Beauty & the Bong

To put it bluntly, these “high”- end cosmetics might just be the next new thing.

Sorry, did someone say weed you can wear? We’re here for it. Cannabis cosmetics have nothing to do with the bong in your college dorm room. While the term “high beauty” makes for an intriguing title, it isn’t necessarily accurate when describing the latest trend in the cosmetics world. Cannabis cosmetics tend to be made out of CBD, which is one of the 80 cannabinoids that make up the marijuana plant. Even though THC is the best-known cannabinoid, and the one that gets you “high,” CBD has a completely different set of properties, none of which are psychoactive. CBD works by urging the body to produce more of its own cannabinoids. Our cannabinoid receptors handle coordination, movement, pain, emotions, appetite, and inflammation. By stimulating such receptors, CBD derived cosmetics can improve and intensify their necessary functions. See? That’s almost as good as the munchies…

The scientific benefits behind the effectiveness of CBD infused cosmetics explains why more and more major brands and retailers, like Estée Lauder and Sephora, are adding the polemic medicinal herb to their products’ ingredient list. Product benefits include leaving the skin feeling significantly more moisturized, toned, and healthy. The use of CBD and hemp oils is spreading fast and it can be found in an array of different products, from mascaras to moisturizers to perfumes. Some fan favorites include CBD for Life’s CBD Rub, Vertly’s Infused Lip Balm, and Lord Jones Pain & Wellness Lotion. Hemp seed oil, which comes from the sativa plant and is used to derive CBD, has also become an increasingly popular alternative to the commonly used beeswax in “vegan” cosmetics, attracting an environmentally conscious audience.

Regardless of the proven benefits of using cannabis cosmetics, some people are reluctant to try them due to societal stigmas associated with weed. The controversy brought by marijuana’s preceding reputation has influenced the marketing strategies that companies have chosen to advertise their CBD products. Brands have either integrated the “stoner culture” into the presentation of their goods, or tried to redefine the idea of hemp oil by emphasizing its wellness component. Brands like Milk Makeup or The Body Shop, for example, have embraced their ingredients’ relation to marijuana culture by including “Kush,” a popular strain of marijuana, in their product names, and have plastered the easily identifiable marijuana leaf right on their packaging. More conventional beauty brands, like Origins, have shied away from such a blatant allusion to weed by attempting to glamorize the idea of using marijuana to better one’s health and appearance.

While CBD infused products used to be uniquely perceived as your hippie friend’s skin care routine, there has been a huge shift in audience. Cannabis skincare is increasingly reaching an ethically-informed, young customer base that knows the benefits of using marijuana go beyond taking the edge off of a stressful day. In 2016, a report by Hemp Business Journal revealed that the CBD industry is on its way to reaching a value of $2.1 billion by 2020, almost ten times its value of $202 million in 2015.

The recent popularity of CBD derived beauty products has resulted in a large offering of cosmetics within a vast price range and diverse brandings. Whether you are looking for a trendy, unique gift for your “stoner” friend or a glamorous face cream that just happens to be made with cannabis, you’ll find it--but probably not sold by the same people that you’re used to copping that good good from.

Written by Marina Fernandez De La Cuesta | Edited by Chloe Greenwald | Photographed by Rachel LeClair | Models: Elsah Boak, Vivian Cheng | Makeup Artist: Tina Drumm | Location: Skye and Nigel's Apartment