Cannabis aren't restricted to just stoned hippies anymore. With the medicinal value of marijuana making it to the news – to the point where even doctors are prescribing it – you'd think it couldn't get better.
But as it turns out, 2018 just got infinitely better for every pro-cannabis-enthusiast because now, it is a secret behind the ultimate skincare glow-up!
Also read: World's first cannabis-infused, alcohol-free wine
Statistically, cannabis appears to be the hottest new ingredient when it comes to beauty products, in 2018. Best part? It's legal and these creams won't get you high, as Daily Mail Online reported.
Luxury and high-end brands have indulged in introducing products with the secret element being cannabis – specifically, extracts of the cannabis sativa plant – claiming they are full of anti-inflammatory, anti-ageing and skin-healing potential.
The US, where cannabis has been legalized in 29 states, has appeared as a huge growth area for these products.
But what exactly is the magical ingredient serving as the saviour? There are two, in fact: hemp oil, which is made from the seeds of the cannabis plant, and cannabidiol (CBD), which is extracted from the flowers and leaves.
CBD, one of the two main active ingredients in cannabis, is not the mind-altering one, thus enabling these products to hold no risk of getting the user high. On the other hand, hemp seed oil contains neither CBD nor THC, but is full of moisturising properties. It actually contains more essential fatty acids that our skin requires, than any other vegetable oil!
What's revolutionary is how around 250,000 people in the UK use CBD oil, mostly orally, to treat conditions like multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Parkinson's and inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.
CBD's anti-inflammatory property is what gives it such high potential as a skincare element, explains consultant dermatologist Dr Alexis Granite at London's Cadogan Clinic. "If you can reduce inflammation, you can also reduce ageing."
Also read: Pregnant women using marijuana
Dr Granite also points out that despite scientific proof being not so significant on the topic, a research review last year showed CBD's potential anti-inflammatory effect on skin too.
"We have to be careful because the studies that exist so far are small," she says. "As the U.S. continues to legalise cannabis there will be bigger scientific studies, which will be very interesting."
Guess some 'high'ly satisfying times lie ahead for beauty enthusiasts!
