A beginners guide to CBD Skincare
The CBD trend has been around for a while but isn’t going away, with the centre for medicinal cannabis organisation forecasting that CBD in the uk will be worth £1 billion by 2025. In the beauty industry, CBD is a key trend within the natural / wellness movement, and has become one of the go-to ingredients stories in the skincare market. Despite that, there remains a lot of confusion about the use of topical CBD, and what benefits you can expect. In today’s blog, we review the myth and facts about CBD skincare.
What is CBD?
CBD is a cannabinoid (a chemical compound) found in the marijuana or hemp plant. It is non-intoxicating, so is not psychoactive, unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is the most famous compound within the plant. CBD is extracted from the flower and leaves of the plant, and usually mixed an oil carrier which is suitable for human skin such as argan or coconut. It should not be confused with hemp seed oil which is extracted only from the seeds, and has different benefits and a much lower concentration of cannabinoid.
What are the benefits of using CBD and hemp seed oil in skincare?
Hemp seed oil is usually used for moisturisation and skin softening. It also contains antioxidants, fatty acids and will not clog the pores. Hemp seed oil has been used in the beauty industry for years, so isn’t viewed as a new “wonder” ingredient, and for parched skin there are plenty of other effective ingredients out there (hello Hyaluronic Acid).
In contrast, the benefits of using CBD in skincare are still very much being explored. What has created the beauty buzz around it is potential for CBD to treat some of the most problematic skin conditions.
Acne: CBD is an effective anti-inflammatory to help to calm and soothe irritated skin. Alongside this, a 2014 study found that CBD may also help to regulate sebum production so that excess isn’t being produced, which can cause blocked pores if mixed with pollutants, dirt or dead skin cells. CBD is therefore often marketed as an active ingredient to help treat acne-prone skin.
Anti-ageing: CBD is rich in antioxidants which help to counteract and reduce free radical damage from the sun and environment. As free radicals are a known cause of premature skin ageing, this means CBD has the potential to deliver good anti-ageing benefits. Alongside this, its anti-inflammatory properties could help to keep ageing skin looking healthy and fresh.
Eczema and Psoriasis: Due to its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties CBD may be helpful in treating Eczema conditions. The National Eczema Organisation highlights that trials in this area have been limited, but the theory behind the use of CBD in eczema topical treatments is exciting.
Does CBD skincare work?
There are few watch-outs when it comes to CBD skincare:
Proof: Testing and trials are promising but so far have not been widespread, especially in human trials. At the moment there is not the depth of data or clinical proof to fully demonstrate the skincare benefits for topical CBD
Ingredient content: There have been instances of products being marketed as CBD skincare when they contained very low levels, or hemp seed oil which has completely different benefits and properties. This has been called “green-washing” where product labelling has been misleading or the content of CBD hasn’t been at a level to be effective. This may be because the regulation and guidance around hemp vs marijuana vs cannabis, and how they can be used, is still very mixed and misunderstood
So should you try CBD skincare? Absolutely - there are enough products out there on the market now with great consumer reviews so its definitely worth giving CBD a go. Just make sure you do your research and check the ingredient list first.
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