insideKENT Magazine Issue 96 - March 2020 | Page 88
HEALTH+WELLNESS
Why Everyone’s Talking About
CBD
ONE OF THE HOTTEST BUZZWORDS IN THE SELF-CARE INDUSTRY, IT BOASTS AN A-
LIST FAN BASE THAT READS LIKE THE OSCARS’ GUEST LIST. BUT IF YOU’RE YET TO
GET ON BOARD WITH CBD, CHANCES ARE YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. KERRY FOSTER
HAS THE LOWDOWN ON WELLBEING’S LATEST WONDER INGREDIENT.
From Gwyneth Paltrow sharing recipes for CBD-
infused cocktails on her lifestyle brand Goop’s website,
to Kim Kardashian’s CBD-themed baby shower
(complete with chocolate fountain and massages,
naturally), celebs just can’t get enough of the stuff.
And where Hollywood leads, we inevitably follow.
In fact, a recent report named CBD as one of the
fastest growing wellbeing product categories in the
UK, with around £300m spent every year. Found
in everything from ice-cream and hummus to
toothpaste and even sexual lubricant, the CBD
juggernaut shows no sign of slowing down in 2020.
So, if you’re still to be tempted, it may be time to
dip your toe into the trend.
What exactly is it?
Derived from the cannabis sativa plant, cannabis
compound cannabidiol (known as CBD) is extracted
as a powder before typically being mixed with an
oil, such as olive or coconut, to enhance its
effectiveness. Right about now, you’re probably
thinking, ‘Did she just say cannabis?’, but hang on
– though the origins are the same, unlike it’s more
controversial stablemate, CBD is entirely legal. While
medicinal cannabis is only available when prescribed
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by a doctor, products containing CBD can easily be
picked up in your local health shop, no questions
asked. Oh, and CBD won’t get you high either; it
doesn’t contain THC (the hallucinogenic compound
found in cannabis), so there’s zero chance of
encountering a psychoactive effect. Of course, using
hemp – a variety of the same plant species - in
skincare products is nothing new. Early adopter and
creator of The Body Shop, Anita Roddick, first
launched a range of products containing hemp back
in 1998. But though hemp and CBD come from the
same family, it’s worth noting the differences to look
out for. Hemp-seed oil is listed as cannabis sativa oil
and while it’s rich in omegas 3 and 6, and amino
acids (great for their nourishing and restorative
properties), CBD comes from the whole plant (as
opposed to just the seeds), and is therefore believed
to offer wider benefits. Plus, since it’s a more expensive
ingredient, it usually comes with a higher price tag.
Why the hype?
Ask Meg Matthews, founder of megsmenopause.com.
She cites CBD oil with helping to ease anxiety and
practically eradicate the joint pain she experienced
during the menopause due to its lauded antioxidant
and anti-inflammatory properties. Then there’s
Jennifer Aniston, who credits it with banishing pain
and stress, quoted as saying, ‘It has all the benefits
of marijuana without the high’. Sounds too good to
be true, right? But science backs up their findings;
CBD has been found to have a direct effect on brain
receptors by enhancing the effects of other natural
brain chemicals such as serotonin – often referred
to as ‘the happy hormone’ – without stimulating the
parts of your brain that marijuana does. If you have
trouble sleeping, CBD might hold the answer, too;
it’s used as a popular treatment for insomnia,
encouraging sleep during the Rapid Eye Movement
phase (when you dream) and reducing feelings of
fatigue during the day. CBD has even been linked
to helping sufferers of social anxiety and is being
investigated as a treatment for OCD, panic attacks
and post-traumatic stress disorder. Used in skincare,
meanwhile, the ingredient is thought to help heal
stressed skin conditions such as eczema, flaking,
overly sensitive or dry skin, and acne. As for those
famed antioxidant properties, used topically, CBD
anti-ageing skincare could help to visibly reduce
signs of ageing. Put simply, there’s something here
for everyone.