Beauty

Enticing world of ingredients: CBD aka cannabidiol

Beauty | 18.6.2019 | Katja Kokko

CBD – cannabidiol derived from cannabis – is undeniably the hottest trend in skin care ingredients right now.

A new trend has taken the world of skin care ingredients by storm, which I believe will cause even more of a stir than activated charcoal and fermented ingredients put together. It’s likely that several CBD skin care ranges will be launched on the market this year – products that contain cannabidiol, a compound derived from cannabis – meaning the topic will surface a great deal here on the blog as well. It’s safe to say that this skin care trend will totally outshine activated charcoal, and I’m personally as interested in it as in fermented ingredients. I created a separate tag for the topic, so from now on, you will find all related posts under ‘CBD cosmetics’.

What on earth is CBD?

Chemical compounds in cannabis are called cannabinoids. CBD, i.e. cannabidiol, is one of the two best known compounds. The other compound, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has intoxicating effects, unlike CBD.

What are the skin care effects of CBD?

Although CBD is beneficial for all skin types, it is especially useful for stressed and irritated skin. CBD has been reported to calm itchiness, redness and minor skin damage. It soothes symptoms of atopic skin and psoriasis. It also balances sebum secretion for those with oily, impurity-prone skin, making it suitable for acne. It is also beneficial for premature signs of aging and aging skin, as antioxidants in CBD restore vitality.

Hemptouch – therapeutic range for sensitive skin

Hemptouch is a Slovenian natural beauty range, which, as the name suggests, centres around hemp.  Hemp is a hardy plant that is ecological and easy to maintain, diversely used already by our forefathers to make ropes, clothing and other utility objects. 

Hemptouch has a philosophy that nature is the best medicine, and the best way to help our skin is to encourage it to help itself. 

The products contain hemp seed oil, CBD and hemp water, i.e. hydrolate. Cold-pressed hempseed oil is a rich source of Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids and vitamin E. It has a thin formula that doesn’t clog pores, so it is also suitable for impurity-prone and oily skin. Hemp water improves the skin’s microcirculation and minimizes pores. The products use hemp water as a base.

Sustainability is a foundational principle for Hemptouch, and the company does not use ingredients that have adverse effects on nature. The hemp is grown in Slovenia and the products favour ingredients that are produced locally or as close as possible. Although the company strives to find a local version for each ingredient, certain ingredients like shea butter are impossible to find in Slovenia.

The simple range includes almost everything the skin needs. For now, though, a toner and eye contour cream are missing from the range, which is a shame. The range does cover all other “must-haves”, and based on using the products for a few weeks, I can safely say they tick all the right boxes. If I had a beauty salon, I would definitely consider including Hemptouch, which is a strong contender for alleviating sensitive skin.

Purifying Face Cleanser, 17,00 €

The Hemptouch cleanser has an extremely thin, gentle, gel-like consistency that won’t dry the skin. I would recommend the product for sensitive skin and people with rosacea and acne. The cleanser contains hemp water and oil, cleansing cedarwood essential oil, soothing bisabolol and nourishing chlorella.

Balancing Face Cream, 34,00 €

The moisturizer is a dream: glides on perfectly, moisturizes and nourishes effectively, leaves the skin soft and doesn’t clog pores. It works wonderfully under makeup. Orange blossom water and hemp water hydrate and brighten the skin while minimizing pores. Hemp oil, CBD and chlorella soothe and purify the skin and potentially reduce blackheads and other impurities.

Therapeutic CBD Skin Balm, 35,00 €

This therapeutic skin balm brings relief to acute skin issues and irritation like rashes, red and itchy patches and burnt skin. It’s also suitable for chapped, flaky or swollen skin. An independent dermatological study found it to be non-irritating. The water-free balm includes mango butter, shea butter, hemp oil, CBD and marigold to calm, nourish and balance the skin and speed up the healing of skin damage. 

Soothing CBD Skin Balm, 26,00 €

The soothing skin balm is better suited for long-term use for sensitive skin than the Therapeutic CBD Skin Balm, which is recommended for the acute stage of flareups. The soothing balm has a lighter formula, and in addition to hemp oil, contains thinner oils than the therapeutic balm. The Soothing CBD Balm also includes marigold to soothe inflammation and speed up the healing of skin damage as well as calming chamomile, lavender and amyris oil, which is also known as western sandalwood.

Gentle Skin Balm, 20,00 €

The skin balm for sensitive skin is almost identical to the Soothing CBD Skin Balm but without essential oils, making it suitable for people who are allergic or sensitive to fragrances. This balm does not include any CBD.

Intensive Lip Balm, 9,00 €

Look no further for the answer to chapped lips. You really notice a difference compared to other lip balms, which is especially down to hemp oil that I don’t remember coming across in others before. The product contains clove essential oil and bisabolol, which may prevent sores and blisters. It’s an enticing surprise element in a lip balm that creates a lovey, spicy fragrance.  

Gentle Hydrolate Shampoo, 19,00 €

The shampoo is perhaps the most surprising product in the Hemptouch range – why create a shampoo but not a conditioner, and why not concentrate on the missing toner instead? I ended up using the shampoo as a shower gel; the product also being suitable as a body wash is even printed on the side of the bottle. But there must be a reason why it’s included in the range – it is particularly designed for those with irritated scalps and dry hair, who might find it difficult to find a non-irritating product. Hemp oil is also known for its beneficial effects on hair, so it is a logical addition to the range.

It’s hard to find anything negative to say about Hemptouch. The products contain no unnecessary fillers, which is something I tend to pay attention to. The products seem to do the job well, and especially the Therapeutic CBD Skin Balm has done a whole lot of good to my décolletage, which easily gets crinkly with even the least amount of sun exposure. The reasonable price is another perk. Above all, the range has a certain soulfulness – let’s just say it’s a hippy thing that isn’t so easy to put into words.

Have you given CBD cosmetics a go, and have you tried Hemptouch?

Photos Katja Kokko

Translation Rebecca Watson

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