The CBD market is exploding, with sales of CBD products hitting $1 billion in 2019. We’re seeing new products on the scene, from CBD infused seltzer water (great in mixed drinks) to CBD infused pillows (probably just hype). Consumers need to be careful too, because CBD products are currently unregulated.

Despite the hype, there’s good reason to put CBD on your skin.

“Most problems related to skin care have to do with inflammation, irritation, and bacteria — think acne, dryness, redness, etc.,” noted Britni Jessup, owner of Hatshe, an active lifestyle CBD brand. “CBD has been shown to be effective against those triggers.”

The hemp plant has natural anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and other healing compounds in it which can help improve the health and appearance of your skin. Even without extracting and refining specific cannabinoids like CBD, hemp seed oil has been prized for years by skin care experts for its nourishing properties.

Read on, and we’ll explain a bit more about why CBD and hemp are a good match for your skin care routine. Or you can scroll down to see our picks for the best 12 CBD and hemp skin care products available.

Why use CBD & hemp in your skin care routine?

The compounds found in the cannabis plant have the capability to tap into our body’s “endocannabinoid system” by mimicking chemicals that our body naturally produces.

“Our skin is our largest organ and it’s full of cannabinoid receptors!” said Maggie Frank, a national educator at PlusCBD Oil. “Putting hemp extracts rich in CBD on topically allows us to immediately and locally deposit the benefits of CBD, other phytocannabinoids, terpenes, amino acids and fatty acids directly to those receptors.”

While scientists are still studying the workings of the endocannabinoid system, and how it interacts with the compounds found in hemp, it’s increasingly clear that they help our bodies maintain homeostasis, a healthy balance. In addition the ability of CBD and other cannabinoids to reduce inflammation seems to work on our skin as well.

Hemp seed oil makes great skin care, too

“Different compounds are found in each part of the hemp plant,” said Sharon K. Christie, founder of Cannafloria Essentials. “Hemp seeds are rich in healthy fats that moisturize the skin and promote healthy aging.”

While CBD and other cannabinoids are extracted from the leaves and flowering tops of the plant, hemp itself has a long history as a valued ingredient in beauty and skin care products. Hemp seeds are full of nourishing compounds like amino acids and omega3s and omega6s.

“The compounds found in hemp have hydrating, healing and protective properties,” said Christie. “Hemp also works as an antioxidant that protects your skin from free radicals and sun damage, and it can help to improve inflammatory skin conditions.”

Buyer beware: Use caution in an unregulated industry

The 2018 Farm Bill fully legalized hemp and took CBD out of the control of the Drug Enforcement Administration. This allowed for an explosion of new and innovative CBD-based products on the market. However, while the Farm Bill put regulation of these products in the hands of the FDA, the FDA hasn’t issued any regulations.

“Due to lack of regulation the CBD market is flooded with products that at best, contain little to no CBD, or at worst, are contaminated with molds, mycotoxins, and heavy metals,” warned Frank.

Consumers need to do a little more work when they’re buying CBD or other hemp products. Learn a little bit about where the hemp was grown and how the products were made.

“Make sure the brand uses third-party lab-tested CBD, and ask to see their certificates of analysis if you really want to do your due diligence,” said Tess Taylor, owner of Taylor + Tess, which makes CBD-infused beauty products.

While we’ve done our best to pick only quality products from the best brands, we’ve also made sure to only work with companies that make it easy for you to look deeper into their products.

Best CBD Skin Care & Hemp Beauty Products: Official Reviews

Some CBD oils intended for internal use are pure enough to put on your skin. Maggie Frank told us she sometimes opens PlusCBD softgels and applies them topically for “itchy, icky, dry and flaky skin.”

However, each of the products below is specifically formulated for use on skin. These brands combine carefully sourced hemp and CBD with selected ingredients designed to enhance your skin’s softness, health and appearance.

These brands are transparent about their ingredients, and offer third-party lab tests proving the strength and purity of the the products. We’ve also personally tested them, to ensure they made us look, feel, and smell good. Every body varies, so try some of these products and see which ones can help you.

Here are our current favorite hemp-infused beauty products:

• Ambary Gardens Full Spectrum Skin Repair
• Populum Lavender + CBD Face Oil
• Prima The Afterglow CBD Face Cream
• Taylor + Tess “The Quickie” Facial Toner
• Medterra CBD + Manuka Honey Cream
• PlusCBD Oil Hemp Body Lotion (Grapefruit)
• HATSHE Sandalwood Healing Cream
• Kino Coconut Mango CBD Lip Balm
• Cannafloria Be Refreshed Hemp Mood Mist
• Cornbread Hemp CBD Lotion
• DaCrema Botanicals Salt Scrub
• Petal Revive CBD Face Mask

Click above or continue reading for all our reviews.

