Skin Care
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Why CBD may deserve a place in your skin care routine
CBD oil is kind of like a B-list celebrity — popular enough for name recognition, but not so much that people can recite their resume. Once relegated to the health and wellness aisle, CBD oil — which is short for cannabidiol — can now be found in skin care, makeup and hair care products. Whether or not it actually merits a spot in those formulas, though, is a different story. CBD is an active ingredient in cannabis, aka marijuana. Unlike THC, which is the psychoactive part of the cannabis plant that's responsible for that signature high, CBD is nonpsychoactive — so no, applying a CBD cream won't get you 2
stoned. But like THC, it impacts the body's endocannabinoid system. "CBD modulates the response of the endocannabinoid system to messenger chemicals," says Dr. Jordan Tishler, a physician and professor at Harvard Medical School. "There are some receptors in skin, particularly, that respond to CBD specifically. These may play a role in pain modulation and local inflammation." It's a, uh, budding topic of research in dermatology for that reason. In fact, "cannabinoids have demonstrated widespread effects on the skin — anti-inflammatory, anti-itching and antiaging," says Dr. Jennifer Chwalek, a dermatologist at Union Square Laser Dermatology in New York City. "Cannabidiol also has hydrating, moisturizing and wrinkle-reducing properties." With that in mind, it could be beneficial for people with dry sky or people looking to plump up fine lines, and since it's especially gentle, it's ideal for sensitive skin types as well. The compounds may also be helpful in treating skin conditions like eczema, acne, psoriasis and even skin cancer, she notes, as well as age-related skin changes. For that reason, your best bet for incorporating CBD into your routine is via skin care — versus hair care or in your makeup, where the jury is still out on its potential. 3
While CBD oil is considered safe when applied topically, it also faces the same challenges of any newly popular ingredient: regulation. "The quality of the cannabidiol can vary greatly from one product to the other, resulting in variability in efficacy," Chwalek says. "Also, often CBD oil is compounded with other ingredients in the product, which could potentially cause irritation or allergic reactions." She recommends checking the ingredient list for CBD or cannabidiol, as products are often marketed with CBD claims but only actually contain hemp seed oil, which contains trace amounts of cannabinoids. A formula should have a concentration of at least 100 milligrams and, ideally, few additional ingredients. "The more ingredients, the more potential for irritation," she explains. What that ultimately 4
means is that yes, CBD skin care can seem more expensive than its counterparts, but with proven benefits, it could well be worth it. Below, we rounded up some of the best CBD beauty products that make the cut.
This night cream pairs a whopping 150 milligrams of CBD with a variety of skin care heavy hitters: Bakuchiol is known as a retinol alternative, delivering collagen-boosting benefits without irritation, while hyaluronic acid draws and retains moisture in skin. Cannuka CBD Calming Eye Balm The silky balm formulation makes this eye cream a real treat for tired, puffy eyes. Botanical oils soften and hydrate skin as CBD eases inflammation, which helps reduce swelling and redness. 5
Chwalek is a fan of this pricey formula, which may just be worth it. Not only does it pack an impressive 500 milligrams of CBD, but "it is full of botanical extracts and antioxidants that have skin benefits, like grapeseed oil, rosehip oil and helichrysum," she says. Plus, a little goes a long way, so it'll last you. Josie Maran Skin Dope Argan Oil + 100 mg CBD Dry skin? You're in the right place. Chwalek is a fan of this pairing of CBD oil and argan oil, which is beloved for its ability to moisturize and nourish skin. They make the ultimate tag team for calm, soft skin. Herbivore Emerald CBD+ Adaptogens Moisture Glow Oil 6
This oil is a one-two punch of CBD and adaptogens. The 100 milligrams of CBD calm, adaptogens counteract the effects of environmental stress on skin and hemp seed oil locks in moisture. Together, they leave skin renewed and radiant.
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Chapped lips have nothing on this nourishing balm, which instantly soothes irritation with CBD and seals in moisture with a blend of botanically derived oils. It glides on like butter to keep lips smooth and soft. Beboe High Potency CBD Face Cream ($98; nordstrom.com) Along with cannabidiol, this moisturizer offers a powerful combo of enzymes and plant-based peptides to support collagen production — which in turn promotes firmer, smoother skin.
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Skin- and Hair-Care Products Lift Ulta Beauty’s Sales
Ulta Beauty Inc. posted higher sales in the latest quarter, driven by strength in the cosmetics company’s skin-care and hair-care categories. Shares of Ulta Beauty rose 9% to $257.50 in after-hours trading following the results. Skin care was one of the company’s strongest growth drivers, delivering double-digit comparable sales for the quarter.
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Holiday shopping: 8 ways to give the gifts they want — from SpongeBob SquarePants to CBD skin care
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Celebrity makeup artist Nikki DeRoest, who has worked on the faces of Bella Hadid and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, will have a beauty event that’s open to the public on Wednesday at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. She’ll be on hand to demonstrate some of her most sought-after red-carpet secrets. “I wanted to bring that accessibility to anyone,” said DeRoest, who launched her luxe clean and cruelty-free makeup brand Róen earlier this year. “They will walk away with some tips and tricks for a holiday look.”
DeRoest will use eye shadows from her own line as well as makeup from other prestige brands such as Giorgio Armani and Yves Saint Laurent. The Los Angeles-based makeup artist has eight products in her own line. The signature ones are the eye shadow palettes, which she describes as “not a cream, not powdery, but a texture you’ve never felt before and with a nice texture that catches the light.”
