By the GWL team
Another Review?
Topics Covered
You betcha! This time we each tried a different CBD topical to see what we thought of our hot sellers. Although we weren’t able to give all of our topicals the time of day, but we did try a wide variety in order to help you find a good fit for yourself. These CBD topical reviews are all of our own personal opinions and experiences. We are not doctors and we all have different problem areas we attempt to find relief from. Hopefully you will be able to relate to one of our reviewers, but if you have any further questions about our opinion or experiences with a topical please don’t hesitate to reach out!
The Team:
All of us at GWL struggle with different skin concerns and no matter the age, acne affects all 3 of us. Brandy has dryer skin, Hannah has dry to combination skin, and Cara also has combination skin. The cbdMD Botanicals Clearskin line has made its way into all for our skincare routines. Whether it be Cara using the spot treatment, Brandy using the daily moisturizing lotion, or Hannah using the toner; the skincare line helps clear and perfect our skin.
Not only does each product have a rather large amount of CBD present, but there are a lot of natural skin loving ingredients that can aid with acne, discoloration, clogged pores, and aging. Our skin takes a lot of wear and tear, especially in the summer months, and these products can help protect against that. Each of us favor a different product in the line, but they each offer different advantages. If you struggle with cystic acne or white heads, the spot treatment can really help pull that right out of your skin. Fair warning, if your spots are under several layers of skin, like cystic acne, it may take a few day to weeks to pull those spots out. If you struggle with large or oily pores, the toner will balance the skin’s PH and be your friend. It helps neutralize and soothe inflamed skin while exfoliating and minimizing pores. The toner can be a bit strong for more sensitive skin, so if that is a concern I would recommend avoiding frequent or heavy use. The daily moisturizer is full of beneficial ingredients like turmeric, vitamin C, and willow bark that maintain healthy, clear, glowing skin.
If you have troubled skin, or not, you may benefit from including CBD into your skincare routine. All of us have fallen in love with some part of this skincare line and none of us can imagine our skin without it.
Hannah:
If you and I have chatted before, I’m sure you know that I am a chronically ill human. Being only 20 but having Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia can make life painful, to say the least. I take CBD everyday and that helps regulate my pain, but sometimes life requires a little more out of us. When I was to play “able bodied young woman” I have to have a CBD topical by my side. There are a few topical staples in my arsenal, one of which is Cara’s favorite, but there is a new lotion that I wish I knew of sooner.
I was once the loudest proponent for the Green Roads Heat Relief, I still am, but now I have a new buddy that helps me ignore the slipping disks in my neck: the Lazarus Naturals Relief and Recovery Muscle Gel. This little gel not only has a seriously cooling feeling that is nice in these warmer months, but the 2000mgs of CBD in a 3.5oz container makes this gel pack a punch. The cooling menthol sensation lasts a long time, longer than I originally expected, and provides a nice distraction from muscle tension and pain. The texture of the topical is thin and absorbs really quickly. It takes me less than a minute to completely rub the gel in and there isn’t any residue of grease left behind. Other than the menthol scent and pain relief, you wouldn’t know you put anything on, which is not something I can say for all topicals.
I was initially surprised by how fast I felt the relief and for how many hours I was able to forget that I have a broken body. This gel is exactly what I needed for a fun, fully vaccinated summer, so that a stiff painful neck don’t keep me down.
Cara:
I love, love, love the Endoca Salve. I lovingly coined it “Jesus” cream about a year ago. Packing a whopping 750 mg per 1 oz it comes in as our strongest salve per ounce. The price seems high at $64.00 per 1 oz but after you try it you will see that it is worth the price!
