CBD for beauty. Another myth or real result?

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Alphagreen | CBD Blog | Educate, Empower, Enhance

17 min readDec 2, 2019

Girls of all races, ages, and nationalities have always wanted to be beautiful. From ancient times desire to look pretty and feminine have been transmitted from mother to daughter and further. Maybe it is already encoded in our genes? Anyway, time goes by, but girls remain girls. We want to look beautiful, soigne, dress well, and, of course, use cosmetics to enhance the beautiful parts of the appearance and hide the flaws. For us, it all seems obvious, and the standard products in cosmetics stores don’t surprise us. But when it all started? Several hundreds or maybe thousands of years ago?

The time when cosmetics “was born” is considered to be BC. Among the first people who used paints, were people from the African tribes and the Australian aborigines.They painted their faces and bodies to emphasise and even show off their origin. In ancient times, it was a custom to paint a face on the eve of any holidays, religious rites, or military campaigns. It instilled fear in the enemy and raised their own spirits and self confidence. This practice is still used today by many peoples of Africa, Australia, and South America. People dye hair in a wide variety of shades and apply tattoos on the face and body.

The first lipstick was found during excavations of primitive man settlements, and its composition was similar to modern lipstick. Even a primitive man noticed that natural and mineral paints are harmful to the skin. Starting from that moment, they began to mix it with oil and animal fats. So there was a first makeup, the composition of which is preserved in our time.

The founder of cosmetics is Ancient Egypt, where people learned about cosmetical tools many thousands of years before Christmas. During excavations of ancient burials, flasks with various ointments and balms that contained frankincense and oil were found there. Also, in Egyptian burials, flasks with white and blush were found. The fashion of Egyptian women has even reached our time. They lengthened their eyes by drawing dark lines along the eyelid toward the temple. Egyptian women used a bright green pencil, which was obtained from crushed malachite. Later they started to use black paint, obtained by burning ivory and charcoal. Thousands of years have passed, but many of us still can’t imagine our everyday makeup without eyeliner.

In ancient Greece, there was also an ideal of beauty, which was a subject of many talks and writings among famous people at the time. Women of Ancient Greece used white for the face and a particular eyeliner for the eyes, which they obtained from the combustion of special mixtures. For whiteness, before going to bed, they applied masks from barley dough, which contained eggs and flavourings. A profession that was engaged in decorating a person appeared first in Ancient Greece. Women with any aesthetic defects addressed to the specialists to hide all the flaws with the makeup. Also, the masters prescribed various creams and procedures for people who want to enhance their beauty.

Much of this surprises us and seems strange nowadays, although almost all of the modern cosmetic tools have ancient roots. People living in ancient times used the tools that were at hand, whereas now, a modern woman can choose any cosmetic products she wants to maintain beauty. Everything depends only on the desires and financial opportunities for their purchasing.

Beauty saves the world or world saves the beauty? Industry growth.

What about the modern world of beauty? Perspectives and growth or gradual decline are waiting for it? The global market for cosmetic products in 2017 was estimated at 532.43 billion US dollars, and by 2023 it is expected to reach a market value of 805.61 billion US dollars, reaching an average annual growth rate of 7.14% during 2018–2023 period. World cosmetic market as a percentage by category is divided for:

37 % skincare;
22% haircare;
19% makeup;
12% fragrances;
10% of hygiene products.

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Skincare cosmetics account for a significant market share. At the same time, it increased by 0.6% in 2017 and now has reached 37%. The market share for hair care products decreased slightly. If last year it accounted for 22.9%, then in 2017 this figure dropped to 22%. Decorative cosmetics also strengthened its position from 18.2% to 19%. The perfumery segment is also growing. In 2016 its size constituted 10.5% of the entire world market, while in 2017, it increased to 12%. The share of personal care products, which in 2017 was only 10%, decreased by 2%.

