In our ongoing effort to help you pick the best CBD and hemp products, we thought we’d take a look at a relatively new category: CBD skin care and hemp beauty products.
The CBD market is exploding, with sales of CBD products hitting $1 billion in 2019. We’re seeing new products on the scene, from CBD infused seltzer water (great in mixed drinks) to CBD infused pillows (probably just hype). Consumers need to be careful too, because CBD products are currently unregulated.
Despite the hype, there’s good reason to put CBD on your skin.
“Most problems related to skin care have to do with inflammation, irritation, and bacteria — think acne, dryness, redness, etc.,” noted Britni Jessup, owner of Hatshe, an active lifestyle CBD brand. “CBD has been shown to be effective against those triggers.”
The hemp plant has natural anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and other healing compounds in it which can help improve the health and appearance of your skin. Even without extracting and refining specific cannabinoids like CBD, hemp seed oil has been prized for years by skin care experts for its nourishing properties.
Read on, and we’ll explain a bit more about why CBD and hemp are a good match for your skin care routine. Or you can scroll down to see our picks for the best 12 CBD and hemp skin care products available.
Why use CBD & hemp in your skin care routine?
The compounds found in the cannabis plant have the capability to tap into our body’s “endocannabinoid system” by mimicking chemicals that our body naturally produces.
“Our skin is our largest organ and it’s full of cannabinoid receptors!” said Maggie Frank, a national educator at PlusCBD Oil. “Putting hemp extracts rich in CBD on topically allows us to immediately and locally deposit the benefits of CBD, other phytocannabinoids, terpenes, amino acids and fatty acids directly to those receptors.”
While scientists are still studying the workings of the endocannabinoid system, and how it interacts with the compounds found in hemp, it’s increasingly clear that they help our bodies maintain homeostasis, a healthy balance. In addition the ability of CBD and other cannabinoids to reduce inflammation seems to work on our skin as well.
Hemp seed oil makes great skin care, too
“Different compounds are found in each part of the hemp plant,” said Sharon K. Christie, founder of Cannafloria Essentials. “Hemp seeds are rich in healthy fats that moisturize the skin and promote healthy aging.”
While CBD and other cannabinoids are extracted from the leaves and flowering tops of the plant, hemp itself has a long history as a valued ingredient in beauty and skin care products. Hemp seeds are full of nourishing compounds like amino acids and omega3s and omega6s.
“The compounds found in hemp have hydrating, healing and protective properties,” said Christie. “Hemp also works as an antioxidant that protects your skin from free radicals and sun damage, and it can help to improve inflammatory skin conditions.”
Buyer beware: Use caution in an unregulated industry
The 2018 Farm Bill fully legalized hemp and took CBD out of the control of the Drug Enforcement Administration. This allowed for an explosion of new and innovative CBD-based products on the market. However, while the Farm Bill put regulation of these products in the hands of the FDA, the FDA hasn’t issued any regulations.
“Due to lack of regulation the CBD market is flooded with products that at best, contain little to no CBD, or at worst, are contaminated with molds, mycotoxins, and heavy metals,” warned Frank.
Consumers need to do a little more work when they’re buying CBD or other hemp products. Learn a little bit about where the hemp was grown and how the products were made.
“Make sure the brand uses third-party lab-tested CBD, and ask to see their certificates of analysis if you really want to do your due diligence,” said Tess Taylor, owner of Taylor + Tess, which makes CBD-infused beauty products.
While we’ve done our best to pick only quality products from the best brands, we’ve also made sure to only work with companies that make it easy for you to look deeper into their products.
Best CBD Skin Care & Hemp Beauty Products: Official Reviews
Some CBD oils intended for internal use are pure enough to put on your skin. Maggie Frank told us she sometimes opens PlusCBD softgels and applies them topically for “itchy, icky, dry and flaky skin.”
However, each of the products below is specifically formulated for use on skin. These brands combine carefully sourced hemp and CBD with selected ingredients designed to enhance your skin’s softness, health and appearance.