Ministry of Hemp received free products in return for writing these reviews. We may receive a percentage of sales if you buy products from some of the brands below. Only our favorite CBD & hemp beauty products qualified for this roundup. We always promise to give you our honest opinion.

Ambary Gardens Full Spectrum Skin Repair

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• Highlights: Ambary Gardens Full Spectrum Skin Repair is a powerful treatment for damaged skin, making it a great choice for healing the aftereffects of sunburns.
• Price: $65.00
• Strength: 250 mg per 4 oz jar
• Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping on orders over $85.
• Independent Test Results: Online.
• Texture & Smell: This is a thick lotion with a smell of shea butter and other healing oils, with sage and other botanical undertones.
• Ingredients: CBD Oil / Full-Spectrum Hemp extract in Shea Butter, Almond Oil, Coconut Oil, Argan Oil, Jojoba Oil, Calendula, Arnica, Essential Oils of: Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Bergamot, Geranium, and Clary Sage.

Ambary Gardens also has an entire line of therapeutic topicals as well as more options for CBD beauty products. Check out our interview with Jess Reynolds, their CBD Specialist or our review of Ambary Gardens Nano CBD.

Populum Lavender + CBD Face Oil

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• Highlights: A perfect addition to an evening routine, Populum Lavender + CBD Face Oil oil has simple ingredients, absorbs quickly, and leaves your skin glowing.
• Price: $79
• Special: 20% off with monthly subscription.
• Strength: 250 mg per 30ml
• Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping on all orders
• Independent Test Results: Included with every order.
• Texture & Smell: Light texture with a luxurious lavender scent.
• Ingredients: CBD oil / Full Spectrum Hemp Extract in Grape Seed oil, Hemp Seed oil, Lavender oil.
• Other: Populum offers a 30-day return policy for first time buyers.

Populum is one of our Top CBD Brands for their premium CBD quality and top customer service. Their hemp CBD extracts are triple tested for potency and purity to deliver a complete full-spectrum profile to its customers. The Lavender + CBD Face Oil is a dual action product — with the full-spectrum hemp extract providing anti-inflammatory properties and lavender contributing antioxidants to improve overall skin health.

With 100% of their hemp grown in Colorado and their commitment to high quality ingredients, we are happy to see them try something new with this face oil. Populum also has another topical line intended for sore muscles.

Prima The Afterglow CBD Face Cream

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• Highlights: Prima The Afterglow CBD Face Cream quickly became our Editor’s favorite night cream. This cream combines broad spectrum CBD with multiple vegan butters and botanicals that leave our skin feeling calm and healthy, so we wake up glowing in the morning!
• Strength: 500mg per 50ml bottle
• Price: $96
• Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping available.
• Independent Test Results: Online.
• Scent & Texture: This cream has a thicker, but not greasy texture that absorbs quickly into the skin, leaving our faces feeling soothed and healthy. It has an earthy, mildly floral scent.
• Ingredients: CBD oil / Broad-Spectrum Hemp extract in Water (Aqua), Squalane, C13-15 Alkane, Behenyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Lauryl Laurate, Garcinia Indica Seed Butter, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate SE, C26-28 Alkyl Dimethicone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sr-Hydrozoan Polypeptide-1, Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Emblica Officinalis Fruit Extract, Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Flower/Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Astrocaryum Vulgare Kernel Oil, Platonia Insignis Seed Butter, Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Seed Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Levulinate, Fructose, Fusanus Spicatus Wood Oil, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Sclerotium Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Lecithin, Octyldodecanol, Pentylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract
• Other: A generous 30-day money back guarantee is available for unsatisfied customers.

We love Prima’s commitment to sustainability, both in their farming practices and recyclable packaging throughout the product line. We’ve also selected Prima “The Daily” capsules as one of our Best CBD Softgels.

Taylor + Tess The Quickie Facial Toner

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• Highlights: Taylor + Tess “The Quickie” Facial Toner is a perfect pocket-sized skin pick-me-up that leaves your skin feeling tight and fresh. It’s vegan, gluten free and free of other common allergens like parabens.
• Price: $28.00
• Strength: 10mg per sprayer
• Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Shipping started at $7.00.
• Independent Test Results: Available on request.
• Texture & Smell: This is a light spray you can apply to your fingers or spray directly onto your face, with a strong citrusy smell.
• Ingredients: CBD oil / Broad Spectrum Hemp Extract in Water, Aloe Leaf juice, Witch Hazel distillate, Vegetable glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Blueberry Fruit extract, Pomegranate Fruit extract, Oat extract, Kakadu Plum Fruit extract, Cucumber Fruit extract, Grapefruit oil, Bergamot Fruit oil, Caprylyl Glycol.

