What Is CBD Cream? (and What to Look for)

CBD cream has gained demand in reducing most skin discomforts. This article guides you through CBD cream, including;its benefits and what to look for when shopping for it.

CBD products are the trending cannabis commodities in the medical and skincare industries.  The adverse effects criticize most skincare products, like lotions, they impose on the skin.  These effects include high dependency, drying the skin, itchiness, and triggering skin pimples and debris. Therefore, companies have opted to add a few drops of CBD oil to make these products and counteract these side effects. In the skincare regime, CBD cream is the most popular product used to moisturize, nourish, and improve skin appearance with no downtime. It is used to lower skin addiction to other cosmetics products and restore natural skin health.

What Is CBD?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a chemical compound alongside 100s of other cannabinoids in the Cannabis Sativa plant. It is extracted from the leaves and flowers of the Hemp plant, where it is highly concentrated. In 2018, the UK parliament legalized using CBD products and other non-psychoactive compounds for public consumption. However, cannabis products with high content of THC (More than 0.2%) remain illegal. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a famous cannabinoid highly associated with the feeling of highness to marijuana smokers.

CBD is a healthy compound withproperties treating various body discomforts and improving skin complexity with minimal or no side effects. Upon extraction of CBD, the compound is highly diluted with organic carriers to create concentrated CBD oil. The oil can be taken sublingually under the tongue or added to products like creams, tinctures, gummy bears, vapes, lotions, etc.

Understanding CBD Cream

CBD cream is a regular skincare product infused with a pre-determined amount of CBD. It is easy and convenient to use and is mostly applied to the affected skin to relieve irritation and deep-rooted debris and boost skin complexity. CBD cream can also be a beauty product to give the skina naturally youthful appearance.

Skincare companies use different extraction methods to derive cannabinoids in making CBD cream. There are different CBD creams in the cannabis market with varying CBD potency, cannabinoid composition, and THC levels. According to Jhawar et al. (2019), there are three types of CBD cream in the skincare industries, they include:

Isolate CBD Cream

Isolate CBD cream comprises only CBD with no contamination from other plant phytochemicals. It is the purest type and is mostly characterized by high CBD potency.  It is extracted using the CO2 technique whereby all other cannabinoids are absorbed from the hemp extract isolating CBD crystals.

Full-Spectrum CBD Cream

It contains all cannabinoids in the hemp plant, including a small amount of THC. It is mostly derived using the cold-pressing extraction method. The hemp leaves and flowers are thoroughly mixed with organic carrier oils like olive and then subjected to high pressure to separate the cannabinoids from other plant phytochemicals. Although CBD compounds are mostly concentrated in the skincare product, users can also benefit from the beauty effects of other minor cannabinoids like Cannabinol and Cannabigerol

Broad Spectrum CBDCream

It comprises almost all plant cannabinoids and terpenes except traces of THC. It provides users with aromatherapy effects of terpenes and other additional skin benefits of minor cannabinoids.

Benefits of CBD Cream

CBD does not penetrate the bloodstream upon application of the herbal cream. Instead, it diffuses into the inner skin layer,interacting with ECS receptors to restore the skin's natural functions. Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is a complex structure that maintains skin and body balance. Therefore, the interaction of ECS and CBD can trigger the following benefits:

Moisturises and Nourishes Dry Skin

CBD triggers the oil glands to produce oily substances that naturally maintain the skin's hydration for the long run. Regular creams contain humectants moisturizing the skin, and when it dries off, it worsens.

Neutralizes Skin Free Radicals

Skin is a barrier protecting the inner body from external threats. It comprises unstable cells that release chemical reactions called radicals. They weaken skin health and appearance. CBD is an anti-oxidant compound that stabilizes radicals and supports normal inflammatory responses.

CBD Has Anti-Ageing Properties

Collagen and elastin are skin proteins responsible for maintaining skin firmness and elasticity. However, as you age, the production of skin proteins reduces gradually, making your skin appear saggy and contains deep-rooted wrinkles.  According to Few et al. (2022), CBD interacts with cannabinoid receptors in skin layers to increase collagen and elastin for softening facial wrinkles and restoring skin elasticity.

CBD Cream Has Healing Properties

Garcia et al. (2019) explained that CBD is made of organic nutrients like amino acids and omegas,boosting cell reproduction in healing damaged skin tissues or muscles. Some creams contain organic materials like beeswaxrich in vitamins and minerals. The nutrients also play a big role in the natural skin healing process.

Treats Skin Irritations and Joint Pain

People applying CBD cream primarily reduce joint or skin irritation caused by fatigue or infections like Acne. According toGiacoppo et al. (2015), CBD interacts with CB1 receptors in the dermal skin layers to block the signaling of pain nerve impulses into the brain, making you feel relieved and calm.

What to Look for When Shopping for CBD Cream

There are many low-quality CBD creams in the skincare market. Therefore consider the following factors in purchasing CBD creams:

CBD Source

Buy creams infused with CBD oil derived from industrial hemp since it ensures high CBD potency.

Go Organic

The hemp plant should be cultivated organically to avoid contaminating the endproduct with harmful chemical residues from farming chemicals like fertilizers. Other ingredients in the cream should also be organic.

Certificate of Analysis (COA)

A published lab result from a third party should be considered. It determines the purity of all the ingredients infused in the CBD cream, including the CBD strength.

CBD Potency

Purchase highly potent CBD creams since they provide effective and efficient results.

Price

CBD topicals may be expensive, but cheap products are not the best option.

Extraction Methods

Purchase Cream infused with CBD extracted using the CO2 or cold pressing method. Most extraction method tends to contaminate the skincare products with harmful chemical solvents.

Conclusion

CBD can be used as the main active ingredient in most cosmetic products. It is a popular herbal skincare product. It is available in hemp and beauty stores in three distinguishing types: CBD isolate, broad-spectrum, and full-spectrum. It is easy and convenient to use since it involves applying it directly to the targeted skin area. CBD cream can moisturize dry skin, neutralize skin free radicals, remove anti-aging signs, alleviate skin irritations, and heal skin damage.

References

Few, J., Lee, M., Semersky, A., Mariscal, E., & Vachon, G. A Single-Center Study Evaluating the Effects of a Novel Retinol and Cannabidiol Combination Topical.

Garcia, V. A., Kyllingstad, J., McCrerey, A. K., & Rodriguez, G. (2019). Effects of Cannabidiol Cream on Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings (Vol. 2, No. 11, p. 22).

Giacoppo, S., Galuppo, M., Pollastro, F., Grassi, G., Bramanti, P., &Mazzon, E. (2015). A new formulation of cannabidiol in cream shows therapeutic effects in a mouse model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. DARU Journal of pharmaceutical sciences, 23(1), 1-17.

Jhawar, N., Schoenberg, E., Wang, J. V., &Saedi, N. (2019). The growing trend of cannabidiol in skincare products. Clinics in dermatology, 37(3), 279-281