These brands are transparent about their ingredients, and offer third-party lab tests proving the strength and purity of the the products. We’ve also personally tested them, to ensure they made us look, feel, and smell good. Every body varies, so try some of these products and see which ones can help you.
Here are our current favorite hemp-infused beauty products:
- Ambary Gardens Full Spectrum Skin Repair
- Populum Lavender + CBD Face Oil
- Prima The Afterglow CBD Face Cream
- Taylor + Tess “The Quickie” Facial Toner
- Medterra CBD + Manuka Honey Cream
- PlusCBD Oil Hemp Body Lotion (Grapefruit)
- HATSHE Sandalwood Healing Cream
- Kino Coconut Mango CBD Lip Balm
- Cannafloria Be Refreshed Hemp Mood Mist
- Cornbread Hemp CBD Lotion
- DaCrema Botanicals Salt Scrub
- Petal Revive CBD Face Mask
Click above or continue reading for all our reviews.
Ministry of Hemp received free products in return for writing these reviews. We may receive a percentage of sales if you buy products from some of the brands below. Only our favorite CBD & hemp beauty products qualified for this roundup. We always promise to give you our honest opinion.
Ambary Gardens Full Spectrum Skin Repair
- Highlights: Ambary Gardens Full Spectrum Skin Repair is a powerful treatment for damaged skin, making it a great choice for healing the aftereffects of sunburns.
- Price: $65.00
- Strength: 250 mg per 4 oz jar
- Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping on orders over $85.
- Independent Test Results: Online.
- Texture & Smell: This is a thick lotion with a smell of shea butter and other healing oils, with sage and other botanical undertones.
- Ingredients: CBD Oil / Full-Spectrum Hemp extract in Shea Butter, Almond Oil, Coconut Oil, Argan Oil, Jojoba Oil, Calendula, Arnica, Essential Oils of: Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Bergamot, Geranium, and Clary Sage.
Ambary Gardens also has an entire line of therapeutic topicals as well as more options for CBD beauty products. Check out our interview with Jess Reynolds, their CBD Specialist or our review of Ambary Gardens Nano CBD.
Populum Lavender + CBD Face Oil
- Highlights: A perfect addition to an evening routine, Populum Lavender + CBD Face Oil oil has simple ingredients, absorbs quickly, and leaves your skin glowing.
- Price: $79
- Special: 20% off with monthly subscription.
- Strength: 250 mg per 30ml
- Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping on all orders
- Independent Test Results: Included with every order.
- Texture & Smell: Light texture with a luxurious lavender scent.
- Ingredients: CBD oil / Full Spectrum Hemp Extract in Grape Seed oil, Hemp Seed oil, Lavender oil.
- Other: Populum offers a 30-day return policy for first time buyers.
Populum is one of our Top CBD Brands for their premium CBD quality and top customer service. Their hemp CBD extracts are triple tested for potency and purity to deliver a complete full-spectrum profile to its customers. The Lavender + CBD Face Oil is a dual action product — with the full-spectrum hemp extract providing anti-inflammatory properties and lavender contributing antioxidants to improve overall skin health.
With 100% of their hemp grown in Colorado and their commitment to high quality ingredients, we are happy to see them try something new with this face oil. Populum also has another topical line intended for sore muscles.
Prima The Afterglow CBD Face Cream
- Highlights: Prima The Afterglow CBD Face Cream quickly became our Editor’s favorite night cream. This cream combines broad spectrum CBD with multiple vegan butters and botanicals that leave our skin feeling calm and healthy, so we wake up glowing in the morning!
- Strength: 500mg per 50ml bottle
- Price: $96
- Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping available.
- Independent Test Results: Online.
- Scent & Texture: This cream has a thicker, but not greasy texture that absorbs quickly into the skin, leaving our faces feeling soothed and healthy. It has an earthy, mildly floral scent.
