2019-04-01 Women's Health

44 / WOMEN’S HEALTH

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CBD is quickly becoming the

kale of wellness ingredients, with

devotees claiming it can ease

anxiety, soothe sore muscles, and

more. But can it also promise

more beautiful skin?

The ABCs of CBD

CBD may not give you

a buzz, but it’s buzzy. In

2017, sales hit $367

million; researchers at

Brightfield Group project they’ll

reach $20 billion by 2022. With a

quick Google search, you can find

CBD-spiked everything (nuts!

dog treats!), and now the wave has

reached the beauty biz, with lotions

popping up at Barney’s and Sephora.

BUT WHAT IS IT REALLY?

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a nonpsycho-

active compound found predomi-

nantly in the leaves and flowers of

cannabis plants, including marijuana

and hemp. The CBD in your face

cream is most likely from hemp,

which, with the passing of the 2018

Farm Bill, can be grown legally and

has virtually zero THC (the stuff in

marijuana that gets you high).

Because certain cannabinoids oc-

cur naturally in the body, our cells

have receptors for them. These re-

ceptors are part of a neurotransmit-

ter network known as the endocan-

nabinoid system, “a circuit that’s

involved in regulating and restoring

healthy processes across every

physiologic system in the body, even

the skin,” says Rachel Knox, MD, a

clinical cannabis specialist. While

supplemental CBD may help dimin-

ish pain and fight inflammation,

less is known about how it works on

skin. But the data is promising.

YOUR SKIN ON CANNABIS

CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties

are the ingredient’s primary calling

card when it comes to skin care. “In-

flammation is the common thread in

By April Long

Photographed by Jeffrey Westbrook

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