The ABCs of CBD

Everything You Need to Know About CBD in Skincare

In the last few years, CBD has popped up in almost every area of the lifestyle realm, from cocktails to candles to chocolates and more. By now, you may even have a personal favorite CBD drink recipe—or several—that you like to sip on. (And to that, we say: Cheers!) But perhaps more than any other category, the world of skincare has been completely infiltrated and even revolutionized by CBD. North America is leading the global CBD skincare market, and the category is expected to be worth $1.7 billion by 2025. And for good reason. CBD-based skincare is rapidly growing in popularity because, simply put, it works.

But we won’t stop at 'simply put'. For such a consumer favorite category, there’s still a ton of confusion surrounding CBD in skincare products. Do they actually work? How do they work? Will they get you high? To answer all those questions and more, we’ve put together—with help from BalmLabs’ chief dermatologist, Dr. Robin Schaffran—a thorough guide to everything you need to know about CBD in skincare products.

First things first: what is CBD?

Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, is a naturally occurring compound found in cannabis plants like hemp and marijuana. It’s one of the primary active ingredients in cannabis (another main one is THC or tetrahydrocannabinol).

How does topical CBD work on skin?

We have cannabinoid receptors located throughout our body. These receptors are part of our endocannabinoid system, which is believed to regulate many of the body’s key processes, including sleep, mood, and memory. Cool, right? It gets better. These cannabinoid receptors are also located in our skin cells, so using topical products infused with CBD can trigger those receptors and be beneficial for your skin.

So, what are the benefits of using CBD in skincare products?

There are lots! Broad-spectrum hemp-derived CBD is one of our favorite ingredients at BalmLabs, mainly because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. And since we’re all about working with your skin, rather than fighting against it, to gently treat things like irritation, inflammation, and acne, looking at CBD during our first stages of development was a must. Luckily, we liked what we learned. The rest is BalmLabs history.

“I’ve been looking at CBD for a long time,” says Dr. Robin Schaffran. “I started researching what it can actually do for the skin, and I came across some encouraging, science-backed research that showed it to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Furthermore, CBD has a predominant effect on reducing oil gland production in the skin, making it a very useful product for the treatment of acne.” It also has an anti-inflammatory effect, which can help with redness and irritation. “This makes it a double whammy for treating adult acne because [with adult acne] there’s [both] inflammation and excess oil production,” says Dr. Schaffran. “And CBD is non-irritating, so it’s a perfect ingredient for adult acne treatment.”

Will topically applied CBD get you high?

Nope, the buzzy ingredient won’t give you a buzz. (Sorry.) Unlike THC, CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, meaning it won’t make you feel high.

"CBD is non-irritating, so it’s a perfect ingredient for adult acne treatment.”

Is CBD suitable for all skin types?

Yes! Not only is CBD suitable for even the most sensitive skin types, thanks to its non-irritating properties, it’s also been shown to be beneficial for sensitized skin and for treating issues like acne and inflammation. But wait; there’s more! “CBD is compatible with a lot of other ingredients,” says Dr. Schaffran, so it’ll easily fit in with your existing skincare regimen.

Which BalmLabs products feature CBD as an ingredient?

CBD is an active ingredient in our ClearBalm 3-Step System. The ClearBalm Power Elixir and Serum Hydrator are both formulated with broad-spectrum hemp-derived CBD.