We have relied on hemp for centuries. There is evidence that people were using hemp oil more than 10,000 years ago to cure various illnesses and treat skin conditions. Today, we’re finding more and more amazing benefits of hemp oil.
Is hemp oil the next big fad or is it a truly extraordinary elixir that’s finally getting the recognition it deserves? Let’s find out.
Hemp Oil vs Cbd Oil: What’s the Difference?
There’s a lot of confusion around the various terms for hemp seed oil, CBD oil, hemp oil products and cannabis products. Let’s break them down to understand the differences.
What Is Cannabis? What Are Cannabinoids?
Cannabis is a plant that sometimes goes by the name hemp or the informal name “marijuana.” There are three different strains of the cannabis plant, but the one we’re concerned with is cannabis sativa. All hemp and CBD products come from cannabis sativa. However, there are different strains of cannabis plants. Each one differs in the number of cannabinoids they contain.
Cannabinoids are chemical compounds in the cannabis plant that act on the sensory receptors in your brain. The best-known cannabinoids are tetrahydrocannbinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).
THC is the cannabinoid that produces the psychoactive reaction known as a high. CBD is a cannabinoid that provides medical benefits including mood management, reduction of pain, reduction of seizures and other benefits.
Cannabis sativa without THC is known simply as hemp or industrial hemp. It’s called industrial hemp to signify that it’s a legally grown product meant for public use.
Where Do Cannabinoids Come From?
Hemp oil comes from the seeds of the hemp plant. CBD oil comes from the flowers and stalks of the hemp plant. That’s why hemp oil is sometimes called hemp seed oil and why it should never be confused with CBD oil.
Some people have mistakenly bought hemp oil when they really wanted CBD oil, and vice versa. It’s important to know the differences between hemp oil vs CBD oil. Make sure you’re getting exactly what you want when you buy any product derived from hemp.
Hemp’s Legal Status
In order to qualify as industrial hemp, the hemp seeds used to make your hemp oil must come from plants that contain very low levels of THC. The legal standard is less than .03%. It’s not possible to get high from that amount of THC, which is why industrial hemp is legal everywhere.
CBD oil, on the other hand, can have slightly higher concentrations of THC. But since most people use CBD oil for its medicinal effects, it usually contains very low levels of THC. You may get a slight euphoric feeling from using CBD oil, but it’s not the actual, psychoactive high you get from a plant with a high THC level. Most CBD oils have THC concentrations between 1% and 5%.
Bottom Line: Is Hemp Oil Legal? Hemp oil is legal in all 50 states, the UK and Canada.
Does Hemp Oil Contain CBD?
Hemp oil is low in CBD. It only contains about 3.5% of CBD, compared to a CBD oil that typically has about 20% CBD. That means you can’t use hemp oil as a medicine to treat depression, anxiety, mood swings or chronic pain. So, in what ways can hemp oil be beneficial to health and skincare? Let’s discuss!
Hemp Oil for Hair & Skin
Unlike CBD oils that you swallow or mix into food, hemp oil can be used both internally and externally. It has long been a favorite ingredient for making lotions, hair treatments and skincare products.
Like any naturally derived oil, hemp oil helps hair by sealing in moisture and giving it a smooth, shiny appearance.
Most people are familiar with coconut oil and olive oil as hair treatments but not of the many benefits of hemp oil. Hemp oil for hair has many advantages over those popular oils.
It has higher concentrations of the fatty acids that make hair feel strong, soft and smooth. In fact, it has higher concentrations of these fatty acids than other natural oils.
It is high in ceramides, a compound that gets depleted when your hair gets damaged.
It’s excellent at moisturizing the scalp.
Benefits of Hemp Oil for Hair
If your hair is dry and damaged from years of heat styling, coloring, relaxing or other harsh treatments, you can improve its appearance and even its health by regular use of a natural, nut-derived oil like hemp oil.
Hair that’s damaged can’t actually be repaired, but you can greatly improve its appearance and stop the damage from getting worse.
Hemp oil is extremely high in fatty acids, antioxidants, gamma-linoleic acid (GLA) and vitamins A and E. In fact, hemp oil contains almost 80% fatty acids, which is the highest level of any oil. These ingredients are excellent at helping your hair and your skin retain moisture.
The Benefits:
- Smooths out tangles to make hair easier to brush and comb
- Deeply conditions hair
- Makes hair feel smooth
- Makes hair look shiny and thicker
- Helps hair retain moisture
There are various ways to add hemp oil to your hair care routine.
