CBD Oil for Skincare: What Does It Really Do?

We can’t deny the fact that CBD oil is having a moment, and some people swear by it. If you’re reading this article, chances are you might be intrigued by the benefits of CBD oil for skincare. And guess what? That’s exactly what we are going to talk about. So, just keep reading!

CBD Oil vs. Hemp-seed Oil

Being a skincare connoisseur that you are, we presume that you have definitely used several (if not a lot) of skincare products containing hemp-seed oil. Hence, it’s not surprising if you will be intrigued if hemp-seed oil is the same or similar to CBD oil.

The answer is “No.” Think of hemp-seed oil like olive oil or sesame oil. “It’s just the oil pressed from the seeds of the hemp plant and has zero active ingredient potential, but is good for [providing moisture] and isn’t very comedogenic, meaning you probably won’t break out,” says Charlotte Palermino, co-founder of  Nice Paper, an online platform that aims to educate people about cannabis and destigmatize weed.

Although both oils come from the hemp plant, they are totally different beyond that. “The biggest issue is that hemp seed oil and CBD are two totally different compounds that come from different parts of the hemp plant, have different makeups, and different benefits,” says Ashley Lewis, co-founder of  Fleur Marché, a new online CBD retail destination.

Hemp-seed oil doesn’t have cannabinoids in it, whereas CBD oil can be processed to only have cannabidiol (CBD isolate), or it can have the rest of the cannabinoids present in the hemp plants, including trace amounts of THC (full-spectrum).

What Does CBD Do for the Skin?

The skin is the largest organ, and it’s our first line of defense against pathogens or unwanted organisms. It also happens to have large amounts of cannabinoid receptors, which are components of the body’s endocannabinoid system. The ECS plays a major role in promoting homeostasis within the body. It is believed to help with the regulation of several body functions such as sleep, stress, pain sensation, appetite, inflammation, immunity, and it also regulates how much or how little oil our skin produces.

And it turns out the skin has the same receptors as CBD, which is why the skin responds well with the compound. What CBD does is that it stimulates the cannabinoid receptors in the body’s ECS in order to regulate bacteria, inflammation, and lipid production, which can lead to acne. CBD also affects the ECS in order to regulate the release of anti-histamine and control skin cell proliferation, which causes psoriasis.

In addition, CBD is also believed to be a potent antioxidant. We all know what this means, right? Well, we’ll say it clearly, CBD also has potent antioxidant effects, which means it may help in fighting the signs of skin aging caused by free radicals.

What Is It Used For?

As far as the skin is concerned, CBD is particularly helpful to people who have problems with skin sensitivity, inflammatory skin conditions, skin dryness, and acne. It also supports the skin in its natural healing process, which means it can help in shortening the life span of psoriasis/eczema flare-ups and breakouts. And like what we’ve said earlier, because of CBD’s antioxidant effects, it may help in lessening and fighting the visible signs of skin aging.

What Should You Look For?

With the pooling of CBD products in the market, you can be easily led to buy the wrong product. And depending on where you are heading, you might also be questioned by the authorities. We’ve heard news about people traveling from one state or place to another, only to be questioned by the police. Why is that so? Simply speaking, they might be carrying CBD oil that is derived from the marijuana plant, or the THC concentration of their CBD oil is more than 0.3%.

Hence, we can’t stress enough the importance of reading the content of what you are buying and knowing at first hand if CBD is legal from where you at or where you are heading. Once again, you can effortlessly avoid this by being an inquisitive consumer.

What Else Should You Look For?

According to Dr. Cheryl Bugailiskis, MD, a board-certified pediatrician, and cannabis specialist with HelloMD, “A quality and effective CBD skincare product will feature full- or broad-spectrum CBD that has been organically cultivated (meaning free of pesticides and herbicides) and third-party lab tested (which ensures that the potency and purity listed on the label is in fact what the product contains).”

Moreover, it is also important to ask some questions and find the answers for yourself. Does the product really contain CBD or is it hemp seed oil? How much CBD and THC are in the product? What other ingredients are used in the formulation?

Also, be wary about purchasing full-spectrum CBD products as they contain all the cannabinoids present in the hemp plant, including THC. Once again, check the THC concentration of the product.

Can You Get High from Applying CBD on the Skin?

Getting high requires a high level of THC, which is definitely unlikely with CBD products with less than 0.3% THC concentration. In addition, systemic absorption through topical application is very low. Hence, it would result in very little active ingredient absorbed in the bloodstream.

What’s the Best Method of Consumption?

There hasn’t really been enough research that concludes that applying CBD oil lotion is better than ingesting CBD oil edibles in addressing skincare issues. So, however, you take CBD should be beneficial for your skincare routine.

Nevertheless, it might help to consider that if you apply CBD on your skin, it can be directly absorbed by the receptors and thereby causing a faster, localized effect — whether it’s pain relief or reducing skin inflammation on that area, and so on.

“Oral ingestion of CBD has the potential to affect your skin through multiple pathways internally. However, there is also a therapeutic potential for applying CBD topically to have a more local and direct effect,” says Dr. Chris Louizos.