By now, everyone knows that the secret to glowing skin is an intensive skincare regimen. You need to be meticulous at applying cleansers and exfoliators, serums and essences, oils and creams in the right order at the right time of day. If you can find the right products for your skin and keep consistent with your routine, you should be able to flaunt flawless skin in a matter of weeks.
But what if you want to add CBD into your skincare? If you are interested in adding this cannabinoid to your established skincare routine, you need to know more about what it does, what products incorporate it and when CBD is best applied during the course of the day.
First: Why CBD?
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is the second most plentiful cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant. While the dominant cannabinoid, THC, is psychoactive, CBD has no psychoactive effects — which isn’t to say it has no effects whatsoever. Rather, CBD influences the body to produce more of its own healing compounds, which tends to reduce pain and inflammation among other effects.
When applied topically, CBD does not enter the blood stream but instead sinks into the skin and surrounding tissues, providing targeted effects. Thus, a skincare product with CBD allows the compound to work its magic directly on your skin, which can help you manage all sorts of skin conditions and complaints. In particular, those suffering from inflammatory skin conditions, like rosacea, eczema and psoriasis, tend to see marked improvement in the look and feel of their skin after applying CBD, and dermatologists often recommend CBD to sufferers of dry skin.
As yet, there hasn’t been much research to confirm the beauty industry’s claims regarding CBD in skincare, but hordes of users extoll the compound’s positive effects. Because the risks of using CBD in your skincare are essentially nil, you might as well try some CBD products to see if you see similar benefits. If you don’t see any effects after a few weeks of your new regimen, you can always go back to your old skincare routine.
Types of CBD Skincare Products
Before you toss CBD into your skincare mix, you should learn more about your CBD skincare options. Manufacturers can add CBD to almost any skincare product, from CBD lotions to cleansers to eye creams to serums, but some products are better at helping CBD sink into the skin and provide effects. The CBD skincare you are likely to see on shelves near you include:
CBD Serums. Serums have high concentrations of CBD, which means they are more likely to provide noticeable benefits from CBD. Because they are thin and sink in quickly, serums are best applied immediately after cleansing. Then, the skin is open and accepting of any product, and the high dose of CBD does the most work.
CBD Moisturizers. Moisturizers are lightweight and keep the skin hydrated. Because CBD also has this effect, it works well in a moisturizing skincare product. Most CBD moisturizers are lightweight and contain ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which help to rebuild and protect the natural moisture barrier.
CBD Lotions and Creams. Types of moisturizers, lotions and creams tend to include oils, which make them thicker and more likely to remain on the skin for longer. Lotions are applied twice per day in the morning and evening while creams are usually applied once before bed, so the products have hours to sink into skin. Because they contain oils, these products should be applied last in your skincare routine because they will block any other product from being absorbed.
CBD Eye Creams. Eye creams are like face creams except that they are formulated for the delicate skin under the eyes. CBD is an excellent ingredient for eye creams because it can eliminate puffiness and darkness, helping the skin look awake and youthful. You want to apply your eye cream after your serum and give it a few minutes to fully sink in.
CBD Sheet Masks. Sheet masks are soaked in hydrating ingredients, like CBD, and hold those ingredients against the skin for a prolonged period of time. You don’t need to use a sheet mask every day, but applying one once per week after cleansing and before serums is a good way to boost hydration.
Skincare and CBD go together like cleansing and exfoliation — you should always do the former and occasionally add the latter if your skin needs it. Having a CBD skincare product on hand could be helpful in boosting hydration and eliminating inflammation, and as long as you are using your skincare products correctly, you should see seriously positive results.
