CBD Coconut Oil: What Is It And What Are The Benefits?
What is CBD coconut oil and what are its skincare benefits?
CBD coconut oil is the skin-saving powerhouse that’s suddenly everywhere. In this post, we’re answering all your questions on what it is and how to use it.
Combined with all the natural goodness and benefits of raw, cold-pressed coconut oil, there’s no wonder that CBD coconut oil is becoming the go-to moisturising skin balm for people who need a calming, natural skin solution without chemicals or toxins that harm the skin.
But it’s still not always clear how and when it should be used. So we’ve put together this guide that includes everything we’ve been asked and what we think you should know about CBD coconut oil before deciding whether it’s the right skin solution for you.
So what is CBD coconut oil?
CBD coconut oil is coconut oil infused with cannabidiol (CBD) derived from hemp plants bred for their nutritional purposes.
Cannabidiol is available in multiple forms, including in MCT oil, isolate and distillate form. CBD coconut oil comes in solid form below room temperature, just like normal coconut oil. Sometimes the CBD presence can alter the scent or colour of the coconut oil, depending on the type and strength of CBD used.
What is CBD coconut oil used for?
First of all, it’s worth noting that although CBD coconut oil is normally eaten, it’s also a powerfully healing, restorative moisturiser for skin. CBD oil alone has been shown in several research studies to have calming, anti-inflammatory and radiance-boosting properties when applied directly to the skin.
But combined with the copious benefits of coconut oil, CBD coconut oil becomes a powerfully potent blend of natural oils that work together to support your skin’s natural healing process - especially if you’re prone to certain skin problems.
What are some of the benefits of using CBD coconut oil?
Coconut oil itself has numerous skin benefits which we won’t go into too much detail about here as we’ve explained them many times before. But when mixed with CBD oil, the benefits are taken to a whole new level.
Read: What Are The Skincare Benefits of Coconut Oil?
It encourages skin repair
CBD itself contains several essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fatty acids, to encourage skin health.
It contains vitamins A and D, which are responsible for skin repair, support skin cell growth and inhibit oil production to help keep skin soft and supple.
It contains vitamins C and E, which are antioxidants that protect your skin’s collagen and elastin to guard against damage from the sun and free radicals like UV rays.
It contains B complex vitamins which facilitate the construction process for skin, hair and nails to prevent dermatitis, hair loss, and other skin conditions.
It calms skin conditions
A study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology found that CBD helps to controls how cells are formed in our bodies, indicating it can be used to treat skin conditions like allergies.
These studies show that CBD oil functions as an anti-inflammatory agent, helping to calm skin - especially atopic dermatitis (aka eczema) and acne-prone skin.
And because acne is triggered by skin inflammation, CBD coconut oil could help diminish breakouts or other conditions similar or related to acne reducing redness and decreasing excessive sebum (oil) production.
It gives mature skin a radiance boost
CBD oil also has powerful antioxidant effects, meaning it can help lessen the visible signs of ageing skin.
By counteracting damage from free-radicals such as UV rays, smoke and environmental pollutants, CBD coconut oil can help to prevent wrinkles, fine lines, maintain skin elasticity, reduce skin dullness and even out skin tone.
It can be used on sensitive skin
The substantial skin-calming effects can help minimise issues related to skin sensitivity, including redness.
You don’t necessarily need to have sensitive skin for it to be affected by environmental stressors, so CBD’s soothing mechanism can help support the skin’s natural healing process.
It may provide local pain relief
When you ingest CBD products orally, your body processes it differently to when applied directly to the skin.
If wanting to treat a particular area, ingesting CBD coconut oil may take much longer and have reduced effectiveness for the specific skin ailment you’re trying to treat.
However, applying CBD coconut oil topically allows it to sink deep into your skin to stimulate cannabinoid receptors located throughout the body. This allows them to be absorbed directly into the affected area - so CBD coconut oil is effective for faster and more focused relief, which is especially useful for those with mild muscle or joint pains or during a muscle-relaxing massage.
Many sports physiotherapists are starting to use CBD-enriched balms on athletes during post-sport therapies and massages.
Why is CBD oil blended with coconut oil?
There are a couple of reasons for this.
Firstly, coconut oil is solid at room temperature but turns to liquid easily upon touch. This makes coconut oil easier to work than pure CBD oil with when applying topically e.g. when used for muscle and joint massage.
Secondly, CBD is a fat-soluble cannabinoid, meaning it breaks down and is stored in fat rather than water. Coconut oil happens to contain a very high concentration of fatty acids, with over 80% saturated fat content - in contrast to, say, butter which has around 50%, and olive oil only 20% saturated fat content.
This allows the presence of higher levels of fatty acids in coconut oil to create a stronger binding agent for CBD. What this ultimately means for your skin is that CBD content in coconut oil will be more potent than if blended with other fats and in turn allows for superior absorption of CBD when combined with coconut oil.
Is CBD coconut oil legal, and will it get me high?
Coconut oil is definitely legal. But when it comes to CBD - it depends exactly what the product is, and where you live.
In the UK, CBD is completely legal. However, the confusion around legality begins when THC comes into the picture. This is the psychoactive part of the cannabis plant – the part that gets you high – and is the only phytocannabinoid that appears on the controlled substances list in the UK. In the USA, some products contain both THC and CBD, but these are banned in the UK.
A product containing trace amounts of less than 0.2% THC meets the legal standards in the UK - which all of our topical CBD products at Virginutty do.
How do I make CBD coconut oil at home?
If you want to know how to make CBD coconut oil at home, then a quick YouTube search will tell you exactly what you need to do.
It’s worth noting that the process is generally time-consuming though, and usually requires the use of several different pieces of equipment. It also calls for a carefully monitored process that might be difficult to follow.
Where can I get CBD coconut oil?
If you want to make a multipurpose skin balm and edible product that you know has no chemicals or harmful toxins in it, then the good news is you don’t have to go through the arduous and costly process of making CBD coconut oil yourself.
Our CBD coconut oil products blend cold-pressed, raw coconut oil from sustainable Philippine coconut farms with high-quality CBD to create a potent topical balm that acts as a nourishing moisturiser for your skin. Each product is lovingly blended by hand in North London.
To experience the healing power of CBD coconut oil yourself, check out our online store.