CBD oil, made from a compound found in marijuana, is being widely used in natural skincare and beauty products
Weed-filled beauty products are getting a lot of buzz.
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil, made from a non-intoxicating compound found in marijuana plants said to relieve pain, reduce inflammation and help anxiety, is making its way into mainstream beauty products like lotions, lip balms, face serums and eye creams. But don’t expect a body buzz: CBD won’t get you high like THC, the main active ingredient in marijuana, so it’s perfectly legal. And some dermatologists approve.
“(CBD oil) gives the skin a calming effect, making it useful to treat conditions like eczema,” Dr. Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital, told Moneyish. “Natural skincare is becoming increasingly popular. I’m all for them.”
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Startups like Cannula, a line of topical products that contain all-natural CBD and manuka honey, are launching at select Urban Outfitters stores and online next month. Other products include Crave Green Beauty, a skin and body care line that features a $60 eye serum said to firm skin around the eyes, reduce puffiness and brighten up dark circles using CBD; Los Angeles-based Lord Jones’ line of pain-relieving body lotion; and Milk Makeup KUSH High Volume Mascara ($24), which uses CBD oil to create a creamier texture for eyelashes.
“The CBD reduces inflammation, and when you complement that with the manuka honey, which is a very powerful antibacterial, it really helps heal and restore your skin unlike regular moisturizers,” Cannuka founder Michael Bumgarner told Moneyish on Thursday while promoting his brand to investors at a Foundermade event in New York City.
But these products don’t come cheap. A bar of Cannuka soap made with 50mg of CBD costs $18; lip balm is $9 and the healing skin balm costs $58. The price points are on par with luxury labels like Kiehl’s and La Mer — and, it’s worth noting, none of them smell like weed.
There is some scientific evidence that shows CBD has several health benefits, including an anti-anxiety effect and anti-inflammatory properties said to help treat skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis by minimizing the amount of redness and itching.
“It’s very, very safe to use topically, and has fundamentally good properties that are surprisingly helpful,” said Dr. Michele Green, a dermatologist at Lenox Hill Hospital. “It gives basic pain relief. I don’t see anything negative about it.”
Cannabis has become less stigmatized, with 29 states and Washington, D.C., legalizing medical and/or recreational marijuana use.
And it seems to be growing on consumers — who may not exactly be weed aficionados, but are becoming more “canna-curious,” Bumgarner suggested. The CBD market hit $170 million in 2017, and is projected to climb to the $1 billion mark in the next three years, according to research firm Brightfield Group.
Celebrities have warmed to CBD-oil products, too. Mandy Moore used it as foot cream to alleviate pain from high heels after walking red carpets. Olivia Wilde told the New York Times she used CBD oil-infused topical products for pain relief during a Broadway run. Supermodel Behati Prinsloo attended a “Garden of Weedin” event shopping for a cannabis-infused fashion and jewelry line, while Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner are also fans of pro-cannabis designer Jacquie Aiche.
Zeichner and Green have not prescribed CBD oil-based treatments to their patients yet, citing a scarcity of data on how much more effective it is compared to regular creams and moisturizers but they most likely would consider using it to treat acne.
“If it works, I can see it being more widely used,” Green said.
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