CBD Buying Guide
At Naia CBD Boutique we know that CBD products have evolved significantly in the past several years due to changes in how it is classified. These changes have made it easier than ever for users to take advantage of its natural properties as part of their daily wellness routine.
Because these products have become so popular, many companies have tried to cash in on their success. Some are knowledgeable about their products and have sourced high-quality CBD for you to enjoy.
However, others have created inferior products that may provide few or no benefits.
As a consumer, you can decide for yourself which products are a good fit for you. This guide will help brush up on your CBD knowledge. Having basic CBD knowledge will help you when sorting through product listings.
Here’s our comprehensive guide on how to find quality CBD oil products easily and what you need to know.
Hemp vs. Marijuana
The biggest question most of our customers have is the difference between hemp and marijuana because of their concern about having a psychoactive reaction. Hemp and marijuana are the same species, but the difference is in how much THC they contain.
Legally, the plant is considered hemp if it has less than 0.3% THC, while it is considered marijuana if it contains 0.3% or more THC.
It is more common for established CBD brands like Charlotte’s Web to use hemp plants, but some may use more potent cannabis strains with the THC partially or fully removed.
CBD Compounds
CBD works together with other ingredients through the Entourage Effect. This means your body may process CBD better if it includes other terpenes and cannabinoid acids that interact with your endocannabinoid system.
Because CBD products are still so new, CBD label requirements aren’t as strong as many other supplements. However, there are some key phrases to look out for to make sure you’re getting a high-quality product.
Full-spectrum
Full-spectrum products include a wide range of cannabinoids, including CBD. Since other cannabinoids occur in trace amounts in cannabis and hemp, CBD remains the most crucial component in these products.
Full-spectrum products also have trace amounts of THC. While these minute amounts are not enough to be a legal problem and are present in various high-quality CBD products, some customers prefer to avoid them.
Broad-spectrum
Broad-spectrum CBD products do not contain THC but still have an assortment of the other terpenes that provide the Entourage Effect. The exact combination varies widely and may be tailored to the product’s intended effect.
In some cases, a product may be broad-spectrum but doesn’t use the term. Instead, the product may list a few different terpenes the product contains or some of the cannabinoid acids inside.
Isolate
Isolate products contain only CBD and no other cannabinoids. Keep in mind that the presence of other terpenes helps with the Entourage Effect and may improve overall effectiveness.
CBD Buying Guide: Ingredients and Labels
Each CBD product should have a basic list of ingredients, even if it is not intended for human consumption. Legally, CBD products do not need to list the exact amount of each ingredient, but reputable products will at least list the amount of CBD in the entire container.
Under FDA regulations, cosmetic and drug products must use the technical names for ingredients and list the ingredients from largest to smallest percentage. This means that understanding the CBD label is easy as long as you recognize the names of ingredients.
You may have to look up botanical names or less-common ingredients online to ensure you understand exactly what you are using.
What Are the Good Ingredients to Look For?
Because of how the ingredient requirements work, you probably will not see “CBD” listed in the ingredients. You may see “hemp,” “hemp oil,” or “hemp extract” listed, all of which are acceptable ingredients.
Additional ingredients like eucalyptus, peppermint, aloe vera, and menthol can be beneficial depending on the product. These ingredients can help make topical creams more pleasant and soothing. However, they are not as important as the concentration of CBD oil.
Water (aqua) is an acceptable ingredient for lotions and creams. Water acts as an emulsifier for oils to create a better product texture. It also ensures that the product irritates the skin far less than most alcohols.
Look for individual terpene names as well to make sure you’re getting the exact product you want. Terpenes like delta-3 carene, citral, and linalool are known for enhancing sleep. Melatonin also works well at night and can pair well with CBD in gummy form.
What Are Ingredients I Should Stay Away From?
For tinctures and oils, avoid sugars and alcohols, as they may affect the product’s overall stability over time.
Topical CBD products are designed to soothe the skin but may still contain ingredients that can irritate sensitive skin. Make sure to check the ingredient list closely for any essential oils or botanicals you have a sensitivity to.
Certificate of Analysis
Laboratory testing helps keep you safe by confirming that everything in the CBD product is exactly as labeled. This testing covers everything from CBD concentration to any additional ingredients used as carrier oils or preservatives.
Laboratory testing helps protect you from accidental contamination as well as deliberate mislabeling. Manufacturers need to keep their standards to a high level of cleanliness to eliminate bacteria from the process, and some low-quality facilities may fail to live up to standards.
Since CBD products go on your body or in your mouth, they must be free of pathogens and mold. Plus, cannabis plants readily absorb heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, and mercury.
Knowledgeable farmers know how to monitor their farms for any trace of these metals, but laboratory testing helps confirm that the final product is free of these metals.
Concentration of CBD
The question of how to tell the quality of CBD oil hinges on a few variables. If the lab reports for a brand are generally good, the natural next step is to look at the concentration of CBD in the product.
The concentration of CBD varies depending on the product type. Most oil tinctures are around 15% CBD, but some are much higher. Higher concentrations of CBD may be more helpful for relieving discomfort after exercise.
Some products list the concentration of CBD based on the total amount of CBD in the bottle rather than a percentage. This helps make sure you get your money’s worth overall by letting you directly compare two or more products.
However, since the concentration amount varies from around 250mg to 1,000mg per fluid ounce, it can make it tricky to do the mental math and figure out how much you need to take to achieve the desired effect.
In these cases, the manufacturer will usually recommend a dose range, such as a number of drops per serving for a tincture. If you have to use a large amount of oil, lotion, or edibles to get the desired effect, you might not be getting the best value for your money.
The bioavailability of CBD varies depending on how you take it. Although the exact numbers are still being studied, vaping seems to have higher bioavailability than oral tinctures and edibles, which only have around 13-19% bioavailability.
This means that higher concentrations aren’t necessarily better, especially if you’re taking the CBD in edible or tincture form. However, the convenience of these forms may make them well worth it for on-the-go CBD enthusiasts.
Topically applied CBD products will usually give you more obvious results than edible goods. However, high-quality edibles can still provide the desired results, especially if you’re looking for help winding down after a tough day.
Whatever form and concentration of CBD you take, make sure to double-check your math to make sure you’re getting an effective amount. Adults looking for help with anxiety or inflammation, for example, should take between 15mg and 50mg for the dose to be effective.
Where to Buy CBD
Figuring out where to buy quality CBD oil can seem overwhelming, especially if you just run a quick Google search, hence the reason we created this guide for those who are new to CBD. Many retailers have started stocking products, and the number of brand names from individual producers is increasing.
Buying from a trusted online retailer is the best way to get fresh CBD products quickly. A boutique retailer specializing in CBD will know the ins and outs of their products and make recommendations to you based on your needs. Here are NaiaCBD Boutique, we specialize in helping customers find the best CBD products for their needs. This guide is just one way. Our team is fully certified and ready to help you via phone, live chat or in person at our Pasadena store.
Look for a retailer or brand that discloses their laboratory results and where the hemp is grown. Hemp or CBD oil produced outside of the U.S. might not always be subject to the same quality controls or may not be as fresh.
Naia CBD Boutique is committed to providing high-quality CBD products in a variety of types and strength levels. Use this guide to help you find the right CBD product or allow one of our certified team members to help you.
We stock trusted brands that get rave reviews from buyers all over the country. We are based in Pasadena, California but we ship to you wherever you are in the U.S. Shop online or visit our retail location. If you think this is a good CBD buying guide, then we’d appreciate it if you shared it with a others.
