Let’s talk about CBD used in skincare. No question, CBD is everywhere, and as the trend grows so does the gimmicky bullshit. CBD and skincare, is this a fad or is CBD beneficial to the largest bodily system, the integumentary system, composed of skin, hair, nails, and sweat glands? For centuries humans have treated sickness and disease with topical herbal applications. Plantain poultices have been used to treat wounds and abrasions, Aloe Vera plants have been used to treat minor burns, and cannabis has been used topically as a liniment or salve treating pain and inflammation directly at the site of pain. These topical herbal applications have been used for centuries due to their effectiveness and organic nature. So, it works, right?

Yes, cannabis topical applications have been deemed effective by many peoples’ testimonies but there have been very few studies conducted to prove this effectiveness. Mind you all the studies completed to date show that cannabis greatly benefits the skin, but not all studies have been carried out on humans and not enough information has been gathered on control groups used for the studies. So how do you know if a product is worthwhile and worth the price??

I’ve already talked about choosing a CBD company in another blog, so I won’t get into all that information again, but here are some promising skincare products that people are raving about. One of the most popular ways to administer CBD is with a pain salve, cream, or liniment. These miracle-working concoctions are great to rub on sore, aching, arthritic, painful, or inflamed body parts including joints, bones, bruises, abrasions, sprains, and/or muscles avoiding any open skin. They are also great to massage into the temporal lobes for migraines and headaches. You can apply these liberally to areas as often as every 1-2 hours to ease pain. Check for potency testing and ingredient labels to ensure product quality and slather away until your heart’s content. I always have a few different types of CBD topicals in the house ready to go. At minimum for household first-aid as a mom of four, I keep a pain salve for bumps, bruises, and pain, an unscented or lightly scented with essential oils CBD lotion for dry chapped skin during season changes, three aromatherapy roll-on blends infused with CBD aimed specifically for headaches, cold and flu symptoms, and stomach aches, and a specialty CBD salve used to heal tattoos and minor wounds as well as alleviate and treat minor burns. They are great for children! When using on little ones, make sure to check that all ingredients are gentle enough for children’s skin.

What about your CBD facials??? CBD is now being incorporated in face serums, face masks, exfoliants, shampoos, conditions, soaps, and the list goes on and on. There is optimistic evidence showing CBD decreases the inflammatory process within the skin and decreases sebum production both improving the acne condition so using it in something that sets on the skin allowing time to be absorbed into the skin could be beneficial. Washing with CBD does not allow much time for absorption potentially decreasing the full benefits of the CBD. I personally love CBD facial oils, serums, toners, creams, and masks. I have found them to be highly moisturizing and perfectly pH balanced for the face while preventing breakouts. I consider all the other ingredients in these products in addition to the cannabinoid extract. In saying that, if you take a great moisturizer and add CBD to the mixture it could potentially only benefit the product. More information and studies should be obtained regarding skin rejuvenation and anti-aging properties. Very little is known in this specific area.

Another amazing benefit to CBD in skincare is the potential to treat skin diseases and complications. From acne to psoriasis, there is strong evidence deeming cannabinoids effective in treating symptoms associated with the skin. Cannabinoids interrupt the inflammatory response associated with these disorders and decrease pesky itching. When choosing a CBD product to treat these symptoms ingredients are very important. Fragrance-free products or products lightly scented with essential oils should be applied to the skin during a breakout or exacerbation. Use only organic natural ingredients avoiding any allergens is necessary if you want the most out of your CBD regimen.

One of the most exciting potential benefits of CBD is the anti-tumoral properties associated with cannabinoids. This is starting to be tested in skin cancers as well as many other types of cancer and reasonably so. In recent studies, cannabinoids not only showed evidence of preventing skin cancers but inhibiting tumor growth of existing cancers. One of the most promising studies the cancer being researched was melanoma, the most dangerous skin cancer. We know that cannabinoids interact with cancer on a cellular level, we just need to know the extent of the reaction and its possible impact on the human body. Everything discovered thus far is very optimistic in proving the cannabinoids are greatly beneficial to the bodily systems including the skin. It will be exciting to learn more and more as the industry progresses.

For now, CBD and other cannabinoids have been deemed safe for topical use. No adverse reactions have been reported to date. Most people compliment or swear by daily or as-needed use of a CBD topical. Unfortunately, little research supports these testimonies. People claim to fully treat skin disease symptoms with the sole use of a CBD skincare product. It’s important to use only tested skincare products and read all the ingredients, avoiding harsh chemicals, unnecessary additives, and preservatives. As for skincare products, I wouldn’t go too overboard in that department. Products that set on the skin like masks or serums are great for receiving and absorbing cannabinoids. Shampoos and soaps may not set on the skin long enough before being washed away to absorb. I would opt for a hair mask to increase hair growth and take a sublingual oil by mouth as well to internally address any deficiency with my endocannabinoid system. Bath bombs and salt soaks are great for treating pain. Even though CBD is dispersed in a large tub of water those oil molecules separate and find the skin for absorption. Just make sure to soak for 25-30 minutes. Not everything is a trend, most CBD skincare products are proving to be beneficial to the integumentary body system, so if you haven’t tried a pain salve, I highly recommend you jump on the bus.