As a hot oil treatment: Warm a little bit of hemp oil in your microwave or in a double boiler on the stove. Don’t let it boil, just warm it slightly. You can add additional oils like olive, avocado or almond oil or just use the hemp oil alone. Apply this to your hair for 20 to 30 minutes and then rinse out.
Added to your conditioner: Add a few drops of hemp oil to your conditioner to get a boost of shine and smoothness every time you wash your hair.
As a pre-shampoo conditioner: Many people with coarse, dry or kinky hair find that a pre-shampoo conditioner helps their hair stay smooth, manageable and tangle-free. To do this, just rub a few drops of hemp oil into your hair and let it soak in for a few minutes before you shampoo.
In a hemp oil shampoo: Instead of using a harsh detergent shampoo, try a hemp oil shampoo that leaves your hair soft and naturally beautiful.
Hemp Oil for Beards
Since hemp oil can do amazing things for the hair on your head, can it do the same for the hair on your face?
Yes, it can. Using hemp oil on your beard is an excellent way to groom and condition your facial hair. As you know, having a beard can leave the skin underneath your beard very dry.
A regular routine of exfoliating, shampooing and moisturizing is critical to keeping a clean, soft and healthy beard that doesn’t make your skin itch. Using hemp oil for beards is a good addition to that routine.
A Great Alternative to Heavy Oils
Hemp oil is a good choice if you’re tired of heavy, greasy oils. It can make your beard and skin soft while preventing dryness and irritation.
There’s evidence hemp oil can reduce skin irritations and help heal acne. It might seem counter-intuitive that oil can reduce acne, but hemp oil works to balance the oil levels in your skin and clear up blemishes.
Some men develop acne, irritation and dry skin when they grow beards. You can use hemp oil for beards to keep your skin soft, healthy and smooth.
Hemp Oil For Skin
Hemp Oil Soap
Although hemp oil has been used medicinally for over 10,000 years, it’s only recently that it’s been added to beauty and personal care items like soap.
Because hemp oil is lightweight but deeply emollient, it’s an excellent additive to soap. Most natural soap recipes require an oil base, and makers of homemade soaps are finding great success substituting hemp oil for all or part of the standard olive oil when they make soap.
You can also find a wide variety of ready-made hemp oil soaps. You can purchase hemp soap in bars or liquid form. To get the full benefits of a hemp oil soap, look for one that’s all-natural and free of lye.
The same fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins and ceramides that make hemp oil good for your hair also do marvels for your skin. Almost any oil will make your skin feel smooth and supple. What is special about hemp oil?
The Benefits:
- Helps retain moisture in the skin.
- Makes skin feel smooth and supple.
- Heals acne and blemishes.
- Is vegan and all-natural.
- Doesn’t irritate sensitive skin.
- Reduces redness and inflammation.
Using Hemp Oil As A Moisturizer
Hemp oil is a wonderful natural moisturizer for your face, hands and body. Hemp oil allows your skin to retain high levels of moisture. This helps your skin look resilient, plump and full to reduce the look of wrinkles. If your skin is dry and wrinkled by nature, age or harsh weather conditions, use hemp oil to soothe it.
Using hemp oil shouldn’t clog your pores, irritate your skin or interfere with your other skin care products.
Try adding a few drops to your regular body and hand moisturizers to enhance their softening and moisturizing properties. Hemp oil will keep your skin looking great all over.
What are some ways to add hemp oil to your anti-aging routine?
Make a mix: Mix your hemp oil with other soothing, age-fighting compounds like hyaluronic acid serum and collagen serum. This mix is a powerful, all-in-one treatment that gives your skin a healthy, vibrant glow. It also protects your skin against damage.
Use it to clean your skin: Oil is excellent at wiping away makeup and dirt. Instead of using a pore-clogging mineral oil, use lightweight, soothing hemp oil to wipe your face clean.
Add it to a bath: One of the easiest ways to add hemp oil is to put a few drops in your bath water. Add essential oils for fragrance.
Hemp Oil for Psoriasis
Studies have found that hemp oil is an excellent natural treatment for many skin conditions including psoriasis.
Most people with psoriasis suffer from constant redness, itching and inflammation. It’s caused by an excessively fast turnover of skin cells at the skins’ surface. Since there is no cure, doctors tend to treat the condition by managing the symptoms and preventing further skin cell turnover.
