Application of topical products such as cannabidiol (CBD) balms is becoming an increasingly popular method of soothing pain, inflammation and overall soreness resulting from various health conditions. To enhance this effect, SOL*CBD Herbal Balm is comprised of 13 all-natural ingredients.
Each ingredient in our CBD balm was thoughtfully chosen for its individual medicinal properties, as well as for its ability to work in a synergistic blend. Together, these ingredients target inflammation, surface aches and pains, and mild skin irritations.
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All of the ingredients included in our unique CBD balm formulations have a long history of use in traditional herbal medicine practices. Relying on this knowledge, and the available scientific evidence, CBD herbal balm was designed to be a safe and completely natural topical application. Read on for the history and benefits of each of the specially selected ingredients.
1. CBD Hemp Oil
The main ingredient is, of course, a full spectrum hemp extract, which contains naturally-occurring cannabidiol (CBD). Some research suggests that when used topically, the CBD balm benefits are as stated (anti-inflammatory, soothing and pain relieving), and the same can be concluded from anecdotal evidence. It is not a quick fix, but many swear by it. As stated by one of our customers, “I use both the cinnamon CBD and the CBD Balm. My advice to newcomers is to give it at minimum a month to experience the best results. I couldn’t be happier. I’m not perfect, but my knee pain has been reduced to the minimum, and my sciatic pain is nearly gone.” [1]
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2. Grapeseed Oil
Grapeseed oil is useful far beyond the kitchen. The oil is chock full of Vitamin E, a popular skin care ingredient found throughout the health and beauty industry. Vitamin E is a known antioxidant, capable of fighting free radicals. Although free radicals are a natural part of cellular life, they contribute to the process of aging and increased rates of illness and disease if allowed to oxidize unchecked. As a natural antioxidant, grapeseed oil may help neutralize excessive oxidation.[2]
Because grapeseed oil is a good source of fat-soluble vitamin E, it's often used in the skin care industry as a healthy carrier oil for other medicinal and beneficial compounds. Cannabinoids, like CBD, are oil soluble and therefore not as bioavailable as one would hope. Therefore, it's crucial to combine CBD with fatty or oily substances, like grapeseed and Vit E oil to improve their absorption by the body.
3. Virgin Ucuuba Butter
A relative newcomer in the natural skincare scene, many people are unfamiliar with the powerful moisturizing properties of ucuuba butter. The butter is pressed from the seeds of the ucuuba tree, native to Central and South America. The butter, in its natural form, is dark yellow and its texture is relatively dry, similar to the consistency of cocoa butter. [3]
The tree has long been used by the Tupi indigenous communities of the region, who call it “hiboucauhu”, which roughly translates as “the tree that produces fatty substance.” Beyond its fatty nature, ucuuba butter contains something called myristic acid. This non-toxic fatty acid has demonstrated protective properties and is now undergoing research as a protective skin care additive. [4]
4. Lemon Peel Oil
Extracts of lemon have historically been used in protective skin care preparations, as well as in natural face cleansers. There is also some information about lemon oil's use as an anti-acne cream. Citrus fruit extractions, like lemon peel oil, are extremely popular within the field of aromatherapy. Lemon essential oil is used throughout aromatherapy for a wide variety of skin care applications, including for the treatment of acne, eczema, sores and minor cuts, and varicose veins. [5][6]
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5. Organic Rosemary Leaf Extract
Another valuable essence in aromatherapy is rosemary leaf extract, which has properties that lend itself to the alleviation of muscle cramps, stiffness, and localized pain. Used in the CBD balm alongside other natural ingredients, it could have additional pain-relieving benefits and is helpful for arthritis and rheumatism.
According to The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils, rosemary leaf extract is also helpful for mild skin irritations and diseases, such as for eczema and dermatitis.
6. Virgin Andiroba Butter
Another relatively new natural skincare product, andiroba butter, comes from a native South American tree of the same name. It is used traditionally in many skin care preparations for the treatment of mild wounds, rashes, and insect bites. These traditional uses all suggest it as a soothing and healing compound. There is also evidence it can alleviate arthritis and rheumatism when warmed up, although more scientific study is needed to confirm the efficacy of these traditional uses.
Despite the lack of scientific data, andiroba butter is an increasingly common ingredient in the skincare industry. Based on the limited data and traditional uses, it is suggested that andiroba butter may naturally have many beneficial properties when applied topically, hence its inclusion in our CBD balm. [7]
7. Organic Sunflower Seed Oil
Sunflower seed oil is a useful carrier oil for the other ingredients in CBD balms. Some studies have also suggested that sunflower seed oil, when used topically, may have some anti-inflammatory properties of its own. Another study suggested that it may have barrier enhancing properties, which essentially means its capable of increasing the natural and protective functions of your skin. [8]
8. Nerolidol
Despite its name, nerolidol is not a harsh chemical compound, but a naturally occurring terpene found within many aromatic plants. Cannabis sativa, or hemp, is only one of the many sources nerolidol is extracted from. Others include ginger, lemongrass, and lavender.
