CBD health and wellness products are popular because you can experience their therapeutic effects in different ways. You can ingest them in the form of edibles, pills, capsules, and oils, or smoke vape oil using a vape pen and e-cigarette to get systemic relief. The other popular option is to use CBD topical products like balms, creams, ointments, etc., for localized relief from pain and inflammation. The purpose of this article is to explore in detail the topical CBD product, CBD balm; read on to know more about it.
What Is CBD Balm?
CBD balms and salves are the two most popular cannabidiol topical products due to the fast relief they provide when applied to the skin. This is because of cannabidiol’s anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Also, they contain additional ingredients like essential oils, and this gives them an aromatic smell. Besides, they give quick localized relief when compared to CBD oils that are consumed orally.
CBD balms and salves can be used for alleviating pain and inflammation for chronic health conditions like arthritis. Apart from this, they are used for reducing neuropathic pain due to shingles and sciatica. Furthermore, athletes are beginning to include CBD balms into their training regimen since cannabidiol (CBD) was removed from the list of prohibited substances by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
How Are CBD Balms Made?
CBD balms and salves contain three basic ingredients, and they are:
- Fatty oil base
- Beeswax
- The therapeutic compound, i.e. cannabidiol (CBD)
Manufacturers add other botanical ingredients to CBD balm’s formulation to enhance its therapeutic effects. Some of them are almond, lavender, eucalyptus, passionflower, arnica oil, etc. Lavender has a soothing scent, excellent skincare effects like reducing inflammation and slows down aging by tightening the skin. Eucalyptus oil reduces inflammation and has a relaxing aroma. Likewise, arnica oil also has good anti-inflammatory properties. So, these essential oils enhance the anti-inflammatory effect of CBD balm.
How Is CBD Added Into CBD Balms And Salves?
Cannabidiol is added into CBD balms and salves using a fatty oil-based carrier that has high amounts of fatty acids or lipids. Most manufacturers use coconut oil as the carrier oil due to its high fatty acid content. This increases the bioavailability of CBD when applied to the skin because natural cannabidiol is an oil-soluble compound. As a result, the effectiveness of the CBD topical increases. Apart from coconut oil, other oils like olive and grapeseed oils can also be used as the carrier base.
CBD is infused into the carrier oil by adding grounded cannabidiol-rich hemp plant parts like flowers to the oil. This mixture is then heated to more than 100 oC for several hours so that the cannabinoids seep into the oil. Also, the heat converts these cannabinoids into their activated form that is more easily absorbed by our body; this process is called decarboxylation. In the hemp plant, CBD is also present in its raw acidic form cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), and it is converted to cannabidiol (CBD) when you apply heat.
How Do CBD Balms And Salves Work?
CBD balms and salves are applied to the skin over the affected area and rubbed. CBD molecules are carried to the deeper layers of the skin by the lipids in the oil-based carrier. There, cannabidiol interacts with the receptors of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) to produce its therapeutic effects. The ECS is made up of a network of chemical messengers like neurotransmitters and hormones that controls various vital biological functions like inflammation, pain perception, heartbeat rate, body temperature, etc. However, you must bear in mind that the permeability of CBD is low through the skin, so you must apply a generous amount of CBD balm to experience its therapeutic effects.
What Are The Benefits Of CBD Balms And Salves?
The benefits of CBD balm are due to its therapeutic effects like anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antioxidant effects. Applying CBD balm is useful for reducing inflammation and pain in joints due to arthritis. Likewise, its high cannabidiol content makes it useful for effectively managing the symptoms of skin disease like psoriasis, eczema, and treating acne. Besides, it can be used for healing minor wounds because applying it reduces the duration of the inflammation phase. Finally, its high fatty acid content gives it a good skin moisturizing effect making it effective for treating skin dryness and slowing down the formation of wrinkles as it stimulates collagen production in the skin.
How To Apply CBD Balm?
As already stated, CBD topical products like balms and salves give quick localized relief. For this to be effective, you must clean the body part where it is applied, so that CBD molecules easily diffuse through the cell membranes and reach the deeper layers of the skin. Also, when applying CBD balms and salves, you must rub thoroughly to generate heat that slightly melts the wax. This increases the absorption of cannabidiol into the skin.
These are some important points that you must know about CBD balms and salves, and we hope that the article was useful to you.