Why Sunscreen With CBD May Enhance Your SPF

Think all SPF products are the same? Unfortunately not. The quality of sunscreens varies considerably, so choosing the right one is hugely important if you want to minimize sun damage this summer. And while you have many options, CBD sunscreens are some of the best.

Most people only use sunscreens (or other SPF products) during the hot summer months, but it should actually be a year-round habit: your skin is vulnerable to UVA and UVB ray damage in every season. Researchers have discovered that up to 80 perfect of the sun’s harmful rays can penetrate even the heaviest cloud cover, and the blue light emitted from device screens can be just as damaging.

Having a good quality sunscreen and using it as part of your daily skin care routine is a great way to protect against these threats. Not only could it prevent skin cancers (which are on the rise in the United States), but it’s also the best thing you can do to slow the seven signs of aging.

Still, what makes CBD-infused sunscreens preferable to all the other ones on the market? Here are the two biggest reasons: their rich content of fatty acids, and their ability to activate the body’s endocannabinoid system, unlocking its many benefits for the skin.

The Benefits of Using CBD Sunscreens

The cannabis sativa plant, from which CBD is extracted, has a (seemingly) endless list of medical benefits. Some of these, like its ability to relieve pain or stimulate appetite, are relatively well known. One of its hidden talents, however, is the ability to protect your skin from the sun.

That’s because cannabis plants are rich in essential fatty acids, which are common ingredients in many skin care products, due to their ability to nourish and hydrate the skin. They also help it protect itself from the sun by creating a layer of natural SPF on the surface of the skin.

Researchers still aren’t sure exactly how strong this layer of protection is, so relying on it alone could still result in sun damage — which is why a vial of CBD oil isn’t a good replacement for your sunscreen. However, when you combine the two, the end result is a kind of extra-strength SPF that offers an added buffer against the sun’s rays. That’s not all CBD brings to the table, either.

CBD oil products are excellent at fighting acne thanks to their ability to regulate sebum production, which is the primary cause of breakouts and pimples. As an antioxidant, CBD also slows down the development of fine lines and wrinkles, sagging skin, and other signs of aging. It also reduce redness and swelling thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, and it’s gentle enough to be used on the most sensitive skin.

How To Choose A CBD Sunscreen

Because the skin is so vulnerable to sun and blue light damage, it’s important to choose the right sunscreen with the right SPF. While there are no shortage of CBD-infused options out there, there’s one thing in particular you should look for — full spectrum CBD oil.

There are several different types of CBD oil and thanks to the lack of regulation, brands are often vague about what kind of oil their products contain. But studies show conclusively that full spectrum CBD is the best for your skin.

This kind of oil has undergone minimum refinement and processing, which means it contains not just cannabidiol (CBD) but also hundreds of other cannabinoids, terpenes, and fatty acids — all of which have benefits for the skin. Broad/partial spectrum and isolate extracts have had many of these useful components removed, making them less effective.

If a product contains full spectrum CBD oil, it’ll say so on the label. You should also check for a certification that the product was tested in a third-party laboratory — while this isn’t a guarantee of getting a quality product, it’s the best you can do without bringing your own test kit to the store. And ignore any CBD product that claims to be made from hemp seed oil, as there’s no CBD in hemp seeds.