HEMP & CBD For The Skin? We’re In!
CBD oil and Hemp Seed Oil have become very trending ingredients in supplements, skincare and everything in between. Many people have called the hemp/ CBD movement “over-hyped” because it gained popularity so quickly. It must be too good to be true……….. Right? WRONG! People love CBD and hemp seed oil products because they work! Who cares what the question is, CBD or hemp seed oil are your answers. You can ingest CBD for sleep, you can smear it on your face to prevent acne, you can massage your child with it to help ease muscle tension after their soccer game, and more! Hemp Seed Oil on the other hand is a non comedogenic oil that's also hydrating and naturally provides a light sun protection while still allowing vitamin D absorption from the sun.
While I am a skin care expert to ensure article accuracy, I decided to reach out to RVA's first CBD dispensary and local CBD expert and owner of Kultivate Wellness in Midlothian. Shannon Somogyi has over 20 years of industry experience and knowledge so I asked her for a quote, and she surely gave me a lot to work with!
So, I asked her what is the difference between hemp oil and CBD oil?
Shannon states “First and foremost, they are both Cannabis! Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. Cannabis is one of eight genera in the Cannabaceae family. Some of the most well known cannabis plants are including but not limited to;
Hops, used to make beer.
Marijuana that many are familiar with or use medicinally.
Hemp, which is what we will be referencing in regards to legal CBD here in VA.
Hemp oil is a nutrient-rich oil that contains no cannabinoids and no THC (the psychoactive compound found in marijuana). Hemp Seed oil has been around for decades. It’s sold at health food stores and is used in both cooking and skincare. Hemp Seed oil, in particular, is known for not clogging pores (non comedogenic), having anti-inflammatory properties, and providing superior moisturization to keep the skin looking and feeling supple. It can be added to a product or just used on its own as a face oil.
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil is a product that's derived from cannabis. It's a type of cannabinoid, which are the chemicals naturally found in the hemp plant. CBD oil can legally contain up to 0.3% THC (the psychoactive compound found in marijuana) based on federal law. So far it's been shown to be a powerful anti-inflammatory, like its cousin hemp seed oil. It also reportedly helps in healing: acne, sensitive skin, rashes, eczema, psoriasis and more! CBD also has a ton of antioxidants.”
As someone who suffered from acne for more years of my life than not, when I find skin care product(s) I love, I am fiercely loyal! However, years of suffering with bad skin and thousands of dollars on my education as a Certified Natural Health Practitioner, and Master Aesthetician later I realized my acne was the symptom and not the source. My acne was a symptom of not knowing any better as a teen. My mom bought plain old bar soap, so that's what we washed our faces with too. I didn't even know what an Aesthetician was until I was 27. As an adult my acne was a result of over exfoliating because I thought if I scrubbed hard enough I could scrub it off. Turns out my skin just needed a little bit of TLC, and comfort food. Most of the time we treat acne very harshly instead of gently, and the acne is actually a symptom of sensitive skin VS acneic skin, meaning the acne comes about because we have over-processed our skin.
What is unique about CBD oil and hemp seed oil in skincare products is that they are 2 of the few ingredients that can help get rid of acne but are also super gentle to the skin's barrier function. Many anti acne ingredients in skin care dry up the acne but also dry out the skin, so for some that gets rid of the acne but then the skin gets red and inflamed. For others the harsher ingredients may even make acne worse because they are so drying and over-exfoliating that they over process the skin damaging the skin's natural barrier function. The skin's barrier function is the natural process of your epidermis to prevent transepidermal water loss (keeping the skin hydrated), it also protects your body from outside pathogens. Your skin is your body's first line of defense!
Some benefits of CBD in skincare products are:
Anti-Inflammatory- reduces redness and inflammation associated with conditions such as rosacea, or eczema
CBD’s antioxidant properties are impressive; naturally fighting free radicals which help prevent sun damage and premature ageing as well as protect against airborne toxins
Calming hypersensitive skin
By nourishing the epidermis it helps repair the skin's barrier function, increasing your body's protection from environmental toxins
Cbd and the ECS produce a regulatory function in our skin’s sebum production which can minimize breakouts (basically regulating oil production)
Cbd has also shown a combined ability to cause apoptosis [abnormal, aging and damaged cell death] while having antiproliferative effects [preventing the spread of cells, especially malignant cells, into surrounding tissues]. This allows room for regenerated, healthy cells to take their place.
