Beauty: Natural skincare hits a new high
I was a cynic about CBD… until I tried this range
All too often CBD – cannabidiol – feels like a marketing gimmick in beauty products, especially when it is used in less quantity than fragrance would be in a formula, meaning its potential benefits are practically pointless. Or when it’s added to things such as mascara – it’ll do nothing for your lashes.
CBD, in case you don’t know, comes from the flowers and leaves of hemp plants, and is free from THC (the ‘getting high’ element of cannabis). The human body has its own endocannabinoid system so there’s a symbiosis between the two. When used topically CBD can regulate the skin’s sebum production and has a stronger antioxidant effect than vitamins C and D (protecting the skin from oxidative stress caused by UV rays and pollution), and calms and soothes.
I’ve been won over by J’Tanicals, a new luxury CBD skincare brand founded by German entrepreneur Julia Wilde. Having developed adult acne she tried adding CBD oil to her own skincare and was so impressed by the results she decided to pursue it further. It’s a simple offering, specially formulated for sensitive skin (it has no fragrance or essential oils) and uses a CBD isolate – the purest and most potent form of the ingredient.
The range’s CBD Gel Cleanser Deep Sea Rebalancer (£34.95, uk-jtanicals.com) gives a gentle but effective cleanse, and has sea electrolytes to strengthen skin, while its CBD Moisturiser Probiotic Safeguard (£49.95) is lightweight, absorbs quickly and boasts a decent one per cent of CBD, as well as liquorice root to soothe and diminish age spots and hyaluronic acid to hydrate. But the CBD Face Oil Floral Collagen Magic (£79.95) is the hero product, containing an impressive three per cent of CBD. It comes with bakuchiol (a natural alternative to retinol that’s good for reducing fine lines and pigmentation) as well as a lupin seed extract to boost elasticity, so it’s a dynamo of an oil. I add a couple of drops to the moisturiser but you could add to your own cream.
As I always say with skincare, there’s no magic bullet, but, whether you’re keen to try a topical CBD or not, this is a lovely range and my skin looks and feels healthier for using it.
Pass the butter!
The Body Shop’s classic body butters have had an upgrade. They’re now registered with the Vegan Society, use 95 per cent natural ingredients – including Ghanaian Community Fair Trade shea butter – and come in recycled (and recyclable) plastic pots with aluminium lids. I love the new avocado one, made with sustainably sourced Hass avocado oil. Creamy but absorbs instantly. £16, thebodyshop.com.