What are the uses of CBD in cosmetics?
In cosmetics, hemp seed oil is used. Unlike CBD oil, which is extracted from hemp leaves, the oil used in cosmetics is extracted from hemp seeds by cold pressing. Consumer products derived from hemp seed oil cover a wide range of health and wellness products. These range from moisturizers, massage oils, foundations, scrubs and even toothpastes.
CBD oil used in cosmetics is appreciated for its soothing properties and its high content of omega 3 and omega 6 (richer than argan oil). Like shea butter, CBD oil is rich in essential fatty acids, which are useful for good skin hydration.
But it is the specific characteristics of CBD that make CBD oil-based cosmetics stand out from others. The dermis is part of the endocannabinoid system. As such, it has many CB2 receptors that can be activated by CBD. The topical application of a CBD-based cosmetic can thus act as a therapeutic treatment, promoting a local response to skin inflammation.
Oddly enough, the packaging of cosmetic ranges using hemp seed oil show a hemp leaf, even though it is not used in their manufacture. In men’s cosmetics, the emphasis on the cannabis leaf is even more exaggerated, riding the “bad boy” wave. Another oddity is that while the existence of the endocannabinoid system has only been known since the 1990s, The Body Shop chain has been offering a range of hemp cosmetics since 1992.