Do you wonder how 
you use affect the environment? Not all CBD topicals are created equal. Before we go any further, let’s be clear; we’re talking about products you apply to your body, not products you ingest. You should also know that just because a cream or ointment contains a high CBD content and an inflated price doesn’t mean it’s really, really good. You see, in order for a CBD-infused topical to be fully effective, it needs to be incorporated with carrier and essential oils that address specific physical conditions.
We already have CBD receptors (CB1 and CB2) in our bodies. I’ve said that a time or two in this blog. But, it bears repeating and here’s why. When you introduce CBD into your body, the CB1 and CB2 receptors come alive, producing anti-inflammatory and pain-killing effects. CBD is the delivery system that brings the health benefits of the other oils to the affected areas efficiently and effectively.
Carrier and essential oils and CBD
I’ll illustrate. Let’s say you purchase a high-priced cream that you believe will ease some of your nerve pain. The product has a LOT of CBD, so it must be good, right? Not necessarily. Let’s look at the list of ingredients: mineral oil, cetyl alcohol, propylene glycol, glycerin, carbormer, methaltaraben triethandamine, trotylene glycol, parabens—OK, are you getting the picture? What you don’t see in this list are carrier oils, such as almond, grapeseed or vitamin E; or essential oils, such as chamomile, yarrow, basil, etc., which provide the healing benefits.
Essential oil is volatile and tends to evaporate quickly. So, before it’s even absorbed into the skin, a good chunk of the oil evaporates into the air. Now, given the expense of essential oils, to have most of it evaporate before the benefits can be achieved seems counterproductive. Enter the fatty carrier oil, which doesn’t evaporate at all. It will contain the essential oil and as your skin absorbs it, the benefits of all the oils are absorbed.
Second, by nesting an essential oil into a carrier oil, such as fractionated coconut oil, sweet almond oil, avocado oil or other such oil, allows you to spread the essential oil over a more of your body, helping absorb it into a larger area, and reaching more of the CBD receptors.
CBD with oils – harmonious
When CBD oil is incorporated into any combination of carrier and essential oils, along with other healing ingredients such as aloe vera, the body’s cannabinoid receptor system is activated. This activation allows the healing properties of each element to perform more efficiently and at their peak levels.
The chemicals in the really expensive product don’t do that. In fact, they can be toxic irritants that can stress an already stressed body. So, when purchasing CBD topicals, read the list of ingredients and find out the purity of the CBD. Expensive, high-CBD products aren’t better if they don’t deliver healing benefits.
In fact, beauty products and cosmetics contain more than a couple harsh toxic chemicals. The fact that we put them on our skin is one thing. But, do you know what these products might be doing to the environment?
Eco-friendly CBD topicals
Let’s break this down. First, even if the products you use say natural, be skeptical. Companies can add a couple natural ingredients and call the product natural. If you’re going for natural, don’t be duped. Demand all-natural beauty products. Read the ingredient list that by law all companies must list. Usually, this list runs in descending order, meaning first on the list is the most prevalent in the product. The last on the list, the least.
Take a look at what you use to moisturize your face. Now compare it with Lost Remedy Renewal products. Go ahead. I’ll wait. Did you see any of these in the products you use? P-phenylenediamine; BHA or BHT; dibutyl phthalate, or DBP; triclocan; diethanolamine, or DEA? Any of those in the Lost Remedy products? Based on your comparison, you can draw your own conclusions.
But let’s take this a step further. Once you wash away the products you use on your body, do you have any idea how it affects the environment? Well, this gets interesting. Let’s break it down.
Chemicals in beauty products
- P-phenylenediamine is a chemical derived from coal tar. It has long-term toxic effects on aquatic ecosystems such as diminishing the animal plankton population, altering fish behavior and causing death in many aquatic species.
- BHA and BHT, synthetic antioxidants that are found in many lipsticks and moisturizers cause genetic mutations in amphibians.
- Dioxane found in cream-based cosmetics, shampoos and soaps, is a carcinogenic, endocrine disruptive chemical. Companies can remove dioxane contaminants, but the methods are costly and time-consuming so they don’t. It alters fish behavior and growth and increases fish mortality. It also kills insects, alters the formation and population of plant plankton, and causes behavior changes, population decline and death in animal plankton.
- Dibutyl phthalate, or DBP, is the chemical added to nail polish to keep the paint from becoming brittle. A highly DBP toxic environment causes death to all organisms in the ecosystem.
- Triclocan, the antibacterial chemical used in cleansers, hand-sanitizers, deodorant, and laundry detergent, is also capable of accumulating in the environment. It is linked to genetic mutation in amphibians and animal and plant planktons, among other things. (Did you know that CBD is a natural antibiotic?)
- Diethanolamine, or DEA, a ph adjuster, is added to almost every cosmetic and personal care product on the market. It accumulates in the environment and reacts with nitrates to form nitrosamines, highly carcinogenic to humans and animals.
CBD and the environment
We need to be as concerned about the environment as we are about our bodies. Killing off or altering the ecosystem has disaster written all over it. I don’t know about you, but I will certainly think twice about what I use to care for my skin and hair. Harsh chemicals or nourishing natural products? No brainer.