Taylor + Tess is a family run, black owned brand located in Dallas, TX. They offer a refill bottle, which makes this a sustainable choice for those who want to take care of their skin and the environment.

Owner Tess Taylor said she uses, “‘The Quickie’ to to remove residual dirt, hydrate, and prep my skin to receive face oils, serums, and moisturizer” such as “The Nightcap,” another great Taylor + Tess product.

Medterra CBD + Manuka Honey Cream

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• Highlights: Medterra CBD + Manuka Cream makes a great night cream, combining CBD isolate with Manuka honey, another popular skin care ingredient.
• Price: $34.99 – $49.99
• Special: Use coupon code MOH for 15% off!
• Strength: 250 mg (also available in 125mg strength)
• Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping on orders over $99.
• Independent Test Results: Online.
• Texture & Smell: This is a thick, satiny lotin with a beeswax smell with cocoa undertones.
• Ingredients: Hemp-derived CBD isolate in Aloe Barbadensis (Inner fillet) Leaf Juice, Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Fruit Oil, Carota Sativa (Carrot), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Beeswax, Glycerin (Vegetable Derived/USP), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Manuka Honey 12 (New Zealand), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Garcinia Indica (Kokum) Seed Butter Illipe Butter, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Seabuckthorn) Oil, Arnica Montana Flower Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Potassium Sorbate (Vegetable Derived/USP), Sodium Benzoate (USP), Ethylhexylglycerin (Vegetable Derived), Sodium Hydroxide (Mineral Salt/USP), Citric Acid (Fruit Derived/USP).
• Other: Medterra offers a 30-day return policy for unsatisfied customers.

Medterra is one of our Top CBD Brands and our review team loves Medterra CBD Rapid Cooling Cream for sore muscles. This product uses both quality CBD from Kentucky hemp and carefully sourced Manuka honey from New Zealand.

PlusCBD Oil Hemp Body Lotion (Grapefruit)

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1. Highlights: PlusCBD Oil Hemp Body Lotion is silky smooth and absorbs quickly, making it the perfect anytime body lotion, especially for dry skin.
2. Price: $29.99
3. Strength: 200mg per 3.7oz bottle
4. Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping on orders over $75.
5. Independent Test Results: Online.
6. Texture & Smell: This lotion has a very smooth and silky texture but doesn’t leave skin greasy. The grapefruit scent we tested is very sweet, almost like a grapefruit candy.
7. Main Ingredients: CBD oil / Full Spectrum Hemp Extract in Water, Carthamus Tinctorium (Safflower) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Hemp Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Fragrance, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernal Oil, Glycol Stearate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol Acetate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate

PlusCBD is one of our Top CBD Brands. We are excited to see them venture into CBD beauty with their new line of products! This lotion became a favorite, daily use product to use on dry hands and elbows from cold winter air.

HATSHE Sandalwood Healing Cream

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• Highlights: This vegan Sandalwood Healing Cream from Hatshe feels thick and luxurious with that wonderful warm sandalwood smell. Try it on any irritated or inflamed skin.
• Price: $30 – 58.00
• Special: Use coupon code HEMP15 for 15% off your order!
• Strength: 500mg per 2 oz jar (also available in 250mg 1oz jar)
• Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Shipping available or a $10 flat rate.
• Independent Test Results: Online.
• Texture & Smell: This cream has a thick, soothing texture and a warm smell of sandalwood and other botanicals that lingers pleasantly on the skin.
• Ingredients: CBD oil / Full Spectrum Hemp extract in Copaiba Oil, Organic Aloe Leaf Juice, Avocado Fruit Oil, Organic Jojoba Seed Oil, Emulsifying Wax, Glycerin, Organic Palm Fruit Oil, Stearic Acid, Vitamin E, Sunflower Seed Oil, Organic Neem Seed Oil, Organic Rosemary Leaf Extract, Organic Sunflower Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Rose Flower Water, Rosehip Seed Oil, Carrot Seed Oil, Wheat Germ Oil, Vitamin A Ester, Vitamin C Ester, Provitamin B5, Allantoin, Organic White Willow Bark Extract (Salix Alba), Organic Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sandalwood Vanilla Essential Oil
• Other: HATSHE offers a 30-day return policy for unsatisfied customers.

HATSHE is a woman-owned brand created by former athletes looking for quality products that could help them feel better.

“When your skin has prolonged exposure to extreme weather — sun, wind, cold, salt water, — it can end up dry and irritated by the end of a long day,” said Britni Jessup about using this product.