Nerolidol is a valuable addition to topical treatments, as it may even boost the CBD balm benefits. It is undergoing study as a “passive skin penetration enhancement,” which basically means that it enhances or increases the absorption of other compounds. Combined with the other ingredients within our CBD balm, it may encourage their transdermal absorption and therefore increase their natural healing benefits. [9]
9. Wintergreen Oil
A longtime herbal remedy for any number of health issues, wintergreen oil has many beneficial properties. For example, it is currently used in alternative medicine as a mild pain reliever, anti-inflammatory agent and antirheumatic. It's already a common ingredient in over-the-counter creams for arthritis and stiff muscles due to its stimulating nature. The flavor might also be quite familiar, as it’s one of the most common toothpaste flavors in North America.
10. Blue Mallee Eucalyptus Oil
Blue Mallee is a subspecies of the eucalyptus plant, but there are more than 700 others. The vast majority of these contain the potent eucalyptus oil, which lends itself to anything from environmentally friendly cleaning products and herbal first aid kits, to soothing skin compounds. It was traditionally used in Australia for aching joints and as a remedy for bacterial skin infections like ringworm.
It has many known beneficial actions, including pain relief, relief from rheumatic conditions, antiseptic action, as well as a deodorant. Not to mention the many who use it at home as a topical preparation to improve circulation and blood flow.
11. Organic Calendula Flower Extract
A renowned herbal remedy, calendula flower, and extract have been used for thousands of years in both internal and external applications. When it comes to its use in a herbal CBD balm, calendula adds significantly to the balm’s healing properties, as it has a long history of use for skin complaints. These include inflammatory skin lesions, cracked or rough skin, rashes, varicose veins and general skin irritations. It’s a common addition to many herbal skin care products because of its soothing benefits.
12. Copaiba Oil
Copaiba oil is often compared to CBD oil because it interacts in very similar ways with the cannabinoid system. According to early research, copaiba may have anti-inflammatory characteristics. It’s also known as a general disinfectant.
A review of the research into the anti-inflammatory properties of copaiba oils concluded that both “in vitro and in vivo studies have suggested that copaiba oil can ameliorate the outcomes of several inflammation-mediated diseases. Thus, basic research supports the oil’s mechanisms of benefit, but human data are sparse." [10]
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13. Candelilla Wax
Candelilla wax, sourced from a small shrub native to Mexico, is often called the vegan alternative to beeswax. Traditionally, Mexican indigenous tribes processed the bush to make candles instead of using beeswax. Beyond its medicinal benefits in skin care, it is an all natural solidifying agent which helps structure skin care products, like CBD balm, for easier application.
It’s an extremely common cosmetic ingredient, found as a solidifying agent in lipsticks to eyebrow pencils. Because it is so common throughout the cosmetics industry, it has gone through rigorous testing to ensure that it’s safe to use and non-irritating, even when it comes in contact with sensitive areas. For this reason, it is an obvious inclusion in our CBD balm. [11]
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All of the 13 unique herbal ingredients in our herbal CBD balm were carefully chosen based on their known benefits when applied topically. CBD, eucalyptus and calendula extracts are all thought to have anti-inflammatory properties, while the Andiroba and ucuuba butter give the CBD balm its smooth consistency and adds to its soothing effect on minor skin irritations. Every ingredient within the balm is integral to the total CBD balm benefits.
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Sources:
[2] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318395.php
[3] https://patents.google.com/patent/US20160303036A1/en
[4] https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/704061/MYRISTIC_ACID/#.WvRaQNMvwWo
[5] http://gnu.inflibnet.ac.in:8080/jspui/bitstream/123456789/2451/1/15-Bhusan%20Mehta.pdf
[6] The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils: The Complete Guide to the Use of Aromatic Oils In Aromatherapy, Herbalism, Health, and Well Being https://books.google.ca/books?id=qKpau-8I_gMC&dq=lemon+peel+oil+aromatherapy&lr=
[7] http://www.richardsfoodporium.com/ns/DisplayMonograph.asp?StoreID=1fqsseqx5cs92j2000akhmccq259dgg9&DocID=bottomline-andiroba
[8] http://www.dermatologytimes.com/dermatology/skin-barrier-benefits-sunflower-seed-oil
[9] https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/21/12/1709/pdf
[11] http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/10915818409010515
