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How to find the best-quality CBD beauty products?

CBD or cannabidiol is currently the most happening compound in the healthcare niche. It is in the news for a variety of reasons but mainly because of the many benefits it offers that are slowly coming into spotlight. Interestingly, CBD is not an unfamiliar ingredient at all especially for skin care and beauty if you follow old traditional ‘recipes’ for these because the compound has been part of traditional medicines for ages. There is documented record of this natural product being used for a variety of skin problems, including rashes and acne, and also for promoting relaxation and sleep.

This was the go- to medication for people across the world in earlier times and you find CBD included in treatment methods in practically every country. However, in more recent years, owing to confusing CBD with marijuana, many people have steered clear of this beneficial natural extract. A common fear that CBD will result in a high has kept many from trying and enjoying the benefits that this product has to offer. This is truly unfortunate because it prevents many from getting the best that nature has to offer.

Why fears about CBD are unfounded

The cannabis sativa plant species can be categorized into two main types- marijuana and hemp. Marijuana is the product that is used to derive a high and it has a very vivid, proven psychoactive effect on you. Marijuana is also legally used in many places of course but there is no denying that it does have an intoxicating effect. This high comes from the THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol content in marijuana that is quite high. It is this THC that makes marijuana a psychoactive substance.

Hemp does contain THC as well but typically this is present in such small amounts that it has no psychoactive effect. Both hemp and marijuana contain cannabinoids that can be used but when you look at CBD products in pain relief or skin care, the compound is extracted from hemp and hence has a very low THC value. When the level of THC is less than 0.3%, it can no long give you a high. CBD that is used for beauty products has less than this percentage of THC and that is why it is perfectly safe for use.

When the Farm bill was signed by President Trump in 2018, it gave CBD from hemp a legal standing at federal level. Since then, CBD has seen an increasing use in various products, mainly beauty and skin care because of its tried and tested benefits in this area. Also note that the FDA has approved a pure CBD extract drug called Epidiolex (also in 2018) to treat certain cases of epilepsy. CBD has, in fact, been in use since generations in traditional medicine for this ailment and now the FDA approval of the drug has only lent credence to the compound’s efficacy. As per studies the drug shows significant impact on reducing the number of seizures in patients. The validation of this CBD product by the FDA ensures that the doors are open a bit wider now for this compound to be researched and used in various other ways for our overall well being.

CBD benefits for skin

CBD works on the body’s endocannabinoid system and addresses many common problems including skin ailments. The most common problems that CBD facial serum, face cream, anti- aging facial serum, glow oil or facial cream may be used for are acne and skin rashes. Research has shown that CBD may not just fight the skin rash at root level but also soothe the inflammation and pain that accompanies severe rashes, thus giving a double pronged benefit.

There have been studies to evaluate the impact of CBD products on common skin conditions like acne and the researchers have concluded that it restricts the production of sebum in the skin and thus is effective in controlling acne. This is the reason for the increasing number of facial creams containing CBD.

Other research has shown that CBD has anti- oxidants that make it a very useful product to ward off signs of premature aging such as wrinkles and lines. This means that regular use of CBD products helps eliminate free radicals in the body that speed up the aging process and cause the skin to become dry and worn out far too soon for your age. If you have been seeing that your skin looks tired, it has lost its glow and is comparable to the skin of a much older person, all you may need is a CBD glow oil or anti- aging serum to restore it to its former youthfulness and good health.

CBD enriched medications are seen to ‘significantly improve’ skin parameters as per studies of data. The data collected included photographic evidence, clinical assessments and questionnaires and the conclusion was made that no allergic reactions were seen in the individuals who used these creams. There is a lot of evidence to show that topical administration of creams and oils with CBD, with no THC at all, is not just safe but also a very effective treatment for many skin disorders. The creams seem to work especially well when there is skin inflammation. As a non- invasive therapy for good skin health and for resolution of skin rashes, inflammation and irritations, CBD infused creams and lotions appear to offer many benefits.

A key concern with CBD products

• A product that undergoes testing is best

One of the major concerns when you are looking for CBD products is that you have to be sure it cannot give you a high. This means the CBD has to come from the right source and the product has to be meticulously tested before it is released to market. Far more than the consumer, it is the manufacturers of beauty products using CBD who are careful in this respect because they do not want to let their brand reputation suffer in any way by producing products that are higher than safely allowed THC levels.

