Medical Marijuana Zone

Cannabis-infused beauty products have been around (covertly) for centuries. With legalization sweeping the nation, many more canna-beauty products are coming out of the closet. In fact, so many new products are inundating the market, it’s hard to tell the real deal from the snake oil.

To help sift through various strains of hemp oil hair products and marijuana mud masks, HIGH TIMES has put together a comprehensive, unisex, head-to-toe guide of our favorite canna-scents, serums, lotions and potions.  

I have already written about the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant benefits of cannabidiol (CBD) to help to heal acne, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and smooth and brighten skin, including a DIY recipe for a THC facial. 

Below is a comprehensive product guide to what you can invest in, rather than invent.

Forget Head & Shoulders. Cibaderm’s CBD Hemp Oil Natural Shampoo is a cleansing cannabidiol shampoo that will work wonders for your hair and scalp and is excellent for all hair types. This product contains zero artificial dyes and scents, or sulphates, and is totally free of the toxic paraben sisters, ethyl and methyl.  

Nature’s Gate Hemp Nourishing Shampoo & Conditioner are the perfect, dynamic duo for people with dry, thick, wavy or frizzy hair. Hemp oil, rich in omega fatty acids, helps restore moisture and add shine. The renewing properties of milk thistle, elderflower and allspice leave hair silky soft and smooth. In addition to being vegan and cruelty free, they cost a combined $12. How can you beat that?   

While Malin + Goetz Hair Pomade isn’t obvious, or particularly pungent—like The Body Shop’s ubiquitous array of cheesy, lime green colored hemp products—it discreetly contains cannabis sativa seed, synthesized with botanical meadowfoam seed and soybean, with absorbent fatty acids for moisture, definition and texture. Yucca and aloe plant extracts help prevent damage and protect your hair from breakage.

Ever since Fresh did away with their covetable Cannabis Rose body cream, it’s been tough to find a comparable cream. Extremely knowledgeable and helpful Fresh skin care consultant Katherine Mastrosimone, from the Spring Street, Soho store in New York City, told us, “Fresh wanted to go paraben-free.” Hallelujah! (It might still be available in a dwindling supply on Ebay.)

The closest we could come to the perfection that was Cannabis Rose body cream is Kush Creams Aloe-Based Face and Eye Cream. This rich, aloe-based cream can be applied during the day under makeup and at night as well. Aloe, known for it’s skin-soothing properties, is combined with premium organic cannabis-infused emu oil and full cannabis extract to work with your natural pH. It’s scent-free and hypoallergenic for even the most sensitive of skin types. While we don’t normally recommend using body creams on your face, you will want to slather this nourishing face cream all over your body.

Thankfully, Fresh still makes delicious scents, Cannabis Rose and Cannabis Santal—the latter of which, I am told actor Bruce Willis buys by the case. Cannabis Santal originally debuted as a men’s scent; however, it was quickly coveted and worn by both sexes. How a scent reacts to your body’s personal pH is definitely more important than whom it’s targeted towards. With top notes of bergamot, Brazilian orange and black plum; middle notes of patchouli, cannabis accord and rose; and base notes of chocolate, vetiver and vanilla musk, it is an irresistible combination, reminiscent of all things scrumptious and sexy.  The Cannabis Santal scent also comes in a candle.  

Cannabis Santal’s sister scent, Cannabis Rose, is a sultry, floral extension of its predecessor.  Cannabis Rose blends top notes of Bulgarian rose, pomegranate flower and bergamot; middle notes of cannabis accord, sheer jasmine and dark chocolate; and base notes of white musk, patchouli and oolong tea.

While I am not normally a fan of patchouli, I tried both perfumes, for one week each, and was told I smell, “insanely fuckable.” Whoa, thanks, Fresh! Now all I need is some canna-mace!

Both scents are packaged in beautiful, artisanal glass bottles. Not surprising, considering Fresh co-founder, Alina Roytberg, is a graduate of Parson’s School of Design. (She should consult for La Prairie. Their Midnight Rain scent bottle looks like a sparkly sperm cell, rather than a raindrop.)

Now that you smell enticingly cannabis-ly sexy, it’s time to move on to makeup.

Take it from someone who has tried almost every mascara on the market, no matter what they promise, I have never, ever found one that doesn’t clump, or even worse, flake off onto my under-eyes and stick to my concealer, making me look like a cross between an exhausted, heroin-chic raccoon and Bette Davis in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane. This is annoying and disappointing, considering I want to wear mascara to make my eyes look spectacular, not scary.

I have tried waterproof mascara (Dior Floor Show) and designer mascara (Chanel). I tried sealing both in with a topcoat of clear mascara, to no avail. I had given up on mascara completely and opted for dying my lashes with henna (and wearing castor oil on my lashes at night, while I slept), until I discovered Modster Big Instant Lash Enhancing Mascara, by Ardency Inn. This first-of-its-kind mascara is formulated with, and boosted by, hemp protein. Hemp protein will add major volume to eyelashes, while enabling keratin creation, a process known to strengthen the lash from within, giving it plenty of body and resilience over time. Modster Big Lash is also vegan and 100 percent cruelty-free, which means bunnies without tear ducts weren’t blinded in its product-testing phase. Awesome.

Although hemp eyeliners aren’t common, you can find a variety of colors of handmade organic mineral eyeliner, which contain organic hemp seed oil, on Etsy.

