You may have heard of CBD-based health and beauty products. The popularity of these products derived from the versatile hemp plant is exploding, and CBD products have been used to relieve everything from chronic pain to anxiety. And as CBD becomes more available, there are a lot of people getting more and more curious about the benefits of the various lotions, ointments and oils on the market. Given the benefits of topical CBD products, these products are increasingly winning over consumers who are looking for something that improves their quality of life and well being without side effects they would normally get from using pharmaceuticals.
If you are experimenting with CBD for the first time, it all might seem a little confusing at first. There are a lot of different products to choose from, and it’s critical to understand dosing, what constitutes a quality product, and what you need to consider before buying. But before we dive into that, let’s look at more of the health benefits that CBD provides.
The Health Benefits of CBD Lotion
CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of several chemical compounds found in the cannabis family of plants. But unlike products made from marijuana, CBD products extracted from hemp naturally have lower levels of THC, which is the cannabinoid responsible for psychotropic effects.
In recent decades, scientific research has shown that some components of cannabis, especially CBD, are responsible for relieving various types of aches and pains in addition to providing general well-being and mood balance. But how does it work?
Our body has what’s known as the endocannabinoid system, which is involved in regulating a variety of functions, including sleep, mood, metabolism, appetite, energy balance and pain. When this system doesn’t work properly, our health worsens. We become more prone to diseases, mood swings, lethargy and other various ailments and disorders. And the secret to CBD’s power is here: It has the ability to interact with your endocannabinoid system, correcting and altering its activities for the better.
Besides offering pain relief and reduced inflammation, CBD has vitamins A, B, D, E and is high in antioxidants. It also has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-acne properties. With so many benefits, it’s become increasingly more available in beauty products, especially those designed with skin rejuvenation in mind.
Skincare Benefits
CBD in lotions and creams have a myriad of potential benefits for your skin. The presence of the aforementioned vitamins and antioxidants can offer reduced pain and inflammation, damage from free radicals, and skin dryness. This can help fight the signs of aging.
CBD lotions can also help balance your tone and complexion by balancing the oils on your skin. This can have amazing effects on acne and breakouts.
And of course, because of CBD’s natural anti-inflammatory properties, it has an overall soothing effect on your skin, keeping it hydrated and reducing dryness and itching. You would need multiple products to get the same benefits that CBD offers.
Choosing the Right CBD Product
With so many benefits for the body and mind, there’s been an explosion in products with CBD. There are oils, capsules, creams and ointments sold for various purposes. And yet, the method in which the CBD is applied also determines its effects on the body. So how do you choose the right one?
CBD Oils and Lotions
The quality of the CBD is the most important indicator when choosing a lotion. It’s not simply an essential oil—the quality of the source plant can vary immensely. Try to purchase oils and lotions from producers that offer lab tests from third parties, and also ensure that the producer is following FDA standards for their production.
An important indicator of the quality of CBD is how it’s extracted from the hemp plant. There are several different methods for extracting CBD, but you’ll want to focus primarily on producers that use CO2 extraction. This extraction method is among the purest methods available for extracting cannabinoids from the hemp plant.
Another thing to pay attention to is the type of CBD that’s produced in the extraction process. There are actually three types:
- Isolate CBD
- Full-spectrum CBD
- Broad-spectrum CBD
The isolate CBD method completely separates the CBD molecule from the rest of the hemp plant. And while CBD on its own offers some benefits, it doesn’t perform as well without the other components of the hemp plant.
On the other hand, the broad spectrum CBD and full spectrum CBD contain the other particulates of the hemp plant, which allows for CBD to perform much better. The difference between these two CBD types is that full-spectrum includes traces of THC while broad-spectrum does not. For maximum benefits without psychoactive side effects, broad-spectrum extraction is the best method.
Lastly, there’s the strength of the CBD product that you’ll want to consider. There are no guidelines for how much CBD you should use, so finding the amount that works for you can take some time and experimenting. That said, pay attention to what mg of CBD that products offer as they can vary immensely.
CBD Oil and Lotion Strength
As with any other product intended for health, beauty and well-being, the proper dosage is important. And there are several factors that need to be considered, such as your health status, weight, metabolism and even your sensitivity to cannabis and CBD.
If you’ve never tried CBD before, we recommend that you start with lower dosage products. Start with a single 5mg dose to assess the body’s reaction. If you don’t have reaction or sensitivity, gradually increase your dosage, day by day, until you begin to feel the desired effects. Keep in mind that it can take some time and experimentation to find the right dosage for the effect you want.
And even if you are a regular consumer of CBD products, whenever you want to change the concentration, the method of consumption, or the product, start at the bottom and gradually increase.
As for the number of times a day, it depends on your reasons. If you are taking CBD for general well-being, you might want to consider applying your lotion once or twice per day but with a higher dosage.
If, on the other hand, you’re using CBD lotion for pain management, you might find that applying a lower dosage multiple times throughout the day works better for you. Again, experimenting slowly and gradually increasing the dosage until you get the desired effect is the best process to follow.
Keep in mind that CBD’s potential is in its ability to function in harmony with the body. And excess CBD generates imbalance. Learn to listen to your body, look for products with certified quality and professionals who have all the necessary knowledge to support you in this process.