Leave your lava lamps in storage, people; cannabis skin care products will not give you anxiety, hallucinations, or the munchies.
What they will take to new highs, however, is your routine. We caught up with Katy Bacon, Murad’s Asia-Pacific Sales and Education Manager to get the lowdown on the leaves and what they can do for your face…
When did marijuana go mainstream?
“The popularity of CBD has reached an all-time high and cannabis is rightly taking stage as one of nature’s most powerful ingredients. With demands from savvy consumers, skin care companies are looking to nature for ingredients to target individuals’ lifestyle concerns. Taboo no more, ingredients like cannabis, CBD and hemp have found a foothold in mainstream beauty”, Katy explains.
What are the differences between cannabis, marijuana, hemp and CBD?
Need a little help differentiating between the categories? Katy’s got you.
“Cannabis, hemp seed and CBD are the most buzzed-about beauty ingredients and [yet] perhaps the most confusing of all,” she says.
“To give you the 101: the cannabis sativa plant has two main species; hemp and marijuana. Marijuana contains high amounts of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which gives ‘weed’ its psychoactive effect,” she explains. “[On the other hand], hemp is low in ‘THC’ and contains a much higher percentage of CBD. CBD (which stands for cannabidiol) is extracted from the stalks, stems, and flowers but not the seeds of the cannabis sativa plant.”
Is the whole thing just a fad?
Long story short: no. “It’s important to remember fad aside, CBD is clinically proven and has successfully been used for centuries both medically and holistically to provide everything from pain relief and anti-inflammation benefits to treating skin conditions like dryness, sensitivity, eczema, psoriasis and rosacea. Oh, and it’s completely natural – no nasties here,” Katy confirms.
What will CBD do for my complexion?
“CBD is highly anti-inflammatory, one of its superpowers!” says Katy. “This powerful ingredient offers an effective calming and therapeutic benefit when topically applied to the skin (a real godsend if you suffer from inflammatory skin conditions such as acne, sensitivity, eczema, psoriasis and rosacea). It’s also rich in antioxidants which means it’s a great free-radical scavenger, which may help to counteract signs of skin ageing and can support a natural healing process.”
What’s hemp got to offer my skin?
“Hemp seed oil is high in essential fatty acids such as omegas 3, 6 and 9 – think of it as a superfood [for skin],” she explains. “Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) play a key role in skin barrier and maintenance of healthy skin. They are critical for cell membrane integrity and act as precursors for vital bioactive substances such as ceramides. EFAs soothe and nourish, and restore skin softness and moisture, which helps [to] relieve dehydration and wrinkles.”
If I’m going try it, what am I looking for?
Some ingredients do their best work within certain formulas, so look for oil-based options for optimum results. “As cannabis/hemp seed are both rich in omegas, its best to find a lipid-based product such as a balm or oil, ideally applied as a treatment serum after cleansing and before you apply a moisturiser,” Katy says. And as for A.M. vs P.M. application, rules don’t apply. “Cannabis/hemp-based products are safe to use morning and night,” she confirms.
Cannabis skin care to try:
- Andalou CannaCell® Happy Day Cream, $20.99 at Priceline
- Burt’s Bees Hemp Body Lotion, $5.99 at Big W
Main image credit: Getty Images
Have you tried any hemp, cannabis or CBD skin care? Did you see an improvement in your complexion?
Ohhhh I have some murad products I wonder if they have hemp in them?!!
I had a hemp seed lip tar and I liked it but I agree, lots of people will be interested in this due to its links to illicit substance which is not a reason to use and rave about a product.
I have not tried anything with CBD in it but I once got a lip tar many years ago whose second main ingredient was hemp oil. It was a lovely lip product.
I was first scared that it was illegal and that I would fail a drug test if I used it, until I looked it up.
Really interesting and informative article. Thanks
I hope it is not just another bandwagon thing when some companies start using it then all the mainstream ones add a tiny bit and then claim they have it too. I have been using Andalous cannacell and it is lovely cream, but whether it has enough of what you need is another question.
I want to try it, hopefully there’s one at my local stores.
Haven’t tried this. Good to read about the skincare aspect.
The Body Shoo were really one of the forerunners with using hemp in their products.
I remember they had an amazing hemp seed lip balm.
I’m using the Andalou mask at the moment and I’m finding it great in brightening my complexion.
I’d love to try it.
I should try it!
I haven’t caught on just yet but I want to give it a go.
New ingredients for beauty care are always coming to the market
Always exciting to see what’s new in skincare developments.
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I consume hemp every day and although I’m eligible to use medical marijuana, it’s prohibitively expensive.
I consume hemp every day and although I’m eligible to use me%dical mj, it’s prohibitively expensive.
I’d love to try the Andalou products.
Never heard of this trend but it’s interesting
Hemp seed oil is different to thc. It’s from same plant but not the CBD ingredient. It won’t give you the high lol
Yes I did use some skincare with hemp in it.
I think some people are reluctant to use a hemp product because they associate it with marijuana, more information needs to be circulated to explain the difference.