Why use CBD Oil in Skincare?

For the last several years, essential oils have been all the rage.  As is typical when a new “natural” ingredient comes on the market, people jump in with both feet.  Enthusiasm to live a more natural life is great, but must be tempered with deeper knowledge of exactly what they are using.

What is CBD Oil?

CBD Oil is extracted from Hemp via a CO2 ( Carbon dioxide) extraction process. The basic concept is that CO2 under pressure will turn from a gas into a liquid that can then be used as an inert liquid solvent. This liquid solvent is able to diffuse throughout the plant material thus extracting its primary constituents.

The three main disadvantages for this process are: 

• cost
• potential pesticide residue
• lack of information regarding their safety and therapeutic benefits of what is extracted.

With regard to pesticide residue, it is important to only use organic plant material for CO2 extraction.  This is critical when it comes to CBD Oil.

What is Hemp?

Hemp is a plant that “cleans” the soil.  Hemp takes out all the pesticides, solvents, fertilizers and other toxins. Industrial grown hemp is use as a remediation for contaminated areas.  Hemp was used in the vicinity of Chernobyl to help clean the soil. Typically after 3 harvest years, hemp can purify the soil so that is can be evaluated for organic growth.  In China and other foreign countries, hemp is grown and immediately sold without this remediation.

Reputable companies will list the CO2 lab results on their websites or have the information readily available for consumers.   CBD (cannabidiol) should not contain more than 0.3% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) the compound in Marijuana that actually creates the HIGH. They are similar compounds with very different effects.  Purchase oils processed in the United States to be on the safe side of quality. This is one of the reasons FDA warnings on CBD are legitimate.

Is CBD Snake Oil?

CBD is generating some remarkable claims of healing, pain relief and other medical surprises. It is used both topically and orally.  Drops are placed under the tongue to enter the bloodstream.  Very little medical research has been performed to date and that is why the majority of medical centers (Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, & others) urge caution.

On July 18, 2019, Ohio passed new legislation that would allow for cultivation of hemp as long as it contains less than 0.3% THC.  Since then, we have been besieged with requests to use CBD oil in skincare products. CBD oil skin care products were among the first to hit the market. CBD does have substantial anti-inflammatory benefits which was researched using laboratory animals.  Otherwise, the positive effects have primarily been recorded from anecdotal evidence (individual usage).

Is CBD Good for Skin?

According to Dr. Jeremy Davis, M.D., dermatologist at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, there isn’t enough conclusive research out there for dermatologists to routinely suggest the use of CBD in skincare. Since most skin care products are not FDA regulated, it is an easy additive to include. Luckily, it appears that CBD in skincare products is relative safe.

The concerns center around the unreliability of the purity and the effective dosage of CBD. This is mitigated by buying only US Made and Tested CBD oil and using only companies who provide the purity test data to their customers. Dermatologists suggest that CBD be treated with the same respect as essential oils.  They are a plant “extract” and can cause skin sensitivities and reactions just like an essential oil can.  If ingested, they also can affect the liver.  So if CBD ingestion is desired, please involved your personal physician and update them as to how and where you are using CBD so they may track your liver enzymes

We are contemplating a roll-on, a cream or lotion bar with CBD due to the evidence of its anti-inflammatory benefits. IF we do, we will not purchase oil from outside the United States and we will keep oil purity test results on file.  If you have used CBD oil and have experienced healing, we want to hear about it.  Please leave your comments under this post. If you have had a bad experience, we’d like to hear that too in the interest of full disclosure.

See our CBD Skincare products