Cannabis has become quite popular in the skincare world, and with its tendency to provide users with next-level results, we can definitely see why. Living in Colorado, I have learned the countless benefits of cannabis and why adding it to your skincare regimen is a must. Its anti-inflammatory properties paired with the embedded antioxidants make it perfect for alleviating many of our skincare woes. Recently, we had a chance to check-in with CEO of Undefined Beauty, Dorian Morris, to deep-dive into the power of CBD.
Though a champion for its capabalities, the beauty and social entrepreneur quickly proclaimed that CBD isn't a panacea. "You have to take a holistic approach, using known botanical superpowers and CBD as the supercharger. What's in the formula and not in the formula is just as important, if not more, than the presence of CBD," she explained.
Dorian also shared the four main skincare benefits that make CBD a powerful ingredient in your beauty arsenal:
- "It's antioxidant-rich and has more antioxidant horsepower than Vitamin C and Vitamin E. Antioxidants are critical for skincare because they help prevent free radical damage that leads to early skin wrinkling and hyperpigmentation - both things nobody has on their skin wishlist.
- "It's anti-inflammatory, and inflammation is what's at the heart of most skincare concerns, from rosacea to acne to wrinkles. Again, it's a partner in crime for 'graceful aging' (I'm not a big fan of the term 'anti-aging').
- "It's a balancer. If you have overactive sebum (aka oily skin), it turns off oil production. If you have dry skin, it turns on oil production. This is why CBD has been heralded as a game-changer for acne but more broadly, it has the power to help all skin types move back to homeostasis.
- "The most important benefit is that CBD is an enabler. Your body has a natural endocannabinoid system--Mother Nature knew what she was doing--and your skin has many receptors. When using CBD topically, it allows for better penetration aka better performance aka more bang for your buck, taking all the other ingredients in the formula along for the ride, which is why choosing a clean/non-toxic formula is key."
With all of that said, we just know you can't wait to try this trend. Ahead, find some amazing cannabis-infused products that will elevate your skincare collection to new heights.
*This list is specially curated by the xoNecole team and some links are affiliate links. If you purchase an item from an affiliate link, xoNecole might earn a small commission.
Undefined Beauty Glow Elixir
Undefined Beauty
Glow Elixir
Apply this gem day and night to hydrate, brighten and balance your skin. This product is a miracle worker when it comes to unclogging your pores, while the CBD revitalizes. The clean, floral scent also makes it a joy to apply. Pro-tip: Pat the product into your skin for easy absorption.
e.l.f. Happy Hydration Cream + hemp-derived Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil
Target
e.l.f is my go-to because it's effective and coin-efficient. When I learned they had a CBD product, I added it it my cart in a heartbeat. The hemp-derived Cannabis Sativa seed oil aids with acne-prone skin and is a great base before applying makeup.
SheaMoisture Cannabis & Witch Hazel Skin Rescue Facial Oil
Target
True to its name, SheaMoisture maintains your skin's natural moisture and the vitamin E gives it extra nourishment. This rescue face oil was created to calm your skin and make your skin happy — think of it as your skin's therapist.
KIEHL'S SINCE 1851 Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil Herbal Concentrate Hemp-Derived
Macys
You only need a few drops of this gem from Kiehl's. The power-packed product is ideal for those that have blemish-prone skin because after a few days you will find that your skin feels soothed, healthy and fresh.
HERBIVORE EMERALD CBD + Adaptogens Deep Moisture Glow Oil
JCPenny
Looking for a product that will quench your skin's thirst? Herbivore's Glow Oil is the answer. If you're having issues with redness, irritation or environmental stressors, this glow oil is guaranteed to give your skin the deep moisture and relief it deserves.
Cannuka CBD Cleansing Body Bar
Walmart
We often forget about our body when we talk skincare. Not today. With ingredients like grapefruit, coconut and sunflower oils, the hand-cut body bar lathers like a dream, leaving your skin feeling pampered.
HELIX SKIN SCIENCE Youth Fusion Repairing Night Eye Serum with CBD
Nordstrom
Black don't crack but that doesn't mean we shouldn't do the work to make sure it stays that way. Try this repairing eye serum at night to prevent puffiness. The only bags we carry are handbags.
BEBOE THERAPIES Set of 5 High Potency CBD Sheet Mask
Nordstrom
We love a good mask, especially when it soaks your skin with lulling minerals. Beboe Therapies' masks support brighter, even-toned skin which is a godsend for skin recovery.
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Featured image by Undefined Beauty
RELATED
There is quite a bit of science to back this up too. For instance, physical touch can lower stress and boost immunity. Physical touch makes us calmer and more compassionate. Physical touch reduces pain and anxiety. Physical touch helps to cultivate emotional intimacy with other people. Physical touch creates comfort and pleasure. Bottom line, physical touch does so much for us which is why we should learn as much about it as we possibly can.
That’s not to say that all of us desire to be touched in the same fashion, though. For example, did you know that there is quite a bit of research to support the fact that men and women (overall) long to be touched in different ways?
In the effort that we all become more “fluently effective” when it comes to how we “speak” the language of physical touch to those around us (especially when it comes to our partner), let’s explore how a man wants to be touched vs. how a woman prefers to be.
Men and Women Are Different. Even When It Comes to Touch. Why, Though?
GiphyBefore I get into some things that I discovered about men and women when it comes to where they prefer to be touched and how those places differ from one another, first let’s — pardon the pun — touch on why there is even a difference in the first place. Apparently, because women’s fingers are naturally softer, they are better when it comes to touch discrimination. What is that? Touch discrimination is basically having the ability to tell the difference between different types of touch sensations. And this is probably a big part of the reason why research also says that when compassion, anger, or happiness is conveyed through touch, men and women tend to respond/react a bit differently as well.
