truth’ than ‘trend’.
Have you used CBD for your skin? Let us know in the comments about what you found. And if you have any questions, feel free to reach out and email us. We’re always happy to help.