Unfortunately, both the medical and over-the-counter treatments for psoriasis can have unwanted and dangerous side effects. Fortunately, hemp oil offers great promise as an alternative treatment.
There are two main reasons that hemp oil for psoriasis works:
It is extremely high in fatty acids. According to studies done on fish oil, supplements that are high in fatty acids show the most promise for reducing the severity and incidence of psoriasis.
It contains vitamin D. Many people with psoriasis have a vitamin D deficiency, and successful non-medical treatments usually include vitamin D supplementation. It’s already present in hemp oil, making hemp oil an ideal and convenient option.
Hemp Oil vs CBD Oil for Severe and Chronic Pain
Does hemp oil help with pain? The answer to that is, it depends. If you use hemp oil to massage aching joints, it can provide excellent relief from arthritis symptoms and tired muscles. Hemp oil goes beyond a standard massage oil to deliver healing, soothing benefits to your skin in addition to pain relief.
Ingesting hemp oil can also help your body fight pain and fatigue by giving it a high dose of healthy fats and antioxidants. Many people use hemp oil for pain with good results.
When it comes to hemp oil vs CBD oil, CBD has the most medicinal, healing qualities. Since hemp oil contains tiny amounts of CBD, it doesn’t have the same medicinal power as a CBD oil.
A 2018 study found that using CBD oil helped people manage chronic pain from arthritis, cancer, fibromyalgia, neuropathic pain and other serious, painful conditions. It has also proven effective in reducing the severity of epileptic seizures.
Many people are looking for alternatives to prescription pain medications that can be addictive and have unwanted side effects. You can use hemp oil for pain that’s mild and not chronic. If you want to treat chronic pain, severe arthritis or other conditions, you should use CBD oil rather than hemp oil.
Hemp Oil for Dogs & Cats
Can the same ingredients that give you a health and beauty boost do the same for your dog? It turns out that they can.
Like humans, dogs need a healthy, balanced diet, smooth, glossy hair and a way to fight off the early signs of aging. Why not give them a hand with some hemp oil for dogs?
Natural breeder Dana Scott, writing in Dogs Naturally magazine, recommends using hemp oil for dogs:
“Researchers at the American Cancer Society say there’s evidence that people with cancer, diabetes and skin allergies don’t make enough GLA, and these issues are incredibly common in dogs too. While GLA is considered a conditionally essential fatty acid, which means that most dogs can make enough of it, most of the time, there are many circumstances where dogs can’t make enough GLA and supplementing can become important. Finally, because the GLA is perfectly balanced with Omega-3 fats, hemp seed oil will help reduce inflammation in your dog and strengthen the immune system.”
You can add it to your dog’s food, feed it to your dog directly or bake it in a treat. If your dog is suffering from dry, itchy skin, use a little hemp oil to soothe it. You can also rub a few drops of hemp oil between your hands and rub this all over your dog to help keep the fur soft, smooth and glossy.
What about cats? Cats and dogs react differently to the same foods, medications and supplements. The evidence that hemp oil is helpful to cats is mixed and largely based on anecdotal experience.
If you’re thinking about giving hemp oil or any supplement to your pet, talk to your veterinarian first.
How to Buy Hemp Oil Products
You’re convinced that hemp oil should be part of your lifestyle. How and where do you go about buying it?
You can buy hemp oil from a dispensary that sells cannabis products, a health supplements store or a natural grocery store. Be careful about what you’re buying and who you’re buying it from. Hemp oil won’t do you any good if it’s not pure, organic oil extracted from healthy, top-quality plants.
How do you know you’re buying your hemp oil from a reputable seller?
Ask for A Third-Party Certificate
You should always buy your CBD and hemp products from sellers that can show you a certificate from a third-party testing laboratory. This certificate should attest to the purity and potency of the product. In the case of a hemp oil, it should show that there is only a trace amount, if any, of THC.
Look for A Seal from the US Hemp Authority
The US Hemp Authority is an independent body that certifies hemp growers who use the highest standards of growing, harvesting and processing hemp for human use. This seal also certifies that the hemp has passed a third-party potency test.
Buy Organic
Buying organically grown products ensures your hemp oil isn’t contaminated by insecticides and toxic chemicals.
Buy Hemp Oil Products Sourced From Your Country
There’s no way to be sure about the quality and content of hemp products sourced from another country. This is especially true of low-cost hemp products from China. Stay safe with a trusted, local grower.
Since it has virtually no side effects, there’s no reason to hesitate. Start adding healthy, natural hemp oil to your daily care routine and your diet today!