When I herniated a disc, I had pretty much every bit of advice thrown at me. From special pillows to meditation, I got used to nodding and thanking people for their good intentions (even if the good intentions were doing nothing at all for my back). After a couple of months of agony, the advice started getting more, well, herby. From CBD oil to hemp oil to just plain smoking marijuana, it seemed that everyone was convinced that the Cannabis Sativa plant was the answer to my problems.
Hemp oil, hemp extract and medicinal cannabis oil are all made from the same plant. Hemp oil and hemp foods have very low levels of CBD, meaning that you won’t be able to get high, even if you drink a heck of a lot of hemp protein smoothies. (1)
Hemp is popular these days, and not just for Canadians such as myself (insert random Canadian joke here. Go on. I'll wait.). April Pride, the CCO of the female focused cannabis lifestyle brand Van der Pop says, “2017 was the year of CBD, which activates receptors beneath the skin's surface to truly offer whole-plant benefits for an integrated beauty solution.” (2)
The Body Shop has been using hemp oil in their products since the 90s. Their hemp oil lotion is so popular that one is sold every nine seconds worldwide. (3) It seems a lot more companies are getting on board, mostly using industrial hemp, which is the same kind that makes hemp seeds.
In other words, you don’t need a prescription to obtain a product with hemp (although CBD oil may depend on the state you live in).
Hemp oil is high (no pun intended) in vitamins A, C and E and also Omega 3s, 6s and 9s. It is “naturally anti-aging,” according to Becky Adam, founder of Lovebud LLC, a skincare line based out of California. 80 percent fatty acids are believed to plump up skin, reduce fine lines and leave you looking radiant. (2)
However, skincare isn’t the only place where you can get hemp-derived oil. Sephora sells products like Milk Makeup’s Kush High Volume Mascara which claims that hemp oil gives mascara a “hydrating boost.” Almost any beauty product you can imagine now has a hemp or CBD oil replacement and have become much more chic than they may have been in their early days.
But are the benefits honest or hype? As with most claims in the beauty industry, it’s hard to say. Research is sparse, but there was a 2014 study in the Journal of Clinical Investigation that showed promising results for using CBD to treat acne. (4) In addition, a study done by Tamás Bíró, PhD, in the immunology department at the University of Debrecen in Hungary, found that applying CBD oil to human skin cells prevented inflammation. “if an inflammatory or irritation challenge assaults the skin, the endocannabinoid system fights against it,” he says. (5)
In any case, hemp and CBD used for skin and beauty care may help to separate its benefits from the psychoactive side effects. Hemp oil and CBD oil are not yet mainstream, but it seems to be peaking the interest in people who would not find themselves anywhere near a marijuana joint.
It’s totally dope, man.