- Ingredients: CBD oil / Broad-Spectrum Hemp extract in Water (Aqua), Squalane, C13-15 Alkane, Behenyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Lauryl Laurate, Garcinia Indica Seed Butter, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate SE, C26-28 Alkyl Dimethicone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sr-Hydrozoan Polypeptide-1, Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Emblica Officinalis Fruit Extract, Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Flower/Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Astrocaryum Vulgare Kernel Oil, Platonia Insignis Seed Butter, Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Seed Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Levulinate, Fructose, Fusanus Spicatus Wood Oil, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Sclerotium Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Lecithin, Octyldodecanol, Pentylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract
- Other: A generous 30-day money back guarantee is available for unsatisfied customers.
We love Prima’s commitment to sustainability, both in their farming practices and recyclable packaging throughout the product line. We’ve also selected Prima “The Daily” capsules as one of our Best CBD Softgels.
Taylor + Tess The Quickie Facial Toner
- Highlights: Taylor + Tess “The Quickie” Facial Toner is a perfect pocket-sized skin pick-me-up that leaves your skin feeling tight and fresh. It’s vegan, gluten free and free of other common allergens like parabens.
- Price: $28.00
- Strength: 10mg per sprayer
- Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Shipping started at $7.00.
- Independent Test Results: Available on request.
- Texture & Smell: This is a light spray you can apply to your fingers or spray directly onto your face, with a strong citrusy smell.
- Ingredients: CBD oil / Broad Spectrum Hemp Extract in Water, Aloe Leaf juice, Witch Hazel distillate, Vegetable glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Blueberry Fruit extract, Pomegranate Fruit extract, Oat extract, Kakadu Plum Fruit extract, Cucumber Fruit extract, Grapefruit oil, Bergamot Fruit oil, Caprylyl Glycol.
Taylor + Tess is a family run, black owned brand located in Dallas, TX. They offer a refill bottle, which makes this a sustainable choice for those who want to take care of their skin and the environment.
Owner Tess Taylor said she uses, “‘The Quickie’ to to remove residual dirt, hydrate, and prep my skin to receive face oils, serums, and moisturizer” such as “The Nightcap,” another great Taylor + Tess product.
Medterra CBD + Manuka Honey Cream
- Highlights: Medterra CBD + Manuka Cream makes a great night cream, combining CBD isolate with Manuka honey, another popular skin care ingredient.
- Price: $34.99 – $49.99
- Special: Use coupon code MOH for 15% off!
- Strength: 250 mg (also available in 125mg strength)
- Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping on orders over $99.
- Independent Test Results: Online.
- Texture & Smell: This is a thick, satiny lotin with a beeswax smell with cocoa undertones.
- Ingredients: Hemp-derived CBD isolate in Aloe Barbadensis (Inner fillet) Leaf Juice, Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Fruit Oil, Carota Sativa (Carrot), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Beeswax, Glycerin (Vegetable Derived/USP), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Manuka Honey 12 (New Zealand), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Garcinia Indica (Kokum) Seed Butter Illipe Butter, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Seabuckthorn) Oil, Arnica Montana Flower Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Potassium Sorbate (Vegetable Derived/USP), Sodium Benzoate (USP), Ethylhexylglycerin (Vegetable Derived), Sodium Hydroxide (Mineral Salt/USP), Citric Acid (Fruit Derived/USP).
- Other: Medterra offers a 30-day return policy for unsatisfied customers.
Medterra is one of our Top CBD Brands and our review team loves Medterra CBD Rapid Cooling Cream for sore muscles. This product uses both quality CBD from Kentucky hemp and carefully sourced Manuka honey from New Zealand.
PlusCBD Oil Hemp Body Lotion (Grapefruit)
- Highlights: PlusCBD Oil Hemp Body Lotion is silky smooth and absorbs quickly, making it the perfect anytime body lotion, especially for dry skin.
- Price: $29.99
- Strength: 200mg per 3.7oz bottle
- Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping on orders over $75.
- Independent Test Results: Online.
- Texture & Smell: This lotion has a very smooth and silky texture but doesn’t leave skin greasy. The grapefruit scent we tested is very sweet, almost like a grapefruit candy.