Kino Coconut Mango CBD Lip Balm

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• Highlights: Kino Coconut Mango CBD Lip Balm heals angry, chapped lips with a combination of full spectrum CBD and other vegan, plant-derived ingredients.
• Strength: 15mg per tube
• Price: $10
• Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping available on orders over $75.
• Independent Test Results: Online.
• Scent & Texture: This is a long lasting tube of smooth lip balm that coats your lips with a hint of coconut mango sweetness.
• Ingredients: CBD oil / Full Spectrum Hemp extract in Cera Alba (Beeswax), Cocos Nucifera Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecyl Stearyl Citrate Crosspolymer, Cocos Nucifera Flavor Oil, Mangifera Indica Flavor Oil, Theobroma Grandiflorum Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Astrocaryum Tucuma Seed Butter, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Octyldodecyl Behenyl Citrate Crosspolymer. 
• Other: A generous 30-day money back guarantee is available for unsatisfied customers.

Check out Kino’s other CBD skin care products like their face, hair and body lotion.

Cannafloria Be Refreshed Hemp Mood Mist

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• Highlights: It was hard to pick our favorite scent of Cannafloria Hemp Mood Mist, which combines hemp seed oil and hemp terpenes with essential oils to give you the perfect reset when you’re feeling tired or sweaty.
• Price: $18
• Special: Use coupon code MOH15 for 15% off!
• Strength: Not applicable, this is a hemp-infused, non-CBD product.
• Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping on orders over $35.
• Texture & Smell: This light spray is perfect for refreshing your room, your sheets or yourself. This has an earthy, woody aroma with some citrus sweetness.
• Main Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Water (Aqua), Citrus Sinensis Hydrosol (Blood Orange), Saccharide Isomerate (Active) Aqua, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail) Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sea Salt/Maris Sal/ Sel Marin, Natural Essential Oil Blend, Cananga odorata, (Ylang Ylang) Flower Oil, Humulus lupulus (Hops) Oil, Cannabis sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil, Citrus nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Citrus limon(Lemon) Peel Oil, Valeriana officinalis (Valerian) Extract, a-Humulene, Limonene.
• Other: Available in 7 scents and we love all the ones we’ve tried. Cannafloria offers a 30-day return policy for unsatisfied customers.

Cannafloria helps to create a total bath and beauty experience with their line of hemp products. Besides their mood mists, they have luxurious hemp milk baths and lotions available. Owner Sharon K. Christie is proud of their attention to detail:

“Our manufacturing facility is proudly certified organic, 100% wind powered, cruelty-free and women-owned. All Cannafloria products are synthetic-free, dye-free and vegan.”

Cornbread Hemp CBD Lotion

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• Highlights: Cornbread Hemp CBD Lotion in their special “skin formula” is a wonderful cure for dry skin, anywhere you need some potent moisturizing. This paraben-free skin cream is made with USDA organic hemp extract grown in Kentucky.
• Strength: 200mg per 60ml bottle
• Price: $29.99
• Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping available on orders over $99.
• Independent Test Results: Online.
• Scent & Texture: This is a thick lotion with a very mild, clean scent of olive oil with notes of cotton and rosemary.
• Ingredients: CBD oil / Full Spectrum Hemp extract in MCT Oil, Water, Capric Triglycerides, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Cotton Seed Oil, Olive Oil, Olive Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, EDTA, Rosemary, Phenoxyethanol, and Caprylyl Glycol.
• Other: A generous 30-day money back guarantee is available for unsatisfied customers.

Cornbread Hemp founder Jim Higdon appeared on our podcast to talk about Kentucky hemp, and wrote this great guide to the history of CBD topicals for us, too.

DaCrema Botanicals Salt Scrub

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• Highlights: DaCrema Botanicals Salt Scrub is perfect for exfoliating tired feet, and it leaves you smelling refreshed and feeling calm.
• Price: $35.00
• Special: Special: Use coupon code MOH for 10% off!
• Strength: 200 mg per 8 ounces
• Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping available on orders over $100.
• Independent Test Results: Available on request.
• Texture & Smell: Soft to touch, gritty and exfoliating on the skin, with a fresh peppermint scent.
• Ingredients: CBD oil / Full Spectrum Hemp extract in Peppermint essential oil, Jojoba and MTC oils, Himalayan pink salt, Hawaiian black salt.

DaCrema Botanicals products are handmade in small batches using U.S.-grown organic hemp. The company was founded by a former health industry professional.

Petal Revive CBD Face Mask

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• Highlights: Petal Revive CBD Face Mask Sheet combines qualty CBD isolate with rosemary, green tea, licorice root and other natural extracts that soothe, mositurize and smooth your skin. Lay back and relax for a while with this wonderful mask from Petal!
• Strength: 10mg per sheet
• Price: $10 (also available in discounted packs of 5 or 10)
• Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping available on orders over $65.
• Independent Test Results: Online.
• Scent & Texture: A cooling, soothing facemask that smells of green tea, rosemary and other botanical scents.
• Ingredients: Hemp-derived CBD isolate in Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene glycol, 1,2-hexanediol, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Sodium benzoate, Chlorphenisn, Sodium hyaluronate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated castor oil, Disodium EDTA, Butylene glycol, Tiger grass extract, Japanese Knotweed extract, Chinese Skullcrap root extract, Green Tea extract, Soap Bark Extract, Licorice Root extract, Chamomile Flower extract, Rosemary Flower extract, Natural fragrances
• Other: A generous 30-day money back guarantee is available for unsatisfied customers.

