What's with the CBD Skin Care Buzz? 3 Reasons Why This Trend is Here To Stay

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What is CBD?+−
- A few important CBD FACTS:
Top 3 Reasons CBD Skin Care is So Hot Right Now
1. Acne Awareness+−
- the research behind it
2. Psoriasis and Other Skin Conditions+−
- a natural alternative
3. Scarring+−
- cbd’s might help
- everyone is affected
Where Can You Get Skin Care with CBD?+−
Fake Product Alert: Hemp Oil is not CBD.+−
- what’s the difference?
CBD Prediction: A Passing Fad or Will it Stay for Years to Come?+−
- reverberating effects

CBD is quickly taking a place alongside popular anti-aging buzz words like Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid. It is slowly becoming a staple skin and body care ingredient that those in the know keep stocked among their self-care products. Why? Is this just a new trend or will it stick around?

As a 10 year veteran that specializes in the organic skin care industry, I have seen many fads come and go. Glitter Masks are a great example—with no added benefit to offer the skin, these gimmicky masks feel primarily like an Instagram inspired fad. They don’t have skin benefits to keep them around and I predict they will fade from the shelves sooner rather than later.

In contrast, Hyaluronic Acid, a staple hydrating serum ingredient, has been used in skin care since 1963 and remains a top ingredient to benefit the skin. Could CBD be on the shortlist of ingredients to also break the 50+ year mark?

Read on to discover the top 3 reasons CBD is so popular right now and my prediction whether this trend will fade or stay for the long haul.

What is CBD?

CBD is currently being marketed everywhere, but do you know what it is? If you are new to CBD and are intrigued to discover deeper insight into the science of CBD, I recommend reading A Beginner’s Guide to CBD.

For now, the following facts will give you a solid foundation before we get into the top reasons why CBD is a skin care staple.

A few important CBD FACTS:

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a chemical compound that comes from the hemp plant.
It is one of over 85 unique compounds found in hemp, all known as cannabinoids.
CBD will not get you high. Unlike THC, CBD is not psychoactive.
CBD acts as a kick starter to help the functions of the body’s central regulatory system.
CBD has been found to have numerous medical benefits for various health issues including Epilepsy in children, PTSD, anxiety, and insomnia among many others.

Top 3 Reasons CBD Skin Care is So Hot Right Now

1. Acne Awareness

With acne spanning multiple generations and causing physical, emotional, and social effects, the skin care industry is always looking for the next ingredient that could more efficiently calm and clear acneic skin conditions.

In addition, we are now a part of the social media generation where posting photos constantly is the norm. With this, we are constantly aware of how we look and acne is one of the most noticeable and widespread skin conditions. The data is staggering. More than 90 percent of the world population is affected by acne at some point in their life.

the research behind it

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation and the National Institute of Health discovered that CBD can be effective for individuals with acne. Researchers came to the conclusion that CBD acts as a highly effective sebostatic agent by inhibiting lipid synthesis. Lower oil production could lead to a decrease in acne, and specifically cystic acne.

Researchers concluded that CBD was a “promising therapeutic agent” for acne treatment. These results are making a lot of people take notice of CBD and giving it a try for their acne concerns.

2. Psoriasis and Other Skin Conditions

Some common skin conditions include acne, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, eczema, rosacea, as well as itching and burns. These conditions either are difficult to treat or they are very uncomfortable with lasting skin consequences like scarring. For some of these conditions, the only answer in the medical community has been to prescribe strong medications or steroid creams to treat the inflammation. These typically come with an undesirable list of side effects.

a natural alternative

Across various studies, linked in the references below, there is promising data that CBD has positive effects as a non-steroidal therapy option for skin conditions, without the negative side effects steroidal creams can have.

One study investigated the therapeutic effect of CBD-ointment administered on severe skin chronic diseases. This concluded that according to photographic data and investigators’ clinical assessment, the results showed that topical treatment with CBD-enriched ointment significantly improved the skin parameters (hydration, TEWL, elasticity), the symptoms and also the PASI (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index) score. No irritant or allergic reactions were documented during the period of treatment.

It is also the first solo ingredient (that I am aware of) to effect such a broad range of conditions with promising results. That alone makes all the buzz around CBD in skin care understandably attractive.

