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A CBD Skin Care Guide: Cutting Through the Noise

Estimated reading time: 5 min

We aren’t afraid to stick our heads above the parapet when it comes to doing what is right for both the consumer and this beautiful planet we call home. This is why the clean cosmetics industry holds a natural synergy for us as a brand and we were delighted to launch our range of clean CBD skincare this week to a rapturous reception. 

Yes, users of CBD oil speak highly of its benefits when ingested, but what benefit does CBD have when used topically in skin creams and face scrubs? Why should we include CBD skincare in our daily routine? How can CBD skincare make our skin glow with radiant health more than ever before?  We thought it was time to cut through the noise and unpack the facts about CBD skincare so that you can make up your own mind.

Why Use CBD in Skin Care?

In February 2021, one of the EU’s leading trade regulators amended its guidelines to reclassify plant-based CBD as an acceptable ingredient in cosmetic products. This laid the way for skincare manufacturers to start using plant-extracted CBD in their cosmetics and a deluge of CBD skincare products flooded the marketplace. 

The CBD industry can sometimes be a confusing one to navigate and all too often it is shrouded in mystery, acronyms and jargon. Using ‘CBD’ on a skincare label can seem like an easy marketing ploy, but it lures the unsuspecting consumer to tumble down a rabbit hole of misinformation. 

  • The Science: There have been various studies on the effect of CBD on dermatology and although more research is needed, early results show that when used in skincare, CBD has displayed anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative effects. There is also evidence to suggest it may potentially have some success in treating skin conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis. However, more preclinical large-scale research into CBD skincare is required to gain greater insight, we will keep you updated in our CBD news section as soon as more information comes to light. 
  • The Power of Nature – We are only scratching the surface of what can be achieved with the hemp plant but know that it is a powerful source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre, essential fatty acids and amino acids, all of which contribute to a healthy body and mind. We are committed to harnessing the power of the entire hemp plant and championing the benefits that it holds within. 

CBD vs Hemp

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that over 70% of CBD products sold online are labelled incorrectly.  Some manufacturers of unregulated CBD claim that their products contain far lower or higher doses than stated on the label leading to confusion and falsification. In an industry where trust is crucial, this is concerning for the consumer.

With the amount of misleading information out there, it’s important that your CBD-infused skincare products actually include the levels of CBD stated on the label. Even though hemp seed oil and CBD come from the same plant, they do not have the same benefits. 

  • Hemp seed oil has nearly 30 times more natural omegas than organic olive oil making it a powerful addition to a healthy skincare routine, but it only has very small concentrations of cannabinoids (with just a trace of CBD).
  • Cannabinoids (including CBD) are extracted from hemp using a meticulous extraction process similar to CO2 extraction. They are the compounds which work with your endocannabinoid system to achieve homeostasis.

We are learning more and more all the time about how our skin acts as an endocannabinoid receptor for the body. True CBD skincare products use the cannabinoid-rich stem, stalk and leaves of the hemp plant to harness the anti-ageing, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits of this powerful compound.

What Are Clean Cosmetics?

Clean cosmetics are those which only contain safe, clean ingredients which pose no harm to the user or the planet. Ingredients of clean beauty products must be toxin-free, cruelty free and labelled transparently. Clean beauty products are free of hormone disruptors and carcinogens and do not use packaging which causes harm to the environment (at any stage of the process). 

Our CBD skincare range is purely and simply a luxurious range of clean skincare products designed to nourish, protect and restore your natural beauty. We are stringent in our manufacturing and transparent in our research, stripping everything back in our aim of creating the cleanest, most ethical CBD skincare brand in the marketplace.

Just because a beauty product is labelled ‘organic’ doesn’t mean that its ingredients are clean – sometimes the labelling can be very misleading and the label ‘organic’ hides the truth of the harmful chemicals and manufacturing methods used to create the product. Clean cosmetics do not use terms such as ‘fragrance’ to greenwash the label and conceal potentially harmful chemicals used to create that fragrance.  

We too have been misled in the past and slathered ‘miracle’ creams all over our faces, filled with the hope of the promises made on the label whilst ignoring the environmental impact and finer details of the ingredients. Who thought using plastic microbeads in face scrubs would be good for washing down the plughole straight out to sea? It beggars belief… Our CBD-infused facial scrub uses plum seed powder which is a naturally fine abrasive that is easily absorbed by the skin and easily washed away. Everything we need can be found in nature, so why use anything else? Intelligent, empathetic consumers are demanding more from beauty manufacturers, and not a moment too late.

CBD Science

How much CBD is absorbed through skin?

CBD can be absorbed through the skin. The amount absorbed depends very much on the formulation of the particular product which contains CBD. CBD may be included in products for topical application in oils, creams, sprays, gels or skin patches.

Professor David Heal
Scientific Advisor for EthicaCBD
Find out more

Developing Clean CBD Skin Care

Clean beauty is simple. Clean beauty is fuss-free. But the lengths we go to ensure that our CBD skin care is clean are anything but! 

Everything that we need to keep our skin healthy can be found in nature. We use naturally moisture-rich plant extract formulations enhanced with organically-grown CBD which nourishes, moisturises, soothes and returns skin to a healthier and more radiant natural state. 

We don’t just take a skin cream and throw some CBD in there for good measure. Our skin can only absorb a certain amount of CBD topically, so don’t be hoodwinked by other cosmetics claiming high CBD concentrations. Some brands use up to 5% CBD but this level is unfounded and hugely wasteful (and overpriced!) as your body won’t benefit as it can’t absorb those levels. We believe we have hit the sweet spot with 0.3%. 

Our CBD skin care range has been developed using the most rigorous testing and research methods carried out by a leading cosmetics laboratory in the south of France. This laboratory specialises in clean beauty and it is widely recognised as an industry leader, blazing the trail for world-class clean skin care products and cosmetics alike.  

Each choice we have made with regards to the manufacturing, packaging and ingredients of our CBD skin care range has been precise and deliberate. Some ingredients we could have chosen to use are not yet on the ‘black list’ for clean cosmetics, but we choose not to use them because of our firm commitment to clean beauty. Using GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) standards gives our clients ultimate peace of mind. The products we have produced are the result of 12 months of lengthy but necessary procedures to ensure that the resulting skin care products are not only effective, but reassuringly clean. 

Our ingredients are routinely and systematically tested at every individual stage of the production process. We test for:

  • Skin sensitivity
  • Ocular irritation
  • Heavy metals 
  • Compatibility  
  • Packaging functionality
  • Bacterial and toxicology tests

There are many challenges involved with creating a truly clean beauty product. Petro-chemicals are easy and cheap to find, but do not make clean cosmetics. Natural ingredients have shorter shelf lives than their synthetic counterparts and trying to source natural replacements in the relatively unknown realm of clean cosmetics has proven challenging but we have achieved this.    

Our commitment to quality is one of our most important goals, so testing is crucial to ensure that we uphold our quality assurances. We hope that our commitment to testing inspires confidence in EthicaCBD and allows you to trust us when we say that our CBD products are the best you can buy.

Soothing, calming and powerful, when you use our CBD skin care range you can look forward to clean, healthy-looking beautiful skin which feels comfortable and hydrated. People will beg to be let into your youthful secret (and we’ll leave it up to you to tell them…)

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