Despite being discovered in 1940 by Dr. Roger Adams and his team at the University of Illinois, CBD has been undergoing a second discovery over the last few years. Until the recent wave of health and wellness enthusiasts, followed by health and beauty companies, began to show an interest, the humble Hemp plant had often been shamelessly overlooked.
However, the attention around CBD, has also brought the beauty benefits of Hemp, back into the spotlight. Hemp was once an ingredient that was seen as a ‘hippy’ fad, but it is now beginning to be used in the mainstream as a legitimate beauty ingredient. But what does Hemp really do for your skin?
Well, let’s start by taking a look at all the good stuff that can be found in the Hemp plant. Hemp contains healthy fats, fibre and minerals, and all nine essential amino acids. This large collection of Amino Acids can prove beneficial for a whole range of skin conditions, and even just to maintain healthy, balanced skin.
Anti-inflammatory
One of the Omega-6 fatty acids found in Hemp is gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which is known to be a powerful anti-inflammatory. This means that Hemp oils and creams can help to reduce inflammation and irritation. While doing this, GLA can also encourage skin growth and new cell generation.
These qualities can be useful in treating skin conditions like Psoriasis, and acne, as well as keeping the skin moisturised.
Anti-ageing properties
Hemp oil is also rich in Vitamin E, a nutrient which is used in a large bulk of skincare products on the market. Vitamin E acts as an anti-oxidant, and blocks the skin from being damaged. Hemp oil also helps the outermost layer of the skin retain its moisture, and protect from nutrient loss.
By keeping the skin nourished and hydrated, Hemp oil can contribute to the effects of anti-ageing formulas.
Treating Acne
Although many people would be hesitant about putting oil onto acne, which is usually associated with oily skin, Hemp oil may actually help to reduce the amount of oil produced. Oily skin is often a reaction to dry skin. When the body isn’t getting enough oil, it will produce it’s own. However, this usually leads to too much oil being produced, and pores being clogged. The end result is acne.
Hemp oil is an emollient, meaning it is easily absorbed into the skin, without leaving a greasy feeling. The oil from Hemp can help to moderate oil production in your skin and, in turn, help to treat acne.
Suitable for all skin types
Hemp oil is very gentle, so it is very unlikely that your skin will react negatively to it. In comparison to other skincare products, which may make your skin dry out, or break out, dependent on your skin type, Hemp oil can be used on dry, oily and combination skin alike.
It sounds like the hype is real… Hemp oil skincare products can offer an affordable, natural way to supplement your skincare routine. Of course, using a CBD skincare product may be even more beneficial, but Hemp beauty sounds pretty great to us.