During my tenure at Aveda, prior to its acquisition by Estee Lauder, I learned that, unlike the rest of your skin, your eyes don’t secrete as much sebum as the rest of your face, and your lips don’t secrete sebum at all. Secreting sebum is our body’s natural way of balancing moisture on our skin’s surface. Some Europeans are so concerned about stripping their sebum, they use it as a reason for not bathing daily. 

Lack of sebum on the lips is one of the reasons why, in addition to dehydration and being exposed to inclement weather, our lips become “chapped.” When you apply lip balm, you need to be absolutely sure it contains the most natural and beneficial ingredients possible because, as you inadvertently lick your lips throughout the day, you will definitely ingest it. How much petroleum derived from whale fat (Vaseline) or cancer-causing chemicals, do you really want to swallow?

The best way to ensure that your lips are going to be soft, sensual and safe, is to make your own DIY lip balm. Otherwise, use coconut oil. Coconut is one of the world’s most nourishing super-foods and is a staple in modern, healthy diets. It is also versatile as an all-purpose skin softener and moisturizer.

Ojai Energetics’ CBD Coconut oil combines bio-dynamically grown, raw and cold-pressed coconut oil with 150 mg of CBD in every jar. Slather it directly on the skin as a calming and soothing balm, and to combat ashiness and dry skin (or spread it on toast—it’s edible!).

If you want another lip balm that discreetly gives you a buzz, MOTA’s lip balm kicks Chapstick’s ass. It is a seriously lip-loving, cannabis-kissed medication, designed exclusively for your pot-lovin’ pout. Skin-friendly CBD, plus THC, are readily absorbed by the lips. MOTA contains 100 mg of THC and five mg of CBD. Their lip balm is blended with soothing emollients including fully organic cocoa butter, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, shea butter and beeswax. 

Now that your lips are well looked after, it’s time to work on that beard.

If you have a scraggly beard that’s in need of fluffing, then Damn Fine Beard Care will work for you. We’re looking at you, population of Philadelphia, with your gnarly, bushy, greasy-looking Rick Ross beards, James Harden wannabees and Williamsburg hipsters. This beard balm is made in the hemp-capital of Colorado and contains hemp seed oil and other organic ingredients.

Dark Waters’ Hemp Shave Oil, made in South Africa, is an all-purpose shaving oil that contains hemp seed oil to protect and nourish your skin before and after shaving. Dark Waters’ Hemp Beard Oil is a unique blend of 80 percent cold-pressed hemp seed oil, plus grapeseed oil and aromas of patchouli, tea tree and sweet orange essential oils to help nourish, moisturize and condition your beard, leaving it feeling soft and manageable. Never mind the campy, Pirates of the Caribbean-looking packaging or the absinth green color. Just pour it into a generic, travel-sized bottle.

Now that your face is squared away, let’s focus on your body.

Hemp Hemp Hooray’s Night Cream will help you maintain a beautiful glow and will also repair dry/sun-damaged skin.

Marley Natural’s Body Care Formulas are derived by an extraction process, which utilizes cold-pressed hemp and cannabis sativa seed oil to capture the purest form of its nourishing, nutrient-rich benefits. The oils are combined with home-grown, island-sourced Jamaican botanical ingredient blends, such as lemongrass, ginger and cerassee. All of their formulas are paraben, sulfate and cruelty free. Start your day off with Marley Natural Hemp Seed Body Wash, while singing, “I Shot the Sheriff…” in the shower.

Follow up with Marley Natural Hemp Seed Body Lotion. It contains marula, baobab and sesame oils, as well as nourishing shea butter. Infused with subtle notes of rosemary and lavender, it smells as good as it feels. Is this love that I’m feeling?

If you’re the type of person who prefers using soap rather than body wash, VIDA’s Lemon Tree Soap does way more than make you come clean. Each bar of Lemon Tree Soap contains 100 mg of THC, which Vida claims is capable of relieving stress, insomnia, pain and even arthritis. My lifelong crush, Sir Patrick Stuart, uses CBD spray to alleviate his arthritis pain. If I ever manage to arrange a meet-cute between us, somewhere other than Comic Con, I will definitely gift him with a bar of Vida.

Comedienne Whoopi Goldberg founded her very own medical marijuana company, Whoopi & Maya, which is staffed by some HIGH TIMES alumni. So, even though we are biased, it truly is a revolutionary line of products, designed and intended for easing the stress and strain of period pain. I wonder if she got the recipe from Donisha Prendergast’s grandmother. W&M’s relaxing, epsom-salt-based, THC-infused bath soak is available in lavender, rose and unscented from California dispensaries.

Don’t forget about your feet—especially if you have been on them all day! Pure CBD Foot Cream by CBD For Life contains cannabinoid extracts, which will moisturize tired and overworked feet. The cool, black, masculine packaging, in a portable five-ounce container, is perfect for your gym bag.

After a tiring, stressful day, massage some Apothecanna Calming Crème into your work-weary body. (See what they did there? Apothecary + Cannabis.) Apothecanna Calming Crème contains soothing chamomile and, of course, cannabis, which is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. Apply it directly on areas that are holding tension, such as your neck from staring too long at a computer screen, and lower back from sitting all day in an office chair. Apply it directly to your temples, chest and pulse points to relieve anxiety in times of extreme stress. Use after physical activity and before bedtime to relax your body and calm your mind.

There are still a plethora of pot products we didn’t get to cover, because while web space is infinite, your attention span is not. What’s your favorite canna-beauty product? Drop me a line and let me know.

RELATED: How to Make Your Own DIY Canna-Face Mask
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