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Skincare line Mutha consists of a newly launched Body Butter and Body Oil. Mutha, a new prestige body-care line created by Los Angelesbased former aesthetician Hope Smith, began its life as something of an experiment in Smith’s kitchen. “I started sending it to friends, who would come back and ask for it for their friends,” said Smith at a late October affair at her Malibu estate. “That’s when I thought I might be on to something.” The fall event was to celebrate the debut of Mutha on the Violet Grey beauty e-commerce site. The product also is available at 12
Violet Grey’s Los Angeles boutique. Cassandra Grey, Violet Grey’s founder, said beauty and skin-care products only make it onto her website if at least 70% of her testers give it the thumbs up. In Mutha’s case, “It came back unanimous,” Grey said. “Everyone loved it and wanted more. That doesn’t happen very often.” Smith began developing the products five years ago while she was pregnant with her first son. She said she spent “10,000 hours researching products and looking at where I wanted to buy my ingredients from.” The result is a body oil and a body butter that come in reflective purple containers. The ingredients in the body oil include oils from rosehip, apricot kernel, jojoba seed and grapefruit peel. Smith
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hyperpigmentation and firming. The body butter was created from a mix of shea butter, coconut oil, mango seed and aloe leaf. It has a rich texture that is said to stay on the skin for hours.
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The new Brightening skin-care offering from Sagely Naturals adds to the brand’s existing CBD products. Los Angeles-based CBD brand Sagely Naturals recently added to its popular sleep-enhancing and pain-relief products with the Brightening skin-care trio, which rolled out in October. Kaley Nichol, who co-founded Sagely Naturals four years ago with Kerrigan Behrens, said the idea behind the new line was to make it appear as if the user “actually got eight hours of sleep,” she said. 14
The launch event, which took place on the rooftop of coworking space and private club Spring Place in Beverly Hills, included actress-model Molly Sims, an investor in the brand. Products include a serum, eye cream and night cream containing between 150 milligrams and 250 milligrams of CBD as well as other ingredients such as vitamins A and C, amino acids and hyaluronic acid. Nichol said the inclusion of CBD in the skin-care line would add anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The brand was developed in Nichol’s apartment four years ago. Her pain and sleep products are now in 10,000 stores nationwide, including CVS. However, Sagely Naturals’ new skin-care offering is in prestige locations such as Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom, and prices are from $49 to $89.
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Long Beach recently became the latest Southern California location for Johnny Was, the Los Angeles-based women’s fashion and accessories brand. The label, known for its bohochic aesthetic (think velvet embroidered dresses and tunic tops), has 52 freestanding boutiques around the country — 18 of which are in California. “Los Angeles is our largest market,” Rob Trauber, chief executive officer of the 32-year-old label, which was restructured four years ago after receiving venture capital investments. (Johnny Was is partly named after a Bob Marley song.) “And while we weren’t originally looking at Long 16
Beach, we discovered that the number of households in a fivemile radius that fit our demographic was large,” he said. The 2,000-square-foot store, which soft-opened in midOctober, has an exterior painted by artist Chris Lord around nature themes with motifs such as butterflies, florals and vines. “It creates a nice, free-spirited and bohemian dreamscape that picks up the colors of the collections,” said Trauber, adding that shoppers “can expect optimism. ... We are a very happy brand — colorful and distinctive. We’re told that somebody who wears Johnny Was gets the highest number of compliments per wear. These are pieces you don’t ever throw away.”
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Finish up — or get started — with your holiday shopping during a two-day event on Dec. 14 and 15 at the Santa Monica Pier. Unique Markets is sticking to its “shop small” manifesto by bringing together 150 mostly Los Angeles-based designers, artists and makers to sell their wares. “We’re taking over the parking lot next to the pier so people can look out onto the ocean while they shop,” said Sonja Rasula, founder of Unique Markets, which holds regular shopping events around the country. “We’re bringing in crowd favorites like fashion and jewelry, and some great
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candle and apothecary products, to show the diversity of what’s out there.” In the mix will be Rewilder, which makes its bags from waste from other industries such as tossed airbags from automakers; Bandit Bandanas and its fashion-forward options; and Pilot and its cruelty-free men’s grooming products. “We wanted to offer unique and meaningful ideas that are more heritage pieces that you will fall in love with and keep as opposed to mass-manufactured things,” said Rasula. “It’s all about supporting local indie brands.” Also, shoppers can have holiday portraits taken, get their purchases gift-wrapped for free and enjoy complimentary beverages. There’s a $12 entrance fee; children 12 and under are free.
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Here’s a way to go to sleep with your favorite “Sesame Street” characters. Smash + Tess, maker of cozy rompers and
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loungewear, has launched a collaboration with the popular children’s TV franchise, which turned 50 in November. “I was raised on ‘Sesame Street,’ and we wanted to create something that was comfortable and fashion forward,” said Ashley Freeborn, who with her mother, Teresa, founded Smash + Tess, which is run out of L.A. and Vancouver, British Columbia. “We wanted to focus on classic characters like Elmo and the Count and do an edgier all-over print.” The new Sesame Street X S+T offerings include the printed “Monsters” romper (featuring Elmo, Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch) and the “Street Smart” romper (with the Count, Big Bird, Grover). They come in heather gray and black and are for men, women and children. Prices are $129 for adult sizes and $53 for children’s sizes. The rompers are made from sustainably sourced bamboo and cotton blends. Freeborn said the rompers, like the others from her brand, are designed for transitional use. “It’s a newer category of clothes that can go from sleep to the streets — a mix of loungewear and athleisure,” she said. “Wearing them will bring back all kinds of memories for our customers.”
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