- Main Ingredients: CBD oil / Full Spectrum Hemp Extract in Water, Carthamus Tinctorium (Safflower) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Hemp Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Fragrance, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernal Oil, Glycol Stearate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol Acetate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate
PlusCBD is one of our Top CBD Brands. We are excited to see them venture into CBD beauty with their new line of products! This lotion became a favorite, daily use product to use on dry hands and elbows from cold winter air.
HATSHE Sandalwood Healing Cream
- Highlights: This vegan Sandalwood Healing Cream from Hatshe feels thick and luxurious with that wonderful warm sandalwood smell. Try it on any irritated or inflamed skin.
- Price: $30 – 58.00
- Special: Use coupon code HEMP15 for 15% off your order!
- Strength: 500mg per 2 oz jar (also available in 250mg 1oz jar)
- Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Shipping available or a $10 flat rate.
- Independent Test Results: Online.
- Texture & Smell: This cream has a thick, soothing texture and a warm smell of sandalwood and other botanicals that lingers pleasantly on the skin.
- Ingredients: CBD oil / Full Spectrum Hemp extract in Copaiba Oil, Organic Aloe Leaf Juice, Avocado Fruit Oil, Organic Jojoba Seed Oil, Emulsifying Wax, Glycerin, Organic Palm Fruit Oil, Stearic Acid, Vitamin E, Sunflower Seed Oil, Organic Neem Seed Oil, Organic Rosemary Leaf Extract, Organic Sunflower Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Rose Flower Water, Rosehip Seed Oil, Carrot Seed Oil, Wheat Germ Oil, Vitamin A Ester, Vitamin C Ester, Provitamin B5, Allantoin, Organic White Willow Bark Extract (Salix Alba), Organic Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sandalwood Vanilla Essential Oil
- Other: HATSHE offers a 30-day return policy for unsatisfied customers.
HATSHE is a woman-owned brand created by former athletes looking for quality products that could help them feel better.
“When your skin has prolonged exposure to extreme weather — sun, wind, cold, salt water, — it can end up dry and irritated by the end of a long day,” said Britni Jessup about using this product.
Kino Coconut Mango CBD Lip Balm
- Highlights: Kino Coconut Mango CBD Lip Balm heals angry, chapped lips with a combination of full spectrum CBD and other vegan, plant-derived ingredients.
- Strength: 15mg per tube
- Price: $10
- Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping available on orders over $75.
- Independent Test Results: Online.
- Scent & Texture: This is a long lasting tube of smooth lip balm that coats your lips with a hint of coconut mango sweetness.
- Ingredients: CBD oil / Full Spectrum Hemp extract in Cera Alba (Beeswax), Cocos Nucifera Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecyl Stearyl Citrate Crosspolymer, Cocos Nucifera Flavor Oil, Mangifera Indica Flavor Oil, Theobroma Grandiflorum Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Astrocaryum Tucuma Seed Butter, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Octyldodecyl Behenyl Citrate Crosspolymer.
- Other: A generous 30-day money back guarantee is available for unsatisfied customers.
Check out Kino’s other CBD skin care products like their face, hair and body lotion.
Cannafloria Be Refreshed Hemp Mood Mist
- Highlights: It was hard to pick our favorite scent of Cannafloria Hemp Mood Mist, which combines hemp seed oil and hemp terpenes with essential oils to give you the perfect reset when you’re feeling tired or sweaty.
- Price: $18
- Special: Use coupon code MOH15 for 15% off!
- Strength: Not applicable, this is a hemp-infused, non-CBD product.
- Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping on orders over $35.
- Texture & Smell: This light spray is perfect for refreshing your room, your sheets or yourself. This has an earthy, woody aroma with some citrus sweetness.