Case in point: One study stated that when two men try to convey compassion through touch, it doesn’t really resonate well, although men can detect anger, even through the slightest touch, extraordinarily well. And happiness? Well, when two women are sharing that feeling through touch, it is clearly conveyed — meanwhile, between a man and a woman or two men? Yeah, not so much.
The thought process for these three emotions is, when it comes to compassion because women have been the prominent caregivers throughout history, they have “mastered” the ability to express it. Anger? Remember, men are good at detecting it — studies say that it’s because they tend to feel and express anger more often; I’d venture to say that being protectors and providers requires being aware of that emotion far more often as well. Happiness? Reportedly, women tend to be happier more often than men are and they also convey their emotions, openly, more than men do too.
How Men Feel About Physical Touch (Overall)
GiphyOkay, so when it comes to unique things about men and women as it relates to touch, let’s start with the fellas, out the gate. I wanna do that because, when I was doing my research on all of this, I immediately came across something that proved what I just said in the intro. What part in particular? Did you know that, even when it comes to truly platonic friendships, men still wish that their female friends would engage in physical touch more than women do (via their male friends)?
That’s because, even when it comes to intimacy among friends, physical touch displays trust and a feeling of closeness — and research says that men find that to be valuable. And so yes, this does amplify the point that physical touch and the need for it go well beyond sexual intimacy.
Still, I’m sure that it comes as absolutely no surprise that if you were to ask a group of men and women who prefer the love language of physical touch more, it’s going to be men (especially if they are over the age of 45). And while there are many theories for why this is the case, mine is that, since men are traditionally known and expected to be providers and protectors and that is hard work, I think they feel safe, reassured, seen, validated and deeply cared for through physical touch. It’s a way for them to get “off of the clock” from using touch to take care of others to being touched in a nurturing way.
Some other interesting things about men and touch is, although women seem to be more at ease with being touched overall, guys are more comfortable with being touched by strangers, especially in a flirty way (in part, because they process it as a potential for “opportunity” — read between the lines there), they prefer women touching them over being touched by men and they are known to initiate touch more if who they are touching is a woman.
And what about touch as it relates to sexual intimacy? Well, according to science, while both men and women enjoy their genital region, lips, ears, shoulders, and inner thighs to be caressed, men also respond to the back of their legs to be touched while women barely even acknowledge that part of their body (in this way). Men also consider their hands to be an erogenous zone far more than women do. It should also be noted that men are more aroused by touching their partner than being touched by them.
How Women Feel About Physical Touch (Overall)
GiphySo, what about women and touch? Well, something that is associated with women quite a bit is affective touch. If you’re not familiar with what that is, affective touch is all about having the ability to touch in a way that cultivates feeling and emotion. Not only do women tend to be better at doing it, but they also find it to be a more pleasurable experience than men do. Research says that this is because of the fact that, overall, women have had more positive experiences, as it related to touch than men.
Something else that is interesting about affective touch is women who express themselves through touch are typically considered to be more affectionate and trusting as opposed to men who touch a lot. And so, since women like to give affective touch, they are also highly responsive to it — and that could explain why women like to touch and be touched (like reaching out to touch someone’s hand) when someone is sharing their thoughts and feelings with them.
Another thing to note about women and touch is because their pain perception is a lot more sensitive than men’s, even slight adjustments in touch (pressure, temperature shifts in body parts, etc.) will affect them in a way that won’t affect men. When it comes to sexual intimacy, specifically, this could explain why even a slight shift in touch can bring a woman into or take a woman out of the mood far easier and quicker than it would a guy’s.
Something else that should go on record here is how women respond to touch based on their menstrual cycle. For instance, when a woman is ovulating, she tends to be more sensitive to touch; plus, she also finds kissing to be more of a priority. Meanwhile, the drastic shifts in hormones during menopause and postmenopause can make women less sensitive to touch.
As far as sex and sexual stimulation go, women reportedly like to be touched more than to touch. Also, when a man looks into a woman’s eyes while touching her, that increases her arousal levels significantly (men prefer women to gaze at their genitalia; not sure if anyone is shocked there — LOL). Places where they prefer to be touched include their breasts, neck, and butt; some even say that they can orgasm just from being stimulated in those spots (along with their lips and ears). As far as the type of touch that is most effective for women during copulation, oral reigns.
And what about how men feel about oral sex? Well, I once read an article that said that 27 percent of the male participants in their study would rather get some fellatio tonight than receive a raise, so…you do the math. LOL (while we’re on the topic of oral sex, a little over 50 percent of men and women find it to be more intimate than intercourse and consider refusal to engage to be a relationship deal-breaker. Agreed).
GiphyOkay, so with all of this intel on how men and women differ in the touch department, what does all of this even mean? To me, it’s a blaring reminder that even something as simple as touching has billions of layers to it — that even though touch is something that we all need, the art of it is something that must be studied and mastered; especially when it comes to interacting with the opposite sex and even more so when that person is our partner.
And yet, we shouldn’t take this information lightly because, when you (again) factor in all of the ways that touch is holistically beneficial…just imagine how much better intimacy would be, on all levels, if we respected how people prefer to be touched more often.
A poet by the name of John Keats once said, “Touch has a memory.” Think about that the next time you reach out to touch someone — and they reach out to touch you. Then ask yourself: what memories do you want them to have? What memories do you want to keep?
How can all of this data help to make that happen?
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Featured image by Giphy