The beauty world is abuzz with CBD-infused products and its popularity is steadily on the rise. While the ingredient was considered taboo for many years thanks to its cannabinoid cousin, THC, last year’s Farm Bill federally legalized the compound and as a result, beauty brands everywhere began dabbling in CBD. Today, you can find everything from CBD-infused shampoos and moisturizers to lash serums and brow tints, but there’s much more to the ingredient than meets the eye.
“There are several companies that have announced CBD-infused beauty products as a way to be part of the bigger trend, but they often aren’t sourced or manufactured correctly, resulting in little-to-no benefit,” says Dan Hodgdon, CEO of Vegamour, a line of plant-based lash, brow and hair growth serums. “Sometimes it seems like the beauty industry is exploiting the use of CBD as a marketing story rather than diving deeper into the benefits and how to deliver said benefits in a skincare or haircare product,” he adds. Though, when used correctly, Hodgdon says CBD is one of the most exciting things to happen to the beauty industry in years, specifically in relation to natural hair treatments. “It’s almost as if CBD was specifically designed by nature to combat hair loss,” he says.
Because CBD has been shown to reduce inflammation, and inflammation around the hair follicles is one of the leading causes of hair loss, incorporating the ingredient into its own line of “hair wellness” products was a no-brainer for Hodgdon. Taking things one step further, Hodgon researched the effectiveness of CBD molecules in relation to their size. According to his research, the average size of a CBD molecule is 2,000 nanometers—that’s about the size of a sugar grain, meaning it’s much too large to effectively penetrate the scalp or skin. Hodgdon’s solution? Reducing the size of the molecule by a factor of 20. “Our micro-encapsulated CBD molecules are only 100 nanometers, which allows them to penetrate deep into the skin where they can reduce inflammation and increase blood circulation at the root level,” Hodgdon says.
When looking to incorporate CBD products into your beauty and hair routines, it’s crucial for industry professionals to look at where and how the CBD is sourced and how it’s incorporated into the products you’re using. “If you’re using CBD topically, find out how much CBD is incorporated into the formula—if you’re using a non-encapsulated product that is only 100mg per 30ml bottle, know that you’re only getting 1 to 2mg of CBD per use and that this will have little effect on the area of application,” Hodgdon says. “Most of all, remember that there’s no ‘silver bullet’ when it comes to hair loss,” he adds. “CBD is just one of the many exciting, new external/internal bio-actives that, when properly harvested and extracted, work in tandem with your body’s own biochemistry to produce healthy, sustainable results.”
More CBD-Infused Beauty Brands Worth Checking Out…
The Brand: NoMad Haircare
The Deets: A non-toxic, professional-grade, high-end haircare brand that's full of good things, like CBD and lactic acid, and free of bad stuff, like silicone, parabens, sulfates, animal by-products and synthetic dyes/fragrances. The line currently offers a serum, shampoo and conditioner.
The Brand: HempBeauty
The Deets: Harnessing the power of CBD, the collection, including skincare, wellness and body products, was ethically sourced and produced without harsh ingredients. The all-natural, hemp-derived formulas boast high CBD content and are both vegan and cruelty free. Designed with the stylist in mind, the comprehensive collection provides long-lasting relief from muscle tension and inflammation and promotes wellness and relaxation.
The Brand: EMERA Haircare
The Deets: Created by Earthly Body, an eco-friendly, animal-friendly company deeply committed to protecting our planet and its population, EMERA products contain high quality, naturally-derived, biodegradable ingredients. The brand currently offers a shampoo, conditioner, detangler, serum and scalp therapy.