Cannabis in the mainstream beauty industry is a relatively new phenomenon, though it’s been a skincare staple across time. In the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, cannabis and hemp salves were a common addition to dermatologic medicine cabinets, healing maladies from skin burns to inflammation. In 1747, English physician Robert James noted in his book, Pharmacopoeia Universalis: or, A New Universal English Dispensatory, “the [hemp] root boil’d, and applied by way of cataplasm, mitigates inflammations.”In Search of the Perfect Topical?Cannabis has appeared in myriad archeological sites and was even found with the remains of a Siberian princess dating back 2,500 years. People have known of cannabis’s benefits for millennia. With evidence continually mounting in favor of the plant’s effects on the skin, I decided to give it a shot. I already use hemp oil for my curly hair in the form of John Addison’s Organic Hemp Seed Oil (courtesy of the highly recommended Allume Chill Box), so why not transfer that goodness over to my unruly and acne-prone skin?
Enter Cannabliss’s line of facial skincare products. A few weeks ago, I received a sample box filled with Cannabliss goodies, from Moisturizing Face Lotion to a soothing Hemp Salve. This box was delivered right in time for an idea I wanted to try, which required cannabis skincare products: I wanted to see if the hype was worth it.
Was it? Is it? Would I buy more? Should you try it out? Here are my thoughts and experiences.
My Routine: Not Quite Fresh Faced
I’ve struggled with acne since the day I hit puberty—and it hasn’t stopped since. It was worse in my younger years, but I still (at 27) experience hormone-related outbursts around my chin. All in all, my face could be considered combination with a few acne scars for good measure.
I’ve tested out a number of products in my quest for the perfect glow and eventually settled into a simple routine. Sure, it keeps new acne pimples at bay, but, admittedly, it hasn’t improved on my skin’s overall texture by a noticeable amount:
Morning
- Splash face with water
- Apply moisturizer (I’ve recently switched to EltaMD)
Evening
- Simple Micellar Water (to dissolve makeup)
- Cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser
- Cerave PM Night Cream
- Bonus: Amara Organics Eye Cream (for under the eyes—this stuff is fantastic)
I don’t like diving into too many products at once, despite the emerging trend of piling on products in the ultimate routine. And aside from the EltaMD daily cream, I don’t like to go over $20 on a product if I can help it (blame it on living in a very expensive city on a writer’s budget). Lucky for me, Cannabliss was delivered with no strings attached.
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(Courtesy of Cannabliss)
When I decided to take on cannabis beauty products for a full month, I simply switched out my usual morning and evening moisturizer with Cannabliss’s Revitalizing Face Serum followed by their Moisturizing Face Lotion:
Morning
- Splash face with water
- Cannabliss Revitalizing Serum
- Cannabliss Moisturizing Face Lotion
Evening
- Simple Micellar Water (to dissolve makeup)
- Cannabliss Revitalizing Serum
- Cannabliss Moisturizing Face Lotion
- Bonus: Amara Organics Eye Cream
The task was easy enough—without changing other things in my regular day-to-day life such as diet or sleep patterns, I could focus on the benefits of these cannabis beauty products alone.
In tandem with the facial products listed above, I also applied Bliss Body Oil after showering, and covered rough body patches with a touch of Hemp Salve.
Before, After, and What You Should Expect
I understand my experiences here are limited to one brand of skincare products, so it should be noted that not all cannabis-based skincare will work the same. Everyone’s skin is unique to themselves, and all skin types can react to products in vastly different ways.
That being said, here’s the nitty-gritty of my personal experience:
The Ingredients
Cannabliss maintains organically-sourced ingredients for their entire line, and each product is cruelty-free, paraben-free, non-GMO, and eco-friendly. The Moisturizing Face Lotion contains full spectrum hemp oil, with anti-aging herbs such as schisandra, goji berry, and peony. The serum is just as natural, boasting vitamin C, aloe, and a propriety herbal blend.
With such fresh ingredients (and no concerning additions in the fine print) I couldn’t wait to get into it. For a detailed list of ingredients in every product, check out the Cannabliss website.
The Smell
In all honesty, I wasn’t a huge fan of the smell of either serum or moisturizer. Both products produced an orange-y aroma that pursued a slightly manufactured scent. The body oil and hemp salve took the cake for best overall scent. However, by the time I was out the door in the morning, the aroma was masked, and it wasn’t noticeable enough to elicit comments from coworkers or friends throughout the day.
The Feel
Both serum and moisturizer had a great skin-feel. The serum applied smoothly and absorbed quickly while the lotion was soft and light. I didn’t feel overly greasy, which is a huge bonus, since my T-zone tends to get oily halfway through the day. I was surprised that wearing both products on my face at the same time didn’t cause a slick or muddy surface—my makeup didn’t seem like too much with the added products underneath.
The Verdict
And now the part you’ve been waiting for: the before and after.
Before (Courtesy of Hannah Meadows)
After (Courtesy of Hannah Meadows)
The top picture above was taken on May 28, 2018 and the bottom on June 28, 2018. I am not wearing makeup in either photo—the images are focused on the bottom half of my face since that is where I experience the most issues.
You’ll notice I gained a little color between photos due to Seattle’s uptick in sunshine. New tan aside, I did not see a significant change in my overall texture or general look. And the extra bumps in the ‘after’ pictures followed a hormonal outbreak, so I don’t want to attribute those newcomers to the use of Cannabliss.
Throughout the routine, I did not notice any new zits—which was great! But, by comparison sake, my skin remained the same. Perhaps I needed to give it more time—at least for the facial products. On the flip side, I absolutely loved the Body Oil and Hemp Salve, despite those being bonus additions to the routine. My body skin remained soft and supple, and dry patches were no match for the Hemp Salve.
Find Cannabis Skincare Products Nearby
So, would I try cannabis beauty products again? Of course, there’s no use in trashing the concept of cannabis skincare just because I didn’t see immediate results with one particular skincare line. Cannabliss didn’t cause any negative concerns, yet it didn’t much improve on them either. But I do know one thing: I’ll be soaking in that cannabis infused Body oil and Hemp Salve from here on out.
What’s your experience with cannabis beauty products? Tell us about it in the comments.