The brands usually take extra care right from stage where the plant is grown. The first concern is to ensure that the hemp plants do not absorb contaminants from the soil. The second is that the THC levels must remain under 0.3%. A hemp plant with less than 0.3% THC is labelled as industrial hemp in most states across the U.S. CBD extracts from such plants can be made into a host of products such as pain relief oil, facial cream, glow oil, anti- aging facial serum, eye serum and more.

• COA to the rescue

Responsible brands ensure that their hemp plants are carefully evaluated to check THC levels so that the CBD extract is assured to have a low enough THC level to avoid giving the user a high. Such brands usually make sure to inform the consumer that the plants and the extract have been tested for THC content and passed only after it has been approved.

As a consumer, you too have the onus of checking the product to see if it has been evaluated by the brand for THC content. Usually the brand mentions this on the packaging or you can take a look at the brand’s website to find out more about how the CBD is extracted and from where and what tests it undergoes.

Take a look at the certificate of analysis to find out how much THC is contained in the product you are choosing. This is the most fool proof way for you to determine if the product has less than 0.3% of THC in it. The certificate of analysis or COA is given by an accredited lab and it tells you how much of different cannabinoids are present in the product. When a manufacturer makes a batch of the CBD skincare cream for instance, they have to send it to the lab where it is tested and then the COA issued detailing that the CBD content matches the claim by the brand. If you have not yet purchased the product, ask the company to show you the COA. Else if you have already bought a product and you want to verify that it has low THC, then you look for the QR code on the package. Scan the QR code and you will be taken to a page with the COA. Keep in mind that you should check the COA for both too much THC and too less of it. After all, you don’t want to buy a product that claims to give you the benefits of CBD but has much too little of the compound to be of any use.

A COA also tells you what other things are present in the product. This is one good way for you to check that it is free of contaminants and impurities as well. Be very careful to check that there are no heavy metals or pesticides mentioned in the COA. You do not want to use a product that has a trace of these.

• The advantage of third party certification

A third- party certification of the CBD product’s contents and purity is always a good thing to look for. Such third- party validations give you a completely objective perspective on the safety of the product and they can be trusted implicitly. A product that has such third- party testing and approval is one that is made by a brand confident about its own quality control, a brand that believes in being transparent about its products and the contents. This is definitely a reliable brand to go with.

• Reviews and testimonials

A simple way to check if the product is effective is to look at what other users have to say. You can simply go to the brand’s website and look for reviews from customers or testimonials of their products. Otherwise, you can check reviews on the shopping site where you are purchasing it. Either way you are sure to get a lot of information about how the product works. A quick round of social media pages should help you understand what the general audience thinks about the product, its effectiveness and its pricing- all in one. You will also be able to gauge how it fares in comparison with its own competitors and how it is better or has more benefits to offer.

A look at what the jargon means

If you are new to the world of CBD products then the jargon can be quite dizzying when you step into a health store to buy your first CBD Facial Serum or CBD Face Cream or CBD Anti Aging Facial Serum. You might see the products marked with one of these terms: full spectrum, isolate or broad spectrum. Which do you buy?? What’s the difference??

Here is what these terms mean:

• Isolate: These products have ONLY CBD. Remember that hemp contains many other cannabinoids as well but these products that are marked isolate have none of the others but CBD. If you are unsure about how your skin will react to other cannabinoids or you simply want to avoid other compounds, opt for a CBD product marked with the term CBD isolate.
• Broad spectrum: These products may have other hemp compounds such as flavonoids, terpenes and many other cannabinoids. These may have benefits to offer too, so do not avoid them without reasons. However, you can rest assured that the broad spectrum CBD face cream or facial serum has no THC.
• Full spectrum: These CBD creams and lotions contain almost all of the compounds that the hemp plant has. This means you get a whole host of cannabinoids and not just CBD when you opt for these. These may also have THC in them but within the permitted level of 0.3%, which still ensures that the product will not have a psychoactive effect on you.

These are the factors to keep in mind when you are shopping for a CBD face cream, CBD glow oil or and other CBD skin care products. Armed with this information, you are now ready to make the best of the vast variety of CBD based beauty products that are available today.