Sometimes, it can be hard to keep up with cosmetic and skincare trends. Is activated charcoal truly the miracle solution it is marketed as? Will coconut oil change your life? Is a product with seaweed truly worth paying an extra ten bucks for?
If you have been swayed into buying a pricey cosmetic solution that did not deliver the promised results, you may be hesitant to jump onto any more skincare bandwagons.
However, what if there were products on the market backed by actual scientific research?
See, it can be challenging to get an in-depth perspective on how effective your everyday skincare products are. Ultimately, there is minimal demand for scientific research into how soft cocoa butter can make your skin, or which natural extracts can reduce the look of scars and stretch marks.
However, there is one natural product that has been getting more attention the ever from the scientific community: Cannabidiol (CBD). Though hemp oil, cannabis oil, and marijuana, all come from the cannabis plant, pure CBD face products, and edible CBD products that absolutely have no THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) and therefore cannot make you high. Instead, it is often used for a wide range of medicinal and wellness purposes. blood pressure, eczema pain relief (including chronic pain), certain types of skin cancer, Dravet syndrome, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress disorder, and Alzheimer’s disease are just a few areas where patients benefit from CBD oil and its derivatives.
Evidence has touted it as a potential treatment for epilepsy and mental illness, but can it help you with your skin? The beauty industry seems to think so, considering CBD is quickly becoming one of the most popular ingredients in both high-end and affordable drugstore-brand products.
Photo: Unsplash / Tiara Leitzman
CBD and Science
Before you find out what the beauty industry is saying about CBD, it is important to understand what the scientific community is saying about it. Although it is ultimately up to you and your doctor what you consume, and every person will respond differently to CBD, research has suggested there are three main benefits to CBD when it comes to skin care: reducing inflammation, regulating oil production, and helping with stress management.
Inflammation
Inflammation is one of those broad terms that can impact every aspect of your health. When a clogged pore is inflamed, the end result is a nasty, noticeable zit that draws attention in any conversation.
But inflammation is also a key issue when it comes to aging. According to evidence, inflammation is a primary cause of the visible and unpleasant signs of aging, and that CBD has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Oil Production
Acne occurs when our pores get clogged with an oil called sebum. On its own, sebum is a good thing—it keeps our face lubricated and our skin should have a healthy amount. However, people prone to breakouts tend to produce too much sebum, and this leaves clogged pores and unsightly blemishes.
Recent research is suggesting that CBD can actually help the glands that produce sebum to better regulate the oil that we produce, in turn helping prevent oily, acne-ridden skin.
Stress Management
Stress is a lightning rod for acne and signs of aging. During the busiest times in our life, we tend to notice more frequent breakouts and, as time goes on, we tend to display our daily stress through wrinkles and creases in our face.
Although we have many options to handle stress (including behavioral therapy, daily exercise, and cutting out activities, obligations, and people that increase stress) not all of them are easily available. After all, we might believe that quitting our jobs and moving to a tropical island is just what we need to reduce stress, but that is not exactly possible for all of us.
Research is still underway on the full spectrum of benefits that CBD offers, but studies that have been done so far point to it as being a tool to battle stress, anxiety and promote healthy sleep, which, in turn, can leave your skin healthier than ever.
What the Beauty Industry Thinks
The beauty industry has seemed to take the recent research into CBD in great strides, as it is becoming a mega-popular ingredient in both make-up and skin cleansing. The proof is in the pudding: both the popular drugstore brands you use every day and high-end brands used by celebrities and professional make-up artists are using CBD as a core ingredient.
Even Vogue—yes, Vogue—is touting the benefits of CBD. When the world’s most prevalent fashion and beauty magazine is taking CBD seriously, you know that there is a good reason for it.
Overall, if CBD-infused cosmetics and skincare products are something you want to try, you will not struggle to find products within your price range and your area. In coming months and years, we predict that CBD will be a leading beauty trend, and it will be hard to avoid a moisturizing face mask or daily cleanser without it in the ingredients list. However, there is an easier way.
Making Your Own Beauty Products
If the last thing you want is to spend another $30 on a beauty product that will collect dust in your bathroom caddy, there is a solution: simply make your own products.
Creating your own beauty products from scratch might seem daunting at first, but the truth is that high-quality skincare products are already using natural ingredients available at your local supermarket, and DIY recipes can be found scattered across the Internet.
In fact, some of the research cited above has suggested that the benefits of CBD were reaped both when it was applied to the skin and taken orally, meaning simply ingesting CBD every day can lead to an improvement in your skin, no other ingredients needed.
If you are unsure how to filter through the many brands offering CBD-infused products right now, consider starting with the purchase of a tincture. You can take this on your own orally and, if you do not see an improvement, start using it as a face wash or adding it to DIY recipes. At the end of the day, with or without expensive brand-name products, your skin will thank you for taking action. From dealing with pain to skincare, CBD products are slowly but surely starting to lead the way.
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