Petal products are vegan and free of parabens. This facemask is suitable for all skin types.

Kit O’Connell contributed reviews and reporting to this guide.

The post Best 12 CBD Skin Care & Hemp Beauty Products: Create A Hempy Skin Care Routine appeared first on Ministry of Hemp.

Table of Contents

• A Brief History of the CBD Industry
• The Return Of CBD To The United States
• Why There’s So Much Confusion Around CBD
• Tips On How To Choose CBD Oil

The sad part is, there’s no easy way for consumers to know what CBD brands to trust. Barely in its infancy, the CBD market is still unregulated. Quality control is meager at best, and consumers are largely unaware what to look for when shopping for CBD products.

Unfortunately, that means there’s a lot of fake and misleading products out there. In another article, we looked at why you should never buy CBD on Amazon because that popular website is full of fake CBD products.

Learn more about CBD through ‘The Complete CBD Guide‘

Ministry of Hemp only works with CBD brands that meet our exacting standards of quality and transparency. We always examine lab reports showing the actual contents of the products we recommend. You can trust we’ll always do our best to keep you from buying snake oil.

However, there’s hundreds of CBD brands on the market right now and we can only review so many! In this article, we give you a little bit more information about the state of the CBD market, then share some of our favorite tips for buying CBD.

A brief history of the CBD industry

People began using hemp as natural medicine in ancient China.

In the mid 1800s, the hemp plant became a key part of Western medicine and numerous research and articles were written about the topic over the course of the century. However, the surge of recreational usage and our confused political leaders led to the prohibition of all cannabis plants in the 20th century. This included all industrial hemp and CBD oil applications. Unfortunately, these restrictions caused much of the findings and progress behind CBD to be quietly forgotten during the rest of the 20th century.

Despite prohibition, research continued and scientists actually first isolated CBD in the 1940s. However, the War on Drugs and the stigma surrounding all forms of cannabis prevented the widespread use of hemp or CBD to treat ailments.

That began to change in the early 2000s. Some states began experimenting with medicinal or recreational forms of psychoactive cannabis. Interest in industrial hemp returned as well during the time period and, after legal changes beginning in 2014, hemp extract and CBD products began to return to the market as nutritional supplements.

The reintroduction created a big risk. Since CBD has been suppressed in our society for so long, there’s very limited understanding and transparency around the products. Greedy businesses can take advantage of customers who are looking to pay big money for a remedy that could potentially help heal their sick loved ones.

That makes it harder than it should be to know how to choose CBD, as the rest of the article explains.

The return of CBD to the US

CBD oil products started proliferating again in the U.S. after an amendment to the 2014 Farm Bill. This big agricultural omnibus bill allowed research into hemp for the first time in decades, and some brands began experimenting with market research by selling CBD tinctures. Then, another amendment, this time to the 2018 version of the farm bill, officially made hemp a legal crop in the U.S. again. It also prohibited the Drug Enforcement Administration from continuing to treat CBD like an illegal drug.

As a result, the CBD market is booming. Experts predict that CBD sales will reach $1 billion in 2019. CBD is now known for numerous benefits, from its ability to reduce anxiety and promote restful sleep to easing chronic pain. Some people even take CBD to help with severe epilepsy, and a prescription-only form of CBD is available to treat epileptic seizures. At the same time, over-the-counter CBD supplements are available in every state both online and in brick and mortar stores.

However, because the FDA is not yet regulating CBD, there’s little control over these products. As a result, there’s misleading products all around. In a recent investigation by Inside Edition, one product that was supposed to contain 500mg of CBD only contained 64mg. The cannabis site Leafly found three CBD brands with hidden added ingredients, some of which could be harmful. Our own tests of diverse brands revealed some that mislead customers about the strength of their tinctures too. Anecdotally, poor quality CBD seems to cause more side effects.

Why There’s So Much Confusion Around CBD

Let’s first try to understand why it has come to this. From the research we’ve done, we can essentially break it down to three reasons the CBD oil industry is out of control.

1. CBD buyers are vulnerable people

Think about the demographic that CBD companies are targeting. They’re mainly ones who are suffering from some type of illness, or struggling with sleeplessness, anxiety, chronic pain, and so on. Or, their loved ones might be buying CBD for them in the hopes it can help their struggles.

53% of Americans falsely believe the FDA regulates CBD.

