As an Oklahoma native I was shocked that we passed medical marijuana this summer. If you’re not from here you probably don’t understand how ANTI-MJ the Oklahoma legislature has been. Our governor, who has the lowest approval rating of any state, has recently said she was open to the idea of CBD oils for epilepsy only. Enter this summers vote. The state legislature played some shenanigans making the vote a mid-term, primary vote in a rather obvious ploy to hedge their bets. That’s something liberal voters rarely turn out for on a national election cycle much less in Oklahoma where it’s traditionally lower than the national average. Color everyone surprised included the pro-medical mj voters when we passed it with 57% approval. Trust me when I say the blowback drama has been intense in this state including corruption charges, state lawyers facing jail time, and disbarment. But this site isn’t political in nature and that’s where it’s going to stop. What this summer did do is get me starting on the use of cannabis in skincare . With more states allowing recreational and medical use of marijuana you’ll start seeing a lot more in skincare, it’s already started. This post is probably super ahead of its time and I’m sure I’ll be making more posts about this in the future.
The Science: The oil content of hemp, the non-recreational drug form of Cannibus sativus, is well known. It’s high in lipids including linolenic, stearic, and oleic fatty acids INCLUDING Omega-3, Omega-6, and Omega-9. That’s the holy trinity of fatty acids.
These fatty acids could be a blog post of their own, but lets say that they are amazing at deep hydration and aiding in keeping skin optimally hydrated regardless of the time of year, dry cold winter months all the way through the humid monsoon seasons. They’re also amazing when ingested which is why most doctors suggest consuming foods high in omega fatty acids, most popular is salmon and olive oil, at least 2 times per week. Omega-3s tend to be rather light in the average American’s diet. We consume in general more Omega 6 than Omega 3s and that needs to be opposite. Fish are an excellent source of Omega 3 fatty acids. Maybe that’s why Asian women have such incredible skin! A great blog post for a better break down can be found at Bulletproof. It even comes with citations!!!! Lots of reputable citations. I’m writing my own manuscript right not and reviewing two more over the Christmas break, I’ve had enough of citations for a few days. A scientific review of the Western diet as it relates to Omega fatty acids and health outcomes can also be found here. Basically, eat your fish 2 to 3 times a week and you should be pretty good.
In skincare, we’re already pretty familiar with products that are high in omega 3, 6 or 9 fatty acids like avocado oil, walnut oil, pecan oil (which is popular in my neck of the woods). Don’t crack open a fish oil capsule and think of putting that on your face. OMG the smell. We do that for our dogs in the winter when it’s cold outside and dear lord the smell is pungent. The problem with these oils is that they’re thick. So those who have skin issues like acne or oily skin aren’t going to benefit as much because there’s a high likelihood of an acne breakout. Enter cannabis/hemp oils. I just bought Herbivore’s new Emerald. When that one is in I’ll give it a look and see what’s going on with it. Hempz has also made a brand name designed around hemp oil and has an AMAZING product line for those with dry skin. The Body Shop likewise has had a hemp line for over a decade. The con of a lot of the hemp lines is that they do smell very earthy. Not like you were just hot boxed but definitely an earthy fragrance which can be off putting to a lot of people including myself. Because of that the products can be highly fragranced to mask that. We’ll see if Herbivore’s products are heavily fragranced. They’re not suppose to be but we’ll do the 3 week test and see.
Final Thought:
I wouldn’t avoid Cannabis in your skincare. It’s not going to get you high. It’s not going to make you pop a positive on a drug screening at work. It doesn’t have the compound that makes you high and it’s against federal law to begin with. Even though many states in the US and countries world-wide are allowing recreational cannabis use in the US it’s still against federal law so moving it across state lines (i.e. shipping for a warehouse to any persons home or store front) is a massive no-no. The benefits of a cannabis oil in your skincare products can be phenomenal if used on the correct skin type. Rich in Omega 3,6, and 9 fatty acids it can work wonders to plump the skin and get it back into tip top shape or keep it in great shape if you’re already there. Since it is so high in omega fatty acids it doesn’t have to be used in as high a concentration which allows it to be thinned out more with other oils that aren’t as heavy making it better suited for those with acne issues.
