Perhaps the buzziest three-letter-acronym of late has been CBD. Forbes Magazine predicts 700% growth by 2020 (yes, as in next year). Rolling Stone just predicted that CBD will hit $22 billion by 2022. And by 2030, the hemp market is predicted to grow to $1 trillion. But let’s pause for a second: what is CBD?

CBD stands for cannabidiol, one of the 104 chemical compounds known as cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. Cannabis is the umbrella plant family under which falls marijuana and hemp. Both marijuana and hemp contain CBD, however only the CBD in marijuana contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—a psychoactive compound that causes the sensation of getting “high.” If the plant contains less than 0.3% THC—in accordance with the Agricultural Act of 2014 aka the Farm Bill—it’s considered hemp.

When derived from the hemp plant, CBD does not have a psychoactive effect, despite many misconceptions. It does, however, especially according to devotees of the ingredient, yield other benefits— pain relief, anti-inflammatory properties and calming effects—which have recently made it a popular ingredient in beauty products.

“CBD has hit the mainstream,” says Kevin Wachs, co-founder and CEO of Earthly Body CBD skin care and Emera CBD hair care. “And it’s here to stay. You can’t ignore the benefits.”

Earthly Body has experience in the cannabis realm—they’ve seen success with their hemp-based CBD Daily Skin Care collection. After seeing the benefits for skin, the company decided to create a collection for hair, as well.

CBD PROPERTIES & USES
The history of cannabis dates back thousands of years. Humans have been cultivating cannabis since 4,000 years BCE because of its versatility—it was used for food, clothing and shelter, and the oils derived from the plant’s seeds were used to light lamps. So why the surge in popularity now? Approximately every five years, the Farm Bill gets an update. So while the 2014 Farm Bill helped define hemp versus marijuana, the 2018 Farm Bill
allowed more of the mass production of hemp. Farmers can now legally grow hemp for commercial use, and this opened the floodgates for products containing CBD oil.

The hemp plant has a stalk, seeds and flowers. The stalk is the fibrous part of the plant that’s used to make paper, rope, etc. The flower is what the hemp CBD oil comes from. It contains amino acids that some claim add strength and enhance collagen and elastin in the hair to increase the hair’s diameters, leading to fuller, thicker-looking hair. One of the amino acids, tyrosine, might help maintain hair color. It’s rich in essential fatty acids including omega 3, 6 and 9—which help to retain moisture in the hair, and it contains a high level of antioxidants to protect the hair from environmental and other stresses.

In 2019, HempBeauty launched a full product line that utilizes the benefits of CBD.

“The recent passing of the Farm Bill 2018 will fuel this groundbreaking CBD movement,” says HempBeauty co-founder Lindsay Soloman. HempBeauty products are designed to help target pain and reduce inflammation while offering antioxidant and anti-aging properties. According to the brand, CBD benefits include:

• Anti-Inflammatory properties: CBD interacts with receptors in the brain and immune system. This creates anti inflammatory and painkilling benefits that help with pain management.
• Antioxidant properties: CBD is said to be a more powerful antioxidant than vitamins C, E, A or any omega-3 fatty acid alone.
• Anti-aging properties: The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is essential to the support of basal cells, which make up approximately 90% of the epidermis. By providing support to the ECS, CBD helps prolong cell life to help skin appear more youthful.

“The benefits keep evolving,” Wachs says. “We discovered, for example, that the scalp has receptors that activate CBD, which leads to healthier scalp conditions. We can address issues like dryness, flaking and itchiness. And all salon pros know that healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp. Even if a client doesn’t have scalp issues, CBD will make the scalp, and ultimately the hair, healthier.”

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Other brands have caught on to the benefits CBD yields as well, which has led to the potential for more health and wellness offerings for salons and day spas. Kate Leydon started carrying CBD products in her Chicago spa and shop, Ruby Room, two years ago.

She wasn’t sure how customers would receive it, so she started small by keeping a few edibles on retail shelves.

As CBD has gained popularity in the past year, Ruby Room has gained more of a reputation and cult-following because of the CBD products they carry— companies with expanded lines including skin care, tinctures, bath salts and more—and new guests seek out the space for them.

Ruby Room’s CBD massage was launched almost one year ago. Leydon researched high-end CBD ointments that could be applied to the neck, décolletage, hands, arms and feet.

“It’s really taken over,” says Ali Starbuck, Ruby Room’s lead esthetician. “Once you’ve gotten the CBD massage, you don’t want to go back; your massage has now turned into a CBD massage.

There are plenty of benefits of integrating CBD into the massage for both the guest and the esthetician. First, due to the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD, the practitioner is able to get deep into the client’s tissue.

The ECS is the greatest neurotransmitter system in the body, says Tamara Jercha, a licensed stylist and a distributor and educator for UltraCell CBD Oil. The ECS affects mood, memory, motor control, pain perception, appetite, sleep and much more. When nerves are not functioning well, people can experience difficulties with pain, anxiety and insomnia.

CBD supports and mimics the ECS function, Jercha says. Receptors impacted by CBD include opioid receptors, which affect pain; dopamine receptors, which affect memory and mood; and serotonin receptors, which affect anxiety and depression. That explains the calming and pain-relieving effects.

As the esthetician, Starbuck says she feels the effects of CBD during spa services.

“If I do three or four CBD treatments in a row, I am relaxed,” she says. “I have to sometimes refocus for my next treatment because I’m in a chill mode. I usually feel the effects for eight hours. And the next day I’m really relaxed. It’s rejuvenating as well; it’s like that reset button.”

Starbuck adds some guests are a bit hesitant to try CBD retail and treatments at fi rst, due to preconceived notions about cannabis. She educates them on CBD and its benefits. Starbuck thinks CBD’s popularity will continue to rise as more research is conducted and more people experience its benefits.