October 2019 Grocery Manufacturers Association study

Whatever the symptoms, these patients are suffering. Some may be struggling to get satisfactory treatment through pharmaceutical medicine. Thus, many who turn to CBD oil are desperate to find a treatment that works. Unfortunately, many buyers don’t have the time or energy to learn how to choose CBD oil. A perfect demographic for greedy businesses to target.

2. The CBD market is unregulated

In 2013, an industry insider turned into a whistleblower as she blasted her company and the entire CBD industry for its deceptive practices. Tamar Wise, a former Dixie Botanicals employee, posted on her Facebook that

“These formulations start with a crude and dirty hemp paste contaminated with microbial life … The paste perhaps even contains residual solvents and other toxins as the extraction is done in China made using a process that actually renders it unfit for human consumption.“

Fortunately, most reputable CBD companies now use hemp that’s grown in the U.S. Standards have improve dramatically in the last 6 years. Even so, this market is unregulated. Essentially, the industry has been left on its own to monitor their supply chains and develop best practices of CBD manufacture.

3. CBD labels can be misleading

The biggest problem regarding labeling is that companies mislead their customers when it comes to the CBD dosage on their bottles. Some products (particularly those sold on Amazon!) are simply lying about their contents. But even among transparent CBD brands, dosage can still be confusing.

For example, one brand of CBD tincture might list the total amount of CBD in the bottle, while some list the amount of in each dropper (often per 1 milliliter of tincture). This can get more confusing when you add in other product types, like CBD capsules or edibles like CBD gummies or even CBD-infused chocolate bars and coffee.

Tips on how to choose CBD: Guide for buying CBD

We’ve been studying this industry for years now, and we’ve distilled our advice down to a few simple tips. While buying CBD can be complicated, we think you’ll choose the right brand if you follow these steps.

1. Take your time buying CBD

By taking the time to read this article, you’ve already learned more about how to choose CBD oil. While CBD products seem to be popping up everywhere, we don’t think CBD should be an “impulse buy.”

Not only are you probably buying poor-quality CBD if you buy it at a gas station, you’re also not taking the time to properly research that product. In general, we don’t think you should buy CBD from any business where you wouldn’t normally purchase wellness products.

Quality CBD brands are transparent about their products, from where their hemp grows to the extraction methods they use to make their supplements. Their customer service should be able to knowledgeably answer questions in a timely, friendly manner.

2. Always request third-party lab results

You should always make sure that a brand offers third-party lab results. These are often called a Certificate of Analysis, or COA. This means that they’ve sent their products to an independent lab to verify the contents of their CBD. Some companies also offer additional tests showing their CBD to be free of toxins like pesticide residues.

Over the last year, the Ministry of Hemp began running our own lab tests with a trusted third-party lab before we review CBD products. You can look for these results in our recent reviews and compare them with the COAs offered by the brand.

If a CBD company doesn’t offer third-party lab results, or they’re reluctant to share these results with you, it should automatically be a red flag and indicate that they have something to hide.

At the same time, we know it can be hard for consumers to interpret these lab tests. That brings us to our third tip.

3. Ask for advice

Don’t be shy to ask for expert advice when you’re buying CBD oil products. The CBD oil market is young and immature, and the regulations and quality control practices are still often subpar. Don’t just trust a product because it’s a “known brand” or because you see an influencer posing with the product. We’ve found even bigger CBD brands can have dubious quality control.

Make sure to check online reviews to see if you can read about other customers’ experiences. You can even reach out to us reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns while shopping for CBD oil. We’ll do our best to guide you in the right direction.

Final thoughts on buying CBD

The CBD industry is a booming market. Many well-intentioned entrepreneurs are entering this space to provide an alternative solution for patients who are suffering from chronic pain or other ailments. But with any growing market, we are also seeing a growth in greedy businesses who are taking advantage of vulnerable customers.

Within the next couple of years, we expect the FDA to step in and offer clear guidelines for CBD products. But until then, customers have to be cautious of what brands they trust and buy from. We hope that we’ve been able to offer some insights and transparency into this industry and hope you’ll be able to find higher quality products through our advice.

Kit O’Connell contributed to this guide.

The post How to Choose CBD: Be Careful Buying CBD Oil! [UPDATED] appeared first on Ministry of Hemp.

Today’s video is about using hemp oil in skin care.

Today we’re going to talk about some of the ways hemp oil is one of the best things out there for your skin. Hemp oil is filled with so many good for you vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats such as: magnesium, potassium, Vitamin B1 & B2, Omega-3 & Omega-6 fatty acids, and Vitamin E. We benefit from all the good stuff found in hemp oil in two ways: by eating it and applying it to our skin. Without further ado, let’s find out some of the benefits of using hemp oil on your skin!

