Every beauty enthusiast has likely heard about the benefits of CBD in the past few years. It has exploded in popularity as a natural health supplement as new research uncovers its potential to help treat a variety of medical conditions and health issues.
In the last few years, many beauty products touting the inclusion of CBD as an ingredient have started to appear on shelves and websites. If you’ve never heard of CBD before, you may be wary or confused about what it is and how it helps. It is smart to be careful about what ingredients are used in beauty products, considering how many can be harmful. If you are unsure about what CBD is, how it works, and what benefits it has for your beauty routine, this complete guide to the basics will help you.
What Is CBD?
Cannabidiol, or CBD for short, is a naturally occurring chemical compound found in cannabis plants. By itself, CBD is not psychoactive at all, meaning it won’t make you feel high or alter your mental state like the THC in marijuana does. However, CBD does also share many of the same medical benefits of THC. It can relieve pain, reduce anxiety, treat cancer symptoms, improve sleep, and more.
CBD is extracted from cannabis plants and refined as an oil. You can take CBD oil directly as a supplement, but it is also becoming increasingly used in other types of products, such as food or drink, prescription medication for issues like epilepsy, protein supplements for athletes, and beauty products.
The Benefits of CBD for Beauty
According to Hemmfy.com, there are four main beauty benefits of CBD that come down to its properties as a chemical compound, and how those can be applied to what we know regarding what beauty products work and what don’t.
1. Antioxidants
As a chemical compound, research has shown that CBD is a powerful antioxidant. One of the most in demand types of ingredients used in skincare and anti-aging beauty products are antioxidants. This is because it reduces and counters the production of “free radicals” which damage your skin cells, causing pigmentation and wrinkles. Antioxidants are now considered an essential ingredient for all skin products to keep it looking young and vibrant.
2. Omega Fatty Proteins
CBD is loaded with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which is a critically important building block for a number of our biological functions, including producing healthy cells. That makes omega fatty acids another highly in-demand ingredient for beauty products, as CBD can help your skin and hair’s health and vibrancy.
3. Anti-Inflammatory
Inflamed skin is a cause for a number of issues, such as acne, rashes, redness, pain and dryness. CBD, in part because it is loaded with antioxidants and fatty acids, is a powerful anti-inflammatory. It is included in beauty products to help reduce inflammation in your skin, and is even used in acne creams and other treatments for skin disorders like dermatitis and psoriasis.
4. Safe and All-Natural
What makes CBD a great ingredient for beauty, skincare and hair products is it is a natural chemical compound, and comes with little to no side effects. Considering the problems with mass-produced beauty products with harsh, artificially created chemicals that can cause damage in the long-term that makes CBD valuable as a safe and natural ingredient.
Types of Beauty Products with CBD
Now that you know what CBD is and how it can help as an ingredient in your beauty products, it’s worth knowing what kinds of products you can get that use CBD. Here is a list of some of the best and most popular beauty products that benefit the most from including it.
1. CBD Moisturizer
The combination of antioxidants and fatty acids makes CBD great in a moisturizer. You can find great moisturizers full of other hydrating ingredients to cut down on dry, itchy skin. It’s a must-have for your daily skincare routine.
2. CBD Beauty Serum
Beauty serums are great for forming a protective barrier for your skin. Typically, you use serums to deliver a higher concentration of an ingredient or two to your skin. CBD with its antioxidants and fatty acids may be specific ingredients you want to have a higher concentration of in your skin, making CBD serum a useful tool in your kit.
3. CBD Lotion
Lotions are typically used more for the body and less for the face, where skin can be more sensitive. This is because lotions, which are more water-based, can attract more bacteria and therefore have more harsh preservatives. The preservatives are what can dry out or damage your skin, so having CBD lotions to counteract that can be essential for keeping the skin on your body smooth and healthy.
4. CBD Acne Cream
Inflammation is one of the main causes for acne. If inflammation is behind your breakouts, then getting acne creams that reduce inflammation can be a big help to treat and prevent future breakouts. If your issues are due to hormones, oily skin, or bacteria then you may not find it is as effective. You can try CBD acne cream to see if it helps you, but you can also find CBD acne treatments that can help with oil and bacteria as a sort of all-in-one acne solution.
5. CBD Soap
It is necessary, especially during a pandemic, to use soap on our hands, faces, and bodies to kill harmful bacteria. Some soap can be harsh on your skin, drying it out and making it look dull. You can get liquid soap and bars with CBD to counteract the damaging effects of soap, while also including other helpful ingredients to help your skin.
6. CBD Exfoliating Cleansers
Facial scrubs and exfoliating cleansers are a great way to shed dead skin cells and reveal a healthier, brighter layer of skin. But they can also cause redness and inflammation as part of the process. CBD is a great active ingredient to cut down on the inflammation and make sure your new layer of skin is healthy and vibrant.
There are other types of CBD beauty products that you can include in your routine. And in the future, it is almost a certainty that we will see new types of CBD products specifically to help with your beauty, skincare and hair health. It can definitely be worth trying new products with CBD and see if they help with different parts of your routine!