3. Scarring

Acne, atopic dermatitis, itching, and numerous other skin conditions can create lasting scarring that is difficult to treat, smooth out and heal. Medical treatments include surgery to remove the scar, steroid injections, or silicone sheets to flatten the scar. All of these are either invasive or have limits to their effectiveness.

cbd’s might help

Studies testing CBD’s ability to positively affect skin scarring have found some hopeful results. CBD could be a large leap forward in the treatment of skin scarring with minimal invasiveness, irritation or side effects.

Although scars rarely pose a health risk, this skin condition can include physical discomfort, aesthetic, social and psychological distress. When scarring is cosmetically disfiguring it may even lead to depression, anxiety and problems with social interaction. All of this can lead to an overall decreased quality of life. This makes a solution to scarring, outside of the more extreme medical options, very attractive and desirable.

everyone is affected

The likelihood that you have had, or are currently suffering with, one or more of the above conditions is very high. This also holds true for you, your friends and your even your neighbors. With CBD showing the ability to positively affect all of these conditions, it is a no brainer that CBD has become such a buzz word! Now that you may be intrigued to check it the next thing you’re probably wondering is – where can you get it?

Where Can You Get Skin Care with CBD?

CBD is not a psychoactive ingredient so, depending on your location, you can more easily purchase products containing it. Many mainstream companies are being very cautious around embracing the sale of CBD products because of its direct association with the hemp plant. This connection leads many people to falsely assume it’s a form of marijuana. So, where can you get CBD?

it depends on your state

As of November 2017, 29 in the United States 44 states legally allow usage of CBD Oil. Even among these 44, the laws differ state to state and can get confusing.

Some states sell CBD oil off the shelves of health food stores, other states require a medical marijuana license to purchase CBD in a dispensary and even others allow the use and possession of CBD but do not allow the sale of it. Interesting, right?

a new era

January 1st, 2018 California legalized marijuana and residents could enter and purchase from dispensaries without a card. Curious, in Feb 2018, I went to my new local dispensary and was shocked at what I found.

The modern dispensary felt like a gourmet market and pharmacy. Mints, chocolate, candy, soda, and beer were dispersed between vape pens and cartridges all clearly labelled with their benefits and intended uses. Now, just one year later, the dispensary shelves are also lined with skin care full of CBD enhanced products.

These products are not limited to dispensaries though! In 2018, Target sold a line of CBD products (which they have since removed from shelves) and in 2019 CVS has publicly released that it will begin to sell CBD products in select states.

try online!

In addition to these large brands, numerous privately owned companies openly sell CBD products online in the form of creams, serums, bath salts, oil tinctures. These products are for a wide variety of human and animal applications. Yes, you read that right – humans and animals can use CBD. It is currently sold as a safe ingredient for both species.

So, what does all that mean if you want to get some to try for the benefits listed above? Check your state laws. The references below are a good place to start. Just know, that the laws may have evolved by the time you are ready to purchase it.

Fake Product Alert: Hemp Oil is not CBD.

Be clear about what you are purchasing if you choose to try it. There are many companies trying to make money off the CBD movement and are making CBD product claims in their marketing when the products simply contain pure Hemp Oil.

Hemp oil can be a great cooking oil and skin soother, however, unlike CBD oil, hemp oil is derived from the seeds of the hemp plant. This means that the number of cannabinoids found in hemp oil is actually quite low.

what’s the difference?

The CBD content of this oil may be close to 0%. To fight back, top CBD brands have started to identify their CBD extract with the terms “full spectrum”, “broad spectrum” and clearly labeling on the bottle with the amount of active CBD in milligrams (mg) that you can find within the product.

In short, with numerous small businesses getting involved in the CBD movement, it is more important than ever to research brands to ensure quality and ingredient profiles of what you are consuming.

CBD Prediction: A Passing Fad or Will it Stay for Years to Come?

The short answer is, I feel CBD has the potential to be here for multiple generations. Based on current research, public interest and data, the future of CBD looks promising.

With the benefit list continuing to grow and it being the first ingredient to show effects that span across so many inflammatory and health conditions, the uses seem endless.

reverberating effects

Perhaps more importantly, similar to Hyaluronic Acid, it shows evidence of supporting skin and causing positive effects across multiple conditions, skin types, genetic profiles and species. The list of single ingredients with such far reaching effects and potential is few and far between.

So, if the laws and public embrace CBD I think it may become a staple household self-care ingredients for many years to come.

Why is CBD Skin Care Everywhere Right Now? 3 Reasons Why This Trend is Here To Stay