I started using it for Psoriasis on me knees and found that I was able to stop using my steroid cream. I would put a small amount on my Psoriasis patches daily and soon I found my itchy patches cleared up. When I would stop using the salve, it would come right back. Sooo…Funny Story, because the ingredients are incredibly natural I began trying it on anything and everything. I have found for myself it works great for achy knees or hands, rashes, small burns, and dry skin. I even made my husband try it for his poison ivy and he was hooked. If you have seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding the father sprays Windex on every skin issue to alleviate it! In our house we laugh because Endoca Salve has become our Windex! So whether you think Jesus or Ghandi, Mari Curie or Nicholas Tesla are miraculous…any one of these or many other figures can be used in your house when describing Endoca (maybe a bit of an exaggeration…LOL)! If you don’t believe us, try it yourself. We would love to hear what you think?
Now for the sister product, Endoca Body Butter. The container is 3.38 oz and a butter like consistency with 1500 mgs of CBD. So obviously, not quite a strong as the salve and definitely not as thick, but the smell in my opinion is heavenly. I have found it is not as effective for pain when I use it but it is still as effective for my skin issues. It is another one of my favorites. It is always in my house and I definitely use it regularly. Both products are truly awesome but they also have a bit of a price tag. I have found their efficacy is worth the few extra dollars as have many of our customers. These two products are definitely a fan favorite and you really can’t go wrong with either.
Brandy:
So now you’ve heard about our favorite lotions and salves (oh my!) Let’s chat about the other option to absorb CBD through our largest organ, our skin. That option is a CBD patch. The first transdermal patch was actually approved by the FDA in 1979 to deliver a drug that helped with motion sickness. While the FDA has not approved any CBD patches, they do approve of the delivery method. So that’s a start, anyhow. A patch is basically a large piece of sticky plastic that’s infused with CBD that you can stick anywhere on your body. Many people like to stick them in venous areas. We also tell people to get them in the right hemisphere – if pain is upper body, apply the patch there. If it’s lower back, feet or ankles, applying to the low back is generally a great fit. Patches can also help with headaches or migraines if applied to neck area and we have seen some benefits for people with feet nephropathy by cutting a patch in half and applying to tops of feet.
Patches are known for a few benefits :
- Rapid absorption
- Slow delivery
- Discrete delivery
Unlike a thick lotion or salve, the patch won’t feel oily. Some of our patches (looking at you, Pure Ratios) have an extended release component that will ensure that the patches keep working over a 3-4 day stretch. Others continue to release CBD for 12-24 hours.
Here are our patch options :
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The Good Patch – 20mg or 60mg patch containing isolated CBD, 12-24 hour time frame
- Pros
- Multiples in a pack
- Relief specific for desired benefits
- Cons
- More ingredients for potential irritation
- Pros
-
Social CBD – 20mg or 60mg patch containing isolated CBD, 12-24 hour time frame
- Pros
- Great fit for someone that needs a 0 THC product
- Strongest mgs
- Cons
- Larger patch size
- Isolate-based CBD may not always be as effective for pain as a full-spectrum (whole plant) option
- Pros
-
Mary’s Nutritionals – 10mg full-spectrum patch, 8-12 hour time frame
- Pros
- Least likelihood of irritation from material
- Small patch footprint
- Cons
- Higher cost per day than other options
- Pros
-
Pure Ratios – 40mg full-spectrum patch, 72-96 hour time frame
- Pros
- Time release makes it longest lasting option
- Small patch footprint
- Cons
- Longer time frame makes it a poor fit for people with sensitive skin
- Pros
-
Pure Ratios – 35mg calm full-spectrum patch, 72-96 hour time frame
- Pros
- Time release lasting 2 days
- Small patch footprint
- Cons
- Longer time frame makes it a poor fit for people with sensitive skin
- Pros
Of this list, Pure Ratios is definitely the top seller. We’ve got people that use them as a CBD booster for muscle aches and pains or swelling (like me) and others that use these patches as their only source of CBD. I really like the “set it and forget it mentality.” Patches provide a great jump into topical CBD and they’re also a baby step for people who want to try CBD, but are a little bit nervous about trying a new internal supplement. If that describes you, maybe a patch or another topical is a great start!
Now you!
Hopefully after hearing our experiences with these different topicals, you have a better idea as to what is going to be a good fit for you. We look forward to hearing all about your experiences and hopefully we can all find a little relief together.