HEMP OIL WON’T CLOG YOUR PORES

Did you know that oils are rated on a scale of 0-5, 0 being non-comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog your pores, and 5 being comedogenic, meaning it will clog your pores?

Coconut oil is rated a 4, this is an oil that is very likely to cause clogged pores. Meanwhile, rose hip oil is a 1 and hemp oil is rated a 0!

USING HEMP OIL IN SKIN CARE FOR CLEANSING

Since hemp oil won’t clog your pores, it works wonderfully as an oil cleanser. Simply rub 1 tablespoon of hemp oil into your skin, then cover with a hot washcloth to steam. Your skin will soak up any remaining oil and it will look plump and hydrated.

The fats, or lipids, in hemp oil are similar to the ones found in skin, making it an effective moisturizer and protector for our skin.

HEMP OIL TREATS SKIN CONDITIONS AND REDUCES SIGNS OF AGING

Hemp seed oil is made from the only edible seed that contains gamma-linolenic acid. This substance is needed to regulate hormone levels and it can diminish hormone related acne.

Psoriasis is caused by a deficiency of omega-6 fatty acids and since hemp oil is chock full of these wonderful omegas, it’s very effective in treating psoriasis. It also hydrates and helps bring oxygen to your skin, making it an effective treatment for eczema, and dry, itchy skin.

Hemp oil fills skin with extra moisture and stimulates the natural production of collagen which helps fight fine lines and wrinkles, making this a really great anti-aging ingredient.

Do you use hemp oil in your skincare routine? Let us know in the comments!

The post The Benefits Of Hemp Oil In Skin Care (VIDEO) appeared first on Ministry of Hemp.

Our reviewer enjoyed the mild nutty flavor of Medix CBD Oil and we also appreciated the uncomplicated ingredients of this supplement. It contains just CBD, hemp oil, and vitamin E (which can help prevent oily products from going bad). Hemp seed oil isn’t just a carrier for the CBD, either: in addition to the benefits of CBD, hemp oil itself is full of essential fatty acids and other beneficial nutrients.

Although this oil is made from an isolate (CBD alone) rather than a full spectrum (or “whole plant”) extract, our reviewer found this CBD consistently relaxing. It also seemed to ease some muscle soreness and help promote restful sleep. While we’re focusing this review on Medix CBD Oil, we also want to highlight their amazing variety of tasty and effective CBD edibles in a variety of shapes and flavors.

Medix CBD paid us a fee and offered us free products in return for our honest opinion. If you purchase a product from one of these links, we’ll receive a percentage of sales. We only select the highest-quality CBD products for review on our site. Read more about sponsored content on Ministry of Hemp.

Read on to learn more about Medix CBD and get our complete review of Medix CBD Oil.

MEDIX CBD OIL HEALS WITH KENTUCKY-GROWN HEMP

Medix CBD wants to “change the way people view natural medicine” by using only the purest, lab-tested ingredients. They source all their hemp domestically, in the state of Kentucky. In recent years, Kentucky has become a leading hemp growing state, thanks to generations of farming experience and an ideal climate.

This CBD oil is vegan and gluten-free (although their gummies do contain wheat). We appreciate Medix CBD’s commitment to transparency: third-party lab results showing the strength of most CBD products are available right from the product listing.

MEDIX CBD OIL OFFICIAL REVIEW

• Highlights: Medix CBD Oil combines pure CBD isolate with hemp oil for a simple and relaxing natural supplement.
• Strength: 500mg of CBD per 30ml bottle, also available in several strengths ranging from 100mg to 1500mg
• Price: $26.99 – $209.99
• Special:  Use coupon code MH15 at checkout for 15% off your first order.
• Customer Service & Shipping: Fast customer service. Free shipping on orders over $100.
• Independent Test Results: Online.
• Flavor & Texture: This CBD supplement has a mild earthy and nutty flavor with an oily mouthfeel. We found the flavor and texture are pleasant and easy to rinse away with a drink of water.
• Ingredients: CBD isolate in Hemp Seed oil and Vitamin E
• Other: A 120ml bottle containing 4500 mg of CBD is also available!

Medix CBD uses hemp grown in Kentucky for all of their products. In addition to this great CBD oil, we’re big fans of their wide variety of tasty Medix CBD gummies. They also make vape oil, CBD topicals and CBD for dogs. Some research suggests isolates may be less effective than full spectrum extracts.

DISCOVER THE TOP CBD BRANDS

The market is getting saturated with many different CBD brands. We’ve compared the top brands to help you with your decision. Check it out.

The post Medix CBD Oil Brings Pure CBD Together With Nourishing Hemp Oil appeared first on Ministry of Hemp.

It’s a product years in the making, but Americans in 37 states can now try hemp-infused wine, the creation of Texas-based TVM Wines.