- Main Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Water (Aqua), Citrus Sinensis Hydrosol (Blood Orange), Saccharide Isomerate (Active) Aqua, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail) Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sea Salt/Maris Sal/ Sel Marin, Natural Essential Oil Blend, Cananga odorata, (Ylang Ylang) Flower Oil, Humulus lupulus (Hops) Oil, Cannabis sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil, Citrus nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Citrus limon(Lemon) Peel Oil, Valeriana officinalis (Valerian) Extract, a-Humulene, Limonene.
- Other: Available in 7 scents and we love all the ones we’ve tried. Cannafloria offers a 30-day return policy for unsatisfied customers.
Cannafloria helps to create a total bath and beauty experience with their line of hemp products. Besides their mood mists, they have luxurious hemp milk baths and lotions available. Owner Sharon K. Christie is proud of their attention to detail:
“Our manufacturing facility is proudly certified organic, 100% wind powered, cruelty-free and women-owned. All Cannafloria products are synthetic-free, dye-free and vegan.”
Cornbread Hemp CBD Lotion
- Highlights: Cornbread Hemp CBD Lotion in their special “skin formula” is a wonderful cure for dry skin, anywhere you need some potent moisturizing. This paraben-free skin cream is made with USDA organic hemp extract grown in Kentucky.
- Strength: 200mg per 60ml bottle
- Price: $29.99
- Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping available on orders over $99.
- Independent Test Results: Online.
- Scent & Texture: This is a thick lotion with a very mild, clean scent of olive oil with notes of cotton and rosemary.
- Ingredients: CBD oil / Full Spectrum Hemp extract in MCT Oil, Water, Capric Triglycerides, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Cotton Seed Oil, Olive Oil, Olive Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, EDTA, Rosemary, Phenoxyethanol, and Caprylyl Glycol.
- Other: A generous 30-day money back guarantee is available for unsatisfied customers.
Cornbread Hemp founder Jim Higdon appeared on our podcast to talk about Kentucky hemp, and wrote this great guide to the history of CBD topicals for us, too.
DaCrema Botanicals Salt Scrub
- Highlights: DaCrema Botanicals Salt Scrub is perfect for exfoliating tired feet, and it leaves you smelling refreshed and feeling calm.
- Price: $35.00
- Special: Special: Use coupon code MOH for 10% off!
- Strength: 200 mg per 8 ounces
- Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping available on orders over $100.
- Independent Test Results: Available on request.
- Texture & Smell: Soft to touch, gritty and exfoliating on the skin, with a fresh peppermint scent.
- Ingredients: CBD oil / Full Spectrum Hemp extract in Peppermint essential oil, Jojoba and MTC oils, Himalayan pink salt, Hawaiian black salt.
DaCrema Botanicals products are handmade in small batches using U.S.-grown organic hemp. The company was founded by a former health industry professional.
Petal Revive CBD Face Mask
- Highlights: Petal Revive CBD Face Mask Sheet combines qualty CBD isolate with rosemary, green tea, licorice root and other natural extracts that soothe, mositurize and smooth your skin. Lay back and relax for a while with this wonderful mask from Petal!
- Strength: 10mg per sheet
- Price: $10 (also available in discounted packs of 5 or 10)
- Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping available on orders over $65.
- Independent Test Results: Online.
- Scent & Texture: A cooling, soothing facemask that smells of green tea, rosemary and other botanical scents.
- Ingredients: Hemp-derived CBD isolate in Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene glycol, 1,2-hexanediol, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Sodium benzoate, Chlorphenisn, Sodium hyaluronate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated castor oil, Disodium EDTA, Butylene glycol, Tiger grass extract, Japanese Knotweed extract, Chinese Skullcrap root extract, Green Tea extract, Soap Bark Extract, Licorice Root extract, Chamomile Flower extract, Rosemary Flower extract, Natural fragrances
- Other: A generous 30-day money back guarantee is available for unsatisfied customers.
Petal products are vegan and free of parabens. This facemask is suitable for all skin types.
Kit O’Connell contributed reviews and reporting to this guide.
I am particularly in love with Populum’s Lavender Face Oil. My face feels smooth and moisturized, especially during these dry winter months.