For thousands of years, we humans have been on the lookout for the new up-and-coming beauty regime.  Beauty hygiene routines have ranged from natural remedies, fads, to chemicals and more.  With the rise of research in CBD we are finding some wonderful values in the use of cannabidiol in beauty and skin care.

Research has firmly established that acne is an inflammatory condition (1)(2). Although multiple factors trigger acne, we know that anything you apply to skin that can reduce inflammation is likely to visibly reduce breakouts, especially acne-related redness.

Numerous studies have shown that CBD oil has anti-inflammatory benefits when applied to skin (3)(4). This makes CBD a suitable ingredient for acne-prone skin, while its calming benefits help reactive skin look and feel better.  A consistent CBD regimen alongside a diet that consists of foods that help regulate inflammation, may great reduce acne.

Research also shows that CBD has the potential to decrease excess sebum (oil) production, possibly due to its balancing effect on the quality of skin’s oil.

Because it comes from a plant, it’s not surprising that CBD oil also has antioxidant properties. THC and CBD are powerful antioxidants—more powerful than vitamin C and E. In fact, the U.S. Government Patent 1999/008769 is specifically for the neuroprotectant and antioxidant properties of cannabinoids.  The antioxidants in CBD are one way topical use helps lessen the visible signs of aging. By counteracting free-radical damage and reducing the look of inflammation, CBD anti-aging creams visibly diminish issues like wrinkles, skin dullness, and ruddy skin tone (5).  Again a consistent regimen of CBD consumed alongside a diet rich in antioxidants (red beans, cloves, acai, dark chocolate, cranberries, cannabis, blueberries, pecans, other nuts, and garlic), may help reduce inflammation and cellular damage.

With so many new brands now on the market, it is helpful to know what to look for when shopping for quality CBD products.

• Make sure the ingredient list states “cannabidiol”. CBD oil is not the same thing as hemp seed oil. The two are often marketed interchangeably, but CBD oil is richly concentrated in cannabidiol, whereas hemp seed oil only contains trace amounts of cannabidiol, if any.
• Many brands selling CBD skin products list the total cannabidiol content in milligrams, sometimes further broken down per use. This is a good indicator the CBD product is legitimate, although there’s currently no consensus on how much CBD skin needs per application; we just know skin has receptor sites for this ingredient that when connected can interrupt signals that cause skin to act up.
• Ask the brand or check to see if they provide evidence of third-party certification on the purity and stated amount of the CBD to be sure you’re getting what the label claims.

For more information on CBD topicals as well as oils, visit http://www.fullyactivatedcbd.com

1.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3780801/

2.  https://www.mdedge.com/dermatology/article/89345/acne/inflammatory-acne-new-developments-pathogenesis-and-treatment

3.  https://www.healthline.com/health/skin-disorders/cbd-for-acne

4.   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4851925/

5.  https://www.projectcbd.org/medicine/cannabinoids-oxidation-book-excerpt

https://www.healthline.com/health/skin-disorders/cbd-for-acne#products

https://www.paulaschoice.com/expert-advice/skincare-advice/natural-skincare/cbd-oil-benefits-for-skin-can-help-acne-anti-aging.html