Hemp seems to be the ingredient of the year. It's not just about inflorescences and pharmaceutical products: hemp has now also become a precious material for the food, textile, construction and above all cosmetics industries . There are many known uses of this controversial plant, but there are those who still try to ban its use in the name of a prohibitionism that has had its day.
Among the sectors most interested in the use of cannabis there is certainly the cosmetics industry. According to forecasts by Arciview Market Research , the cannabis beauty market will generate around 22 billion dollars by 2021. This is not a simple trend, but the discovery of a precious ally. Hemp has very useful hydrating and anti-inflammatory properties for the skin, so much so that even many Hollywood stars have let themselves be won over by this unusual ingredient.
It is a plant that does not need great attention to grow well and has a very high economic yield, since it can be used in all its parts.
How is it used in beauty?
Without THC, which is responsible for its amazing effect, cannabis is used in cosmetics in the form of hemp oil - a pure extract with emollient, elasticising and vitaminising properties - or in the form of CBD , or cannabidiol, the active ingredient of the THC - which has antioxidant, hydrating and anti-wrinkle effects. Both are very powerful anti-inflammatories. Two 360° elixirs of youth, a real gold mine for skincare and haircare.
During 2018, production of entire cannabis-based cosmetic lines was started, especially in Canada and Australia . Hemp-based cosmetics was born from the rediscovery of a precious ingredient, hemp oil, the starting point and common thread of entire lines that embrace highly performing and specific products for the face, body, hair, beard, as well as refined complements for the scent of the house and for the bath ritual.
Cannabis is rich in vitamin E which has an antioxidant action, important for counteracting the formation of free radicals and skin aging. It helps maintain a good water balance of the skin and the right hydration. Omega 3 and omega 6 , contained in large quantities in cannabis oil, are responsible for the correct cellular balance and have a high nutritional power for skin and hair . Vitamins B1 and B2 give softness to hair and epidermis, protecting them from free radicals. It is truly a luxury product, comparable in all respects to many ingredients used in high perfumery cosmetic lines, except in cost.
Cannabis against acne
Unfortunately, acne is a very widespread disorder , which mainly affects adolescents, but which often recurs in adulthood, especially in women. The cosmetics market has long focused on cleansing, exfoliating and disinfectant treatments to combat acne, but their action is often not sufficient, because they address the symptoms and not the underlying cause of the problem. Sometimes you even risk getting the opposite effect, because aggressive products can have an irritating effect on already sensitized skin . Furthermore, products to combat acne tend to dry the skin , inducing a vicious circle that only inflames the skin.
Hemp oil has proven to be an excellent ally in the battle against acne. How? In addition to being a precious substance for its nutritional effects, CBD is able to activate the many receptors of the endocannabinoid system which are widely distributed on the skin level, with the result of effectively stabilizing the balance of the skin; the glands that produce sebum are rich in CB1 and CB2 receptors, influenced by the interaction with CBD .
In 2014, the Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI) demonstrated that CBD molecules can regulate the production of sebum in the skin glands . Their action, instead of dehydrating the skin as happens with most products to fight acne, solves the problem at the root, normalizing the production of sebum.
How to recognize hemp oil
To benefit from its extraordinary cosmetic properties, we recommend purchasing pure hemp oil , obtained by cold pressing the seeds and which has not undergone a refining process. Pure hemp oil is not difficult to recognize: it has a strong and pungent odor , a rather dark green-grey color . Following its enormous diffusion, in cosmetic shops you can often find refined hemp oil, light in color and almost odourless, deprived of most of its nutrients.
Hemp oil obtained by cold pressing can be used pure, using a few drops where necessary, or it can be used to prepare cosmetics, even home-made, by adding it to other ingredients.
A DIY recipe based on hemp oil
Do you want to create a DIY mask worthy of the best hairdresser in town? Follow this easy recipe!
INGREDIENTS
- ½ banana
- ½ avocado
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel
- 4 drops of hemp oil-cocktail-food-cosmetics-health-marijuana
- 4 drops of lavender essential oil
METHOD
Mix all the ingredients, adding the two oils only at the end. Once you have obtained a uniform mixture, spread the compress on clean hair and leave to act for 15 minutes, then rinse without using shampoo.
Hemp oil can also be used to protect hair from frequent dyeing, by adding a few drops directly to the dye, before application. To protect your hair from saltiness, low temperatures, smog and the effects of stress , you can use a hemp oil spray to apply to your hair after shampooing, to make it soft and easy to comb, without knots, more robust and shiny . As?
Pour two cups of boiled water - and then let it cool - into a bottle, add 6 drops of hemp oil, 2 drops of lavender essential oil and mix. Pour the mixture into a container equipped with a sprayer and you're done.
What are the main beauty properties of hemp?
Let's put some order into the many beneficial properties of cannabis, isolating the most significant properties of this magical substance.
✓ Antioxidant on the skin
Thanks to the presence of vitamins, mineral salts and fatty acids, hemp oil will be very useful for reducing wrinkles thanks to its regenerating and antioxidant action on the tissues.
✓ Restructuring for dry and frizzy hair
Hemp oil is an excellent restructuring agent for dry, parched and frizzy hair. Its nutrients penetrate deep into the hair fiber and give softness and shine.
✓ Moisturizing and nourishing
The active substances contained in hemp oil bring many benefits to skin and hair, particularly if they suffer from deep dehydration.
✓ Soothing and anti-inflammatory on the skin
Hemp oil has a beneficial action against skin conditions such as dermatitis, acne, eczema, psoriasis, itching. It has antibacterial and antifungal properties and can also be an excellent ally against mycosis. In this case, you can dilute the oil in aloe vera gel and add tea tree essence to support the antibacterial action.
✓ Anti-dandruff
The antibacterial properties of hemp oil have an effective action in the case of dandruff on the skin and hair. In this case it is a good idea to apply oil directly to the skin and massage for a few minutes. This treatment must be repeated regularly for long periods to prevent and treat dandruff.
