CBD Beauty Products

What is CBD anyway?

CBD is one of more than 80 compounds called cannabinoids derived from the cannabis sativa plant. CBD, which does not get you stoned, and THC, which does, are the two most well-known of these. Throughout Reefer Madness days, any attention marijuana was based on THC, the ingredient that allegedly made nice girls insane and jazz musicians shack up. Strains were bred to contain high THC because normally people who buy cannabis wanted to get high. Until the aughts when scientists began studying the health benefits of low-THC varieties, CBD did not pique much interest on the state side.

So, can it get you high?

No, no, a thousand times, no. Which is precisely what’s making CBD so popular right now.

Why is it in everything right now?

“Honestly, people didn’t really know about how beneficial CBD can be prior to legalization,” says Claudia Mata, cofounder of infused skincare line Vertly. “It’s got anti-inflammation properties, vitamins A, D, and E, and essential fatty acids. The public is starting to view it the way we do — more like a vitamin.”

Now that cannabis is legal in much of the United States (medical marijuana in 33 states and recreational cannabis in 10 states, plus Washington D.C.), more people have had the opportunity to experience the plant in a whole new way. “The word of mouth on CBD has spread like wildfire,” says Cindy Capobianco, cofounder of Lord Jones, a chic brand of infused goodies that are available in Standard hotels and SoulCycle studios nationwide. “The enthusiasm and education about CBD is de-stigmatizing and normalizing the cannabis plant faster than we could have ever imagined.”

How does CBD work?

Our bodies actually produce anandamide, also known as the “bliss molecule,” our own cannabis-type compound. (Think: runner’s high.) “CBD naturally elevates the levels of your own endocannabinoid,” says Michele Ross, founder of Infused Health, a cannabis education and health coaching program. “Increasing anandamide in your body and brain has anti-inflammatory effects, but it also has other activities at other receptors.” What all these are still being carried out in the laboratory. Many media attention came from its use in treating therapy-resistant epilepsy, and it was lauded as a possible response to everything from anxiety to breast cancer.

The Science of CBD

CBD isn’t dangerous. “It has long been used for its ultra-hydrating and emollient properties,” explains Dr. Zeichner.

Nevertheless, proper dosing of CBD is something of an art mixed with science. This is more than a general guideline. Try microdosing (less than 2.5 milligrams) of cannabis oil under your tongue every day for the best beauty benefits, so the CBD remains in your body and feeds from the inside.

Other methods of adding CBD into skin care routines include:

• Topical application by combining pure oil into moisturizers or intensive repair creams
• Infusing oil into sea-salt soaks
• Blending oil and dried plant materials into soaps
• Adding pure oils, butter or flowers into your diet