CBD has been making its mark around the internet and in health and beauty sites for quite a few years. It has been touted as an excellent treatment for certain skin disorders and a safe, organic addition to your skin care routine. Along with its rising fame came the various forms in which CBD comes. The most common ways to take CBD are oral and topical. You either ingest the CBD, or apply it on your skin.
CBD — A quick look
CBD (or cannabidiol) is a type of cannabinoid, the components found in hemp plants. It is one of the most prevalent components. However, unlike its more notorious fellow cannabinoid, THC, CBD does not cause a euphoric high. It is non-intoxicating and boasts anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antioxidant properties; and because of these properties, CBD has been used as a part of a healthy skincare routine.
CBD and the Endocannabinoid System (ECS)
The Endocannabinoid system plays a critical role in maintaining homeostasis in our body. It is our body’s “master regulator,” encompassing the brain, our endocrine, and immune systems among others. Our body is filled with cannabinoid receptors all along the ECS. CBD interacts with the ECS, binding with certain receptors in ways that can help your body.
Topical and Oral CBD — the difference
Topical
CBD topicals are applied onto various parts of the body. These are creams, balms, sometimes lotions, infused with CBD. Transdermal patches and CBD roll-ons are also available. These can be slathered onto your skin to treat mild discomfort, pain, or inflammation. Your skin then absorbs the CBD and the cannabinoid interacts with your endocannabinoid system, and because you apply it directly onto the affected area, the effects are immediate.
Oral
CBD orals are taken in by mouth. They come in different forms: oil tinctures, gummies, and capsules. You can take them sublingually (under the tongue where the CBD is absorbed through your mucous membranes, conveniently bypassing the digestive system). You can also take them over the tongue, meaning ingesting them. When you take CBD orally, these cannabinoids enter your bloodstream and interact with the receptors throughout your body.
Which one is best for skin care?
Because topical CBDs are applied directly onto the skin and are absorbed by your skin’s cannabinoid receptors, this offers a greater benefit for your skin. The immediate relief from inflamed acne, the nourishment that comes with the cream or lotion you use, and the antioxidant properties of CBD all combine to help your skin become healthier, clearer, younger, and more supple. Topicals can be used as your main CBD go-to for your skin care regimen.
However, oral CBDs can also benefit your skin, albeit indirectly. Because CBDs taken orally have a greater bioavailability (the body’s absorption of CBD) that spans through your entire body, they can also help in maintaining your skin’s health. They help keep your body in homeostasis thereby keeping you healthy. They lower your stress levels, bulk up your immune system, and overall regulate your body’s health. Your skin will benefit from this because whatever happens inside your body will eventually show externally.
