When you think of consumer products made from cannabis formulations, edibles and tinctures more likely might come to mind than lip balms and lotions would. But the world of cannabis beauty products is getting bigger by the day, especially as the industry expands to accommodate a more diverse demographic of customers — not just stoner dudes and dab heads, but increasingly also women and other cannabis enthusiasts who may not be looking to get high or even to medicate a specific condition, but still want the natural benefits of the plant.
Whether you want to nourish your hair or skin, or get clean with some cannabis soap, cannabis could easily be a central ingredient in any number of toiletries or cosmetics.
Jasmine and Henna Fluff-Eaze hair treatment, made by Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, for instance, incorporates cannabis as a means of replenishing fried out locks. The cannabis hemp oil works with other ingredients in the product, like coconut or olive oil, which helps your hair withstand heat, increases elasticity, and decreases the risk of breakage, says Meghan Campbell, brand and product trainer for Lush.
Another cosmetics line Marley Natural, carries lotion, soap, and chapstick all with hemp oil, while Cannasmack hemp infused lip balm also contains Cannabis sativa as one of its main ingredients. The Body Shop makes an iconic “hemp soap on a rope,” featuring a green bar soap in the shape of a cannabis leaf.
All the above companies use hemp oil, meaning oil that’s been extracted from a variety of Cannabis sativa that’s been grown for industrial use, rather than for human ingestion. That means they also have very little THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, and won’t get you high even if you lather them all over your body.
However, other cannabis cosmetic products will give you a little tingle upon use, and will help alleviate pain from injury or menstrual discomfort.
Whoopi & Maya, for instance, is a line of pot-for-PMS products designed by Whoopi Goldberg and edible chef Maya Elisabeth. In addition to medicated hot cocoa and bath salts, the line also includes a medicated salve, which women can rub into their backs or stomachs to relieve period cramps.
Other companies, like Ojai Energetics, which makes a count oil and moisturizing cream, focus specifically on using CBD, the second most prominent compound in cannabis. CBD is particularly useful for pain and inflammation. However helpful, these products aren’t cheap. Ojai Energetics 12-ounce jar of coconut oil goes for nearly $55.
The legality of these products also depends on where the cannabis used in them is derived from. If it comes specifically from industrial hemp, a variety that contains little to no THC, then they can be transported anywhere. However, in the case of Whoopi & Maya, for instance, the products can only be purchased in legal states that authorize medical or adult use marijuana.
Nonetheless, the variety of cannabis products, reaching into cosmetic and beauty industries, illustrates the diversity of the cannabis plant, and moreover, the growing commercial demand to use cannabis in otherwise nontraditional ways.
