The lowdown on: CBD Oil

Here at Lush, we use cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD oil, in our new CBD range. We know that there is a lot of information out there, so we’ve put together some of the stuff we thought about before including CBD oil in any Lush products.

In the UK, any CBD oil products including Lush’s 4:20pm perfume, Joints massage bar, Botanomancy bubble bar and 4:20pm bath bomb, are completely legal and safe to use - they are non-addictive and have no mind-altering effects. 

For more information and to find out whether CBD is right for you, keep reading for the lowdown on CBD oil.

Why is Lush using CBD oil in its products?

At Lush, we believe in creating cosmetics that not only smell and look good, but make you feel good, too. Encouraging self-care and boosting wellbeing has always been at the heart of Lush’s ethos. Every bath bomb, bubble bar, soap, and, well, every product that we hand make is created with your mood in mind. We’ve always used an expertly blended range of essential oils to create unique and innovative cosmetics - using ingredients that are good for your skin and your mood. Want to feel relaxed? We’ve got lavender for that. Energised? Lemon oil to the rescue!

Our choice to include CBD oil in products ranging from 4:20pm perfume to Joints massage bar, as well as bathing products such as Botanomancy bubble bar and 4:20pm bath bomb is an extension of this belief. In today’s society, in which millions of people are experiencing anxiety and other mental health conditions, more people than ever are looking for ways to help them unwind. While there’s no one-stop shop to look after your mind and your body, there are loads of things that can help - running, yoga, food, therapy - everyone is different. One of the things we’ve heard a lot from our customers is that CBD helps them to feel good. As taking on feedback from our customers is at the heart of our brand, this inspired us to get to work on a range of CBD based products. The way we see it, if we can help someone who enjoys using CBD to feel a little better and supercharge their self-care in a safe and ethical way, then we are happy to provide them with a range of Lush CBD products.

What is CBD oil and where does it come from?

People often wonder what CBD is and where it comes from, often asking whether it comes from one plant or another. In fact, cannabis, hemp and marijuana are all basically different names for the same plant that we derive CBD oil from. 

As for CBD oil, it is a non-addictive compound that is completely legal in the UK and many other countries. Our supplier, Pure Organic, extracts our CBD oil from the stems and seeds of the plant.  To ensure an even distribution, we mix it with a carrier oil (hemp seed oil) for our products such as 4:20PM  bath bomb, Botanomancy Bubble bar and Joints massage bar. For 4:20PM perfume, we use 30% CBD isolate mixed with MPG and give the customer directions as to how regularly this product should be used on the skin. 

Is CBD oil a drug?

The cannabis plant has many compounds - the two we’re going to be talking about are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Although they’re both phytocannabinoids, CBD and THC have very different effects and properties. They exist in differing levels in cannabis plants. When it comes to the cannabis grown for drug use, this is done so for its mind-altering properties due to its high THC content. THC is a psychotropic compound - which means that it has an effect on our mental state. THC is the stuff that creates a ‘high’ and is the compound that is illegal in the UK and several other countries. CBD, on the other hand, is a compound that is known for its therapeutic effects, believed to help lessen anxiety and for having anti-inflammatory effects. While CBD oil is not psychotropic and does not induce a high, it can have a positive effect on our mood and is used by many for its other beneficial purposes. Our CBD oil is made from industrial hemp, meaning it is completely legal in the UK as it meets all safety requirements. As we shared earlier, our CBD oil source is extracted from the grown stalks and stems of industrial hemp and tested to ensure that it contains no THC at the end of every production run. That means, in the UK, any CBD oil products that conform to these standards, including Lush’s CBD products, are completely legal and safe to use - they are non-addictive and have no mind-altering effects. 

What are the benefits of CBD oil?

Something that is important to note is that the benefits of CBD oil are still being studied. With that said, current studies have found that CBD oil applied topically as part of cosmetic products can have anti-inflammatory benefits - making it great for caring for your skin, reducing redness, and even contributing to tackling acne. There are legal limitations about what we can say about CBD as a cosmetics company, but as more and more studies are carried out on CBD, including some that show it may have a positive impact on the central nervous system, we learn more about its wellbeing properties.  It is important to mention that CBD oil is not a substitute for looking after your mental wellbeing - and if you’re worried about your mental health you should speak to a trusted person or medical professional like a GP. They’ll be able to help you find the best way to manage your mental wellbeing. 

Is CBD oil legal?

There are strict regulations around CBD oil to ensure it is safe to use in products. Here at Lush, your safety is the most important thing in our cosmetic development and we would never compromise on this. Every product that Lush uses go through rigorous internal and external animal-free testing. You can find out more about cosmetic testing here. You can find out more about CBD oil regulations here. 

Just to recap, how much CBD oil is in the products?

All of our CBD products contain CBD at safe levels. Joints massage bar, 4:20PM bath bomb and Botanomancy bubble bar all use a raw material that is made of 10% CBD mixed with 90% Hemp Oil. This high concentration of 10% CBD oil is in turn used in all of our products at a percentage that provides one dose (25mg) of CBD in each item. In the case of 4:20PM perfume, each bottle contains 1000mg of CBD per 30ml item and should be spritzed up to 6 times per day onto the skin.

Is CBD oil safe for children and pregnant people?

CBD studies for use specifically in cosmetics regarding children and pregnant and breastfeeding adults are limited, therefore we recommend seeking advice from your doctor or medical expert before trying. We have plenty of other products that can be used if you are concerned here.

You can read more about the rules around CBD oil here. 

What if someone accidentally eats a CBD oil product?

We know they look and smell delicious, but please don’t eat any Lush products. Lush products are not edible and should not be eaten by humans or animals. If you, your child, or your pet ingest Lush products please seek medical advice. 

Why can’t it be shipped outside the UK?

CBD oil legislation differs from region to region, currently, our CBD products can be shipped to the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and within the UK. 

We hope that this article has answered your most pressing questions about CBD and if you’re interested in checking out of range of CBD products, check them out here.

If they’re not for you, that’s okay! We’ve been making feel-good products since 1995, go check out our non-CBD range of products here!