2020 has been a crazy, stressful, and painful year. Luckily using CBD has benefits for all of these and more! In fact, one of the most popular ways to use it for pain is to apply it to the skin. If you are looking to find out the best CBD topicals and get in on the hype/relief, you came to the right place.
I first started using cannabis and hemp products because I too struggled with pain daily. I have experimented with a lot of CBD creams, balms, lotions, you name it – and found some that truly help.
That’s why I want to share with you the below brands and talk about why I love them. I have found value in each, and order them frequently depending on what I am dealing with.
In some ways, I think CBD topicals are perhaps even more valuable than edibles like oil or gummies. This is because topicals have the ability to penetrate directly into localized areas of skin and muscle. Topical application provides more direct relief when suffering from sprains, muscle aches, or other injuries.
If you don’t take my word for it, professional athletes are even turning to CBD – just ask Klay Thompson, Alex Morgan, and more.
Want to know the best part?
I have carefully selected these products based on specific factors:
- Third-party testing & lab reports
- U.S. grown hemp
- Federally compliant to less than 0.3% Delta-9 THC
- Potency (mg) & ingredients
All these steps are super important – you don’t want something going in or on your body that has chemicals, pesticides, or worse! So sit back and enjoy some short reviews. Afterward, there’s a buyer’s guide with general information about topicals that should help if you have further questions. 2020 sucked, let’s make it better.
Best CBD Topicals - Quick List
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Best CBD Topicals - Reviews
WholeMade Hemp CBD Cream Lavender 1000mg – Best Cream
Monarch Botanicals CBD salve 1000mg – Best Salve
Cannabidiol Life CBD Balm 275mg – Best Balm
I think if one of the most pleasing scents in skin care and beauty is lavender. If used properly, lavender has a clean aroma that doesn’t overpower. Lavender essential oils are also one of the most popular and versatile essential oils used in aroma therapy.
Lavender is used in aroma therapy for relaxation and to target:
- Anxiety
- Allergies
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Nausea
That’s a great way to start formulating a holistic product like hemp cream. WholeMade Bath Co makes this product out of premium U.S. grown hemp and offers it in 3 potencies.
Here’s the deal:
I personally feel like getting the highest potency is always the way to go for topicals. First, they will last longer since you have to use less per application to get the same results. Second, you will notice more relief and benefits when using CBD for pain or inflammation at higher strengths (milligrams).
Buyer Alert: If you decide you want to use this product as a general moisturizer and hand cream consider the 100mg option.
Also, since this product is a cream, remember to use less since it will take longer for the skin to absorb if caked on. It’s water-based so its texture is light and airy which helps if you are prone to body acne. It also washes/sweats off easily – moisturize in advance.
Pros
- Available in different potencies
- 1000mg works great for pain
- Pleasing lavender essential oil smell
- Fair Price
Cons
- Washes off easy
- Absorbs slowly
Salves are medical ointments used to help sooth the surface of skin when injured or inflamed. When infused with CBD, a salve works extremely well for quick absorption into the skin.
I would suggest using a CBD salve to potentially help with injured muscles and bones.
Nerve pain, as well as, inflammation can also benefit from multiple daily applications of salve.
Monarch Botanicals really outdid themselves with their hemp topical line. Their salve is my favorite because the base is coconut and beeswax. This means that it sticks to the skin well and absorbs fully with each application.
It gets better:
A CBD salve can also be really worked into the skin, it’s almost necessary to use a massage-like technique. Massages help break up damaged tissue, release tension, and promote healing/blood flow to an area. All good stuff for absorption!
Monarch also uses isolate in all their CBD products so you don’t need to fear getting high or any unpleasant smells/tastes. Isolate is the purest form of cannabidiol hemp extract. This salve has 99.9% pure CBD with no other flavonoids or terpenes from the plant.
Pros
- Available in 3 potencies
- Salve works great for massages
- Sticks to the skin to aid absorption
- Works best targeting deep tissue
Cons
- Applied area looks greasy
- Isolate = no entourage effect
- No scents for aromatherapy
Balms are fragrant ointments used to help heal the skin after damage. CBD balms are perfect for soothing the area of a tattoo or burn after the open wound has healed.
They also work similarly to a salve, penetrating under the skin to help with aches and pains.
This balm also has an awesome bonus, a light refreshing scent of lemongrass purposely added to aid in aromatherapy. Lemongrass oil has antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. Source
Lemongrass also smells fantastic! In aromatherapy, it’s used for depression, anxiety, and stress relief – just what we are targeting with CBD. Cannabidiol Life also puts special emphasis on their extraction techniques. Even their CBD balm is full-spectrum.
Check it out:
Full-spectrum products contain all the plant material present at the time of extraction. This means this balm contains CBG, CBN, and more (yes even a tiny bit of THC). Everyone talks about full-spectrum because of what is known as “the entourage effect.” The entourage effect is where all the cannabinoids and other plant materials work together to enhance effects.
With this in mind, we have potentially a more effective CBD balm even if the product is only 275mg – which considering the price is admittedly expensive but worth it for the quality. It also contains over 15 organic essential oils known to benefit the skin!
Pros
- High quality full-spectrum hemp extract
- Lemongrass essential oil for aroma therapy
- Unique extraction method
- 275mg CBD
- 15 Organic essential oils for skin care
Cons
- Only available in 1 oz jar
- Price
CBD Topicals Buyer's Guide
I realize that you probably have more questions about the best CBD topicals so I want to use my knowledge and experience to answer some of the more frequently asked questions below.
If you have a question that I don’t answer directly, leave a comment and I will get back to you. If it’s good I will even add it to my long-form answers in the buyer’s guide!
What are CBD topicals?
CBD topicals combine the phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (aka CBD) with a water or oil based solution. Topicals are really anything that is applied externally (to the skin). Cannabinoids are organic plant compounds produced during the process of photosynthesis. Cannabinoids react with our body’s natural receptors and assist in the regulation of homeostasis. CBD is extracted from cannabis sativa plants like hemp and marijuana.
Examples of topicals are creams, lotions, balms, and salves.
CBD topicals tend to be considered a broad category by companies. It is not uncommon to find CBD bath bombs, toothpastes, soap, and more for sale as well.
What are the benefits of CBD as a topical?
CBD is being clinically evaluated – but the results are positive! Studies have shown using CBD on the skin may help pain and inflammation. The American Academy of Dermatology even suggested using topical CBD at their annual meeting in 2018. But the benefits don’t stop there…
This is crazy:
Topical CBD studies have shown it could potentially aid in,
Are CBD Topicals Legal?
From a Federal Government standpoint in the United States, CBD is perfectly legal to buy as long as it contains less than 0.3% Delta-9 THC.
States laws however do change and it is important to know the laws of where you live. This is also something to consider when shipping CBD or traveling with it across state lines.
Check out your State legislation, and make informed purchases so that you can avoid any unwanted drama ahead of time.