The anti-inflammatory effects of CBD are able to shine because of our ECS; The ECS, among its many abilities, regulates the activity of cytokines and chemokines [pro-inflammatory proteins in the body involved in immune activity]. The simple logic being the fewer pro-inflammatory proteins produced equals less inflammation and a more efficient immune system. Less inflammation in our bodies equals less inflammation on our skin.
Some benefits of Hemp Seed Oil in skincare products are:
Rich in Omega Fatty Acids which may help balance your skin's natural antioxidant activity
Hemp Seed Oil has a natural SPF of 6, so using it in conjunction with a good mineral sunscreen can help boost your skin's protection.
Non Comodegenic, Non Acnegenic (will not clog pores or cause acne)
CBD oil and Hemp Seed OIl can be found locally in many awesome skincare products such as cleansers, masks, under eye treatment creams, face creams, face oils, or even body care products.
I really love Soji Health’s CBD infused facial cleanser, it is made with very simple ingredients, is gluten free, and smells amazing. The light scents you can appreciate are the natural extracts of bergamont, cucumber, and rosemary. If you visit their site at www.SojiHealth.com and enter my coupon code YourHealthSpaOM they will give you 25% your entire order as a thanks for reading my article.
Some amazing local CBD masks are:
Old Mechanicsville Health Spa’s CBD receptions mask, which is a super nourishing cream mask that is gentle enough to be worn overnight as a sleep mask. It smells like hemp infused lavender loveliness.
Kultivate Wellness has 2 options from their own line for CBD masks they sell; a Seaweed & French Clay option and a Chamomile & Dead Sea Mud option. Mud and Clay masks are incredibly detoxifying as they pull away toxins, and Chamomile and seaweed are calming ingredients. Each of their options contain 250 MG of CBD.
Soji Health also manufactures my favorite CBD under eye cream, bye bye bags. Their intense recovery cream works quickly and is super affordable. We also carry this line at Old Mechanicsville Health Spa if you wanna pop over for a visit VS. waiting for shipping.
I personally prefer a hemp based face oil as my final moisturizer but for those that prefer a cream, The Green Hemp Oil cream at Old Mechanicsville Health Spa is amazingly hydrating, yet non comedogenic.
Nick Czatt, owner of Your CBD store in Mechanicsville reminds us “While CBD is a game changer to any skincare regimen, it can only do so much topically. Studies suggest a specific combination of both, internal and topical application; have the highest potential in balancing a person’s ECS (endocannabinoid system), and ultimately many skin conditions. What does all this actually mean? With a balanced ECS, a person is theoretically in a better position to combat things like skin-related wounds, acne breakouts, various forms of dermatitis (eczema), seborrhea, psoriasis, itch and others.”
Old Mechanicsville Health Spa located in Historic Old Town Mechanicsville proudly offers the Cannabliss Facial, which is a 60 minute CBD infused facial. The menu also features a Half Baked CBD infused massage. All CBD infused services at the spa rewards their guests with a take home brownie at the end of their services. They also retail a huge variety of skincare products, and body care products for their clients to take the “spa experience” home with them.
Kultivate Wellness is located in Midlothian, and offers a variety of CBD, Hemp Seed Oil, and wellness products from their line, as well as others. Their sister stores, Kulture (4 local locations around RVA) also carry a variety of CBD products as well as the Kultivate line. Visit kultivatewellness.com for online ordering or one of the 5 locations near you.
Your CBD Store, with 3 locations in the RVA area offer a wide variety of CBD products for humans, and our furry friends. From Gummy vitamins for you, to calm them down cat treats for an over zealous kitten to CBD support for an older dog with hip pain, you can get what you need here! If you place an online order at www.hanoverCBD.com, and use coupon code YourHealthSpaOM20 you will get 20% off your entire order.
Check out some of your local, small businesses for your CBD and Hemp Seed oil needs!
April 2021 Cover Story
