Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, gets a lot of attention for treating chronic conditions such as pain, anxiety, insomnia, even seizures. And while it does offer health benefits, you shouldn’t overlook CBD’s potential for beauty benefits, too.
CBD in skincare can offer a solution for inflammatory skin conditions, support for sensitive skin, and a way to fight the signs of aging. It’s a natural, plant based product that can help your skin.
What is CBD?
CBD is a cannabinoid derived from the cannabis plant. Cannabis is known for another popular cannabinoid, THC, but unlike THC, CBD won’t get you high.
It works as an anti inflammatory and antibacterial tool, and can offer a host of benefits for your skin when used topically:
- Rejuvenation
- Brightening
- Smoothing wrinkles
- Relief for dry skin
- Soothing sunburned skin
CBD is available in a variety of skincare products. You may see CBD in products such as:
- Moisturizers
- Lotions
- Body creams
- Facial serums
- Masks
- Face creams
- Cleansers
- Exfoliants
- Soaps
- Body wash
- Eye serums
- Eye creams
How Does CBD Help Skin?
Offering anti-inflammatory properties, CBD can calm your skin and can treat skin imbalances. That means it may be a good choice for conditions such as acne, eczema, dry skin, psoriasis, or sun damage.
CBD oil is rich in antioxidants, and has vitamins B, C, and E. It also offers healing fats omega 3 and omega 6. Some skincare products combine CBD with other skin soothing ingredients such as shea butter and aloe vera.
What to Know About Using CBD For Skincare
CBD products are legal at the federal level. However, some states have their own restrictions on CBD, so it’s a good idea to check before you start using CBD.
Look for products with hemp oil. Hemp oil has CBD in it, coming from the buds and flowers of the hemp plant.
Be careful to keep in mind the CBD is somewhat of a beauty buzzword, and while you might find it on the label of many products, that doesn’t necessarily mean it offers the full potential of CBD. You’ll want to know how much CBD a product has, and the quality of the CBD. The product should be independently tested for purity.
Find out how much CBD the product has. Look for a third party testing certificate that indicates the amount of CBD and other compounds in the oil. Ideally, you should look for CBD skincare products with 25mg to 250 mg of CBD per ounce.
A little goes a long way. You don’t have to replace your entire skincare routine all at once with CBD. It’s enough to pick a few key items here and there. For example, it could be helpful to replace your night serum with a CBD version, or swap out your body wash.
If you’re curious about using CBD skincare products, consider what might be the most helpful for you. Look for products that can support healthy skin both with and without CBD, and take care to consider product quality, purity, and potency.
Amelia Noble is a researcher with the CBD Awareness Project. When she’s not working, you can find her playing board games.
