Hemp Lotion: A Guide to the Latest Skincare Trend

According to Grandview Research, the size of the global skin care product market is projected to be worth $183 billion by 2025. Given this, it should come as no surprise that researchers and manufacturers are working at lightning pace to create the latest and greatest skin care products. The use of hemp and CBD in skin care products was inevitable and our guide to this latest trend takes a look at the pros and cons of hemp lotion.

What is Hemp Lotion?

There are countless lotion products on the market, so what makes hemp lotion any different?

You’ve likely figured out that the answer involves hemp, but there’s more to understanding the potential value of hemp-based lotions.

Nearly any type of lotion can be infused with hemp seed oil. This is a relatively simple process in most cases. Lotion producers typically only have one additional step in the production process when incorporating hemp seed oil. This step involves homogenizing (another word for creating a uniform mixture) hemp seed oil or CBD into the lotion.

Fortunately for producers and consumers, hemp seed oil can typically deliver the desired results in relatively small concentrations, which means your skin won’t feel sticky or greasy.

What are the Benefits of Hemp Lotion?

Although it may be tempting to purchase hemp lotion as an impulse buy, given its rapid rise in popularity, there are more benefits than being a user of the latest trendy skin care product.

Moisturizing

You may be thinking, “Duh, of course a lotion product is moisturizing,” but hemp lotion packs a secret weapon in this department.

Hemp seed oil is loaded with essential fatty acids (EFAs). Our bodies love EFAs and rely on outside sources to get them as we’re unable to produce them on our own.

In a study published by the Journal of Dermatological Treatment, researchers found that supplemental dietary hemp seed oil led to increased levels of EFAs.

The study, which was exploring patients suffering from atopic dermatitis, reported that participants experienced an improvement in both skin dryness and itchiness.

Although this study was focused on dietary hemp seed oil, anecdotal user reports frequently laud hemp-based lotions for similar moisturizing benefits.

Skin Nutrition

Essential fatty acids aren’t the only benefit that hemp lotion brings to the table.

Hemp seed oil is a source of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). According to research by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, PUFAs appear to play a beneficial role in skin health by generating anti-inflammatory metabolites.

Additionally, hemp lotion made from hemp seed oil contains a litany of other beneficial compounds, including omega-3 and omega-6 acids, amino acids, and many other vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.

Skin Healing Features

Cuts, scrapes, blemishes, and skin conditions are all things that we could all live without.

Unfortunately, these problems will always exist.

Outside of trying to prevent them from happening in the first place, our next best option is to heal them as quickly as possible when they do occur.

Although we don’t recommend applying any lotion to any topical wound without first consulting with your healthcare provider, we do recommend maintaining healthy, hydrated skin. This means that when your skin has a wound, it may heal much quicker.

The Wound Source Academy states that wounds with proper moisture can heal between three to five times faster than those that are dry.

Not only does a solid daily regimen with moisturizing products like hemp lotion create an optimal environment for your skin’s health, but it can also help reduce the severity of scarring, wrinkles, environmental damage, and signs of aging.

Natural Sources

In most cases, hemp lotions will fall into both the organic and vegan categories.

Of course, this isn’t always the case, but the majority of producers strive to ensure their products are organic at the very least.

As with most other skin care products, it is typically easy to determine if your hemp lotion meets the criteria to be considered vegan or organic by reviewing the label or packaging.

If you’re still not sure, we recommend reaching out to the brand’s customer service department, who can answer that question and any others you may have about their hemp lotion.

Lower Environmental Impact

By now, you are probably well aware of the environmental benefits that manifest from hemp production.

Considering the size of the skin care industry and the rapid growth of hemp-based skin care products, eco-conscious consumers can breathe a sigh of relief if they’re concerned about their environmental footprint.

Unlike many other synthetic and natural compounds frequently found in skin care products, the production of hemp seed oil like that used in hemp lotions renders minimal byproducts that could cause environmental damage.

Is Hemp Lotion Legal?

In nearly all cases, yes, hemp lotion is legal.

Although hemp seed oil comes from the cannabis plant, which is also known for its production of the psychoactive compound THC, hemp seeds do not produce THC.

This means that hemp seed oil in your hemp lotion contains no THC, unless otherwise labeled.

If you need extra assurance, most producers advertise THC content or lack thereof on the product’s label. This is another situation where reaching out to the brand’s customer service department can result in a quick answer to your questions.

In the event that your hemp lotion contains CBD, a non-psychoactive compound also produced by the cannabis plant, we recommend researching the legality of CBD in your state.

The 2018 Farm Bill removed many of the regulatory hurdles that CBD once faced. At this time, there are only a few states that have opted to keep CBD illegal.

Finding the Best Hemp Lotion for Your Needs

With all of the options available, choosing a hemp lotion may feel intimidating. We recommend approaching this as you would any other skin care product.

First, you should identify why you want to use a hemp lotion. Do you want to add moisture? Are you trying to clear up a skin condition? Ask yourself what results you want from the product.

After you know the goal, then the remaining effort comes down to trial and error in most cases.

From here, we recommend making a list of your top five options and checking the ingredient lists for anything that you know you want to avoid or may be allergic to. Once you’ve narrowed this list down, the remaining step is trying each option one by one to see which works best for your needs.

Remember, improving your skin’s health isn’t an overnight goal. Make sure you give each hemp lotion a few weeks of consistent use before deciding if it works for you or not.

Conclusion

As with most new trends, scientific research data is limited in the early days. In the next year or two, we expect the amount of published research around all hemp products will grow exponentially.

That said, early evidence of hemp lotion’s benefits in skin care is nothing short of promising. 

Until then, we recommend signing up for our free newsletter. This is an excellent source for the latest hemp news, research data, and product reviews.