TVM’s new hemp wines are actually wine cocktails, infused with flavors like “rum and Coke” and “Texas tea,” and graced with playful names like “Forbidden,” “Covert” and “Taboo” that invite drinkers to take part in something secretive and daring. However, for the wine’s creators, the product is about more than just capitalizing on an increasingly “hip” ingredient: they’re believers in the benefits of hemp too.

“We really truly want to help people,” declared Elease Hill, vice president of sales and marketing at TVM Wines.

Each glass of hemp wine contains a full serving of hemp oil, and while Hill stops short of making any health claims about drinking the wine, there’s ample scientific evidence that hemp oil itself can provide real benefits to consumers. If Hill had her way, the wines would also include CBD oil, an extract of hemp that can offer relief to symptoms of numerous conditions from arthritis to chronic pain. However, her efforts to develop CBD-infused wine, which has already become a best-selling product in Europe were thwarted by government regulations and the ongoing war on drugs, and it took months of struggle and negotiation to even bring her hemp wines to market.

“Until the government gets off their high horse and leaves hemp alone we can’t do anything with CBD,” Hill said, with obvious frustration in her voice, when we spoke to her by phone last month.

DEA, TTB, AND THE STRUGGLE TO BRING HEMP WINE TO MARKET

Friends of the family-owned winery first suggested the idea of a hemp wine “about two years ago,” according to Hill, but her father, TVM’s chairman Ron Mittelstedt, was initially resistant due to hemp’s uncertain legal nature and lingering stigma.

The idea lingered, and soon after Hill’s sister Beth began to research hemp’s benefits. Hill herself also discovered that CBD could treat her Attention Deficit Disorder more effectively than pharmaceutical drugs. Armed with both first-hand experience and knowledge of Spain’s “Cannavine,” they were able to change their father’s opinion and began the long process of developing a new product — only to discover that there were seemingly miles of red tape in their way.

Hemp was once a staple American cash crop, and in regular use for its medicinal benefits, until it was made illegal alongside its close cousin, marijuana, in the early 20th-century. The 2014 Farm Bill legalized hemp growing in the U.S. again for “research purposes” (including market research), allowing each state to set rules around the growth of low-THC industrial hemp. Legal experts believe the farm bill, along with other legislation and legal precedents, mean that hemp-based products are fully legal in the United States.

However, the Drug Enforcement Administration continues to insist that CBD is fully illegal, and other government agencies have followed their lead.

“When the DEA came out and said CBD is a Schedule I drug, the TTB, the Alcohol and Tobacco Trade Board, they were not going to approve any alcohol products that contain CBD unless it was in trace amounts,” Hill explained.

Without TTB approval, TVM’s products wouldn’t be assigned a “COLA number,” a crucial designation required for national distribution of alcoholic products. She soon discovered that the agency had an absurd definition of what constitutes a trace amount. At one point, the TTB rejected an earlier formula because they claimed it contained 700 parts per million of CBD, a miniscule measurement far below what could cause any effect.

Even after after agreeing to use hemp oil, rather than CBD oil, Hill still had to push for final approval. One additional challenging factor? Hemp-infused products are rare: most similar products are merely flavored with it rather than containing substantial amounts of actual hemp. One exception, which helped Hill make her case to the TTB, is Colorado High Vodka, which is actually distilled from hemp plants.

After almost two years of work, the TTB agreed to grant TVM Hemp Wines a cola number late last year. “We finally got approval actually one day before my birthday on the formulas, which is December 1st.”

The agency approved the labels later that month, and the first hemp wines went on sale in Texas stores in January.

REDUCING THE STIGMA AROUND CANNABIS, ONE GLASS OF HEMP WINE AT A TIME

The names of the hemp wines, from “Forbidden” to “Fantasy,” hint at the way cannabis has faced misunderstandings, mistrust, and persecution under the war on drugs. Hill’s struggle to receive government approval for the products, shows that the stigma around this plant is still alive even as legal barriers theoretically fall away. The early response to her wines, on the other hand, is a sign that everyday people are excited about hemp, rather than afraid of it.

“It wasn’t even on the shelves for 20 minutes and someone bought two bottles,” Hill said.

TVM’s hemp wines are already for sale — and selling fast — in several stores in Texas, with more coming soon. For the rest of us, curious hemp enthusiasts in 37 states can order the products from TVM’s page on Vinoshipper.com.

Hill isn’t done making hemp products, but she’s hoping Congress will clear up the legal confusion around hemp first. Efforts like the Industrial Hemp Farming Act, which would have fully legalized hemp and hemp products from coast to coast, have stalled in Congress so far, but advocates are hopeful that support for total legalization is growing rapidly.

“I need these bills to pass through so we can create a traditional, dry red wine with the CBD infused.”

We can’t wait to try it!

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