
A few weeks ago, I received a Facebook message from my mum that perfectly sums up the confusion around ‘cannabis’ beauty products.
“Darling, does this have… dope… in it?” she asked alongside a photo of The Body Shop Hemp Hand Cream I sent her. It made me giggle, but considering the tube has a big ole cannabis-esque plant on the front and an ‘earthy’ fragrance, I don’t blame her for being confused.
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Recently, low-dose cannabidiol (CBD), also known as cannabis oil, was approved to be available over-the-counter in pharmacies across Australia.
According to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), this means you're now able to buy CBD products without a referral, special approval or prescription. So, you can only expect to see more and more ‘cannabis’ serums, face oils, body creams and hair products pop up in the beauty aisles.
Naturally, your mind goes to marijuana or CBD oil when you see the word ‘cannabis’. So, what can they actually do for your skin?
The answer comes down to two things, my friends: green marketing, and some science.
What is Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil?
First thing to know: Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil is another fancy name for Hemp Seed Oil, which, let’s face it, just doesn’t sound as sexy.
Then, to understand the difference between cannabis sativa seed/hemp seed oil, CBD oil AND the cannabis used, erm, recreationally, think of the cannabis sativa plant (the plant all of the above come from) like an apple with juicy flesh and the seeds near the core.
Cannabis sativa plants have leaves, flowers and seeds that contain around 500 cannabinoids (compounds secreted in the cannabis plant). In the leaves and flowers, you’ll find the two major ones: cannabidiol (CBD or medicinal cannabis) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC or marijuana/recreational cannabis).