The cosmetics and personal care industry is highly sensitive to the global economic climate. However, even during severe financial downturns, total cosmetics sales will remain relatively stable to maintain the primary size of the worldwide market as a whole. It is due to the ongoing and growing use of products by women. In addition to this, more and more men around the world are becoming active consumers of cosmetic products. The annual growth rate of the global cosmetic market over the past 13 years is shown below.

Over the past two decades, declines in fertility and mortality have led to an increase in aging populations worldwide. The strong desire of men and women to maintain youth is transforming the cosmetics industry worldwide. The rapid aging of the leading consumer group led to a steady demand for anti-aging products that prevent the appearance of wrinkles, age spots, dry skin, uneven skin tone, and even hair damage. It stimulated the development of innovations in cosmetics, thereby contributing to the noticeable growth of the industry.

The personalization of cosmetic products remains one of the main directions for increasing the premium status of skincare products. This trend is due to the growing need for an individual approach and the fragmentation of demand for several factors, from lifestyle choice to age.

Representatives of generation X and millennials (people born between 1966–1976 and after 1981, respectively) are the most active users of all skincare products, excluding hand care products, acne treatments, and anti-aging products. The differences in the use of makeup products between generation X and baby boomers (people born between 1955–1966) are usually small, which only proves that as soon as skincare procedures become routine, they become permanent.

World of beauty in the 21st century. What has changed?

Digital technologies transform consumer behavior significantly. What has changed in the 21st century?

Smartphone sales increased to 1.53 billion in 2017 and are expected to maintain similar sales rates, which will increase the e-commerce market. Cosmetic products such as hair care, skincare products, and perfumes are the best-selling products on the Internet. Thus, companies all over the world are increasingly focusing on online marketing campaigns that can increase returns with low investment. There is a tendency in the global market to form multinational companies creating websites, dedicated Facebook accounts, and Twitter profiles to meet the needs of their customers. This sector is gaining in popularity since various products can be available “only on the Internet.”

Analysts claim that due to a more in-depth introduction of social networks into our everyday life, as well as the desire of users to express themselves and use advanced technologies, the decorative cosmetics sector has surpassed other market segments in its results. Thus, the growth in sales of makeup products reached 7%, which is the highest rate in the last ten years. With so many products on store shelves, shoppers who are continually experiencing a lack of time, want more intuitive shopping. To do this, cosmetic companies use new technologies that can interpret facial expressions and eye movements to determine their preferences in products and offer assistance in choosing them, both in a real store and on the Internet.

To date, digital technologies are becoming an essential part of the beauty industry.

67% of US iGeneration buyers (Apple tech enthusiasts) between the ages of 18–22 prefer to search for product information in the store on their mobile device rather than ask the seller.
35% of Chinese cosmetics buyers aged 20–49 need a mobile application that can recommend cosmetic products based on their needs.
33% of buyers in Spain who prefer to search for cosmetics information on social networks are interested in buying products directly through social channels.
30% of UK beauty product buyers are interested in digital screens for finding product information in a store.

Great attention is given to digital technology adoption to try on virtual cosmetics. Manufacturers continue to actively develop all kinds of devices and programs that allow people to “try” the cosmetics on themselves, without physically applying it.

Saving the planet whilst doing your skincare routine

With time, people’s thinking about beauty and cosmetics has also changed. We started to think about the environmental concern, natural ingredients, and non-waste production.

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Using cosmetics, we are actively polluting the environment. It is far from surprising news, but in the past few years, scientists have sounded the alarm. Recent studies have shown that products from hydrocarbon feed are involved in air pollution as much as automobile exhausts and cigarette smoke, and habitual glitter is dangerous for the oceanic fauna. So what are the primary sources of pollution in our favorite cosmetics?

Packaging. First of all, everything is very complicated with the disposal of cosmetic packaging as it can consist of different types of plastic, metal, and glass. Not all these elements are recyclable, while the option “take it back to the store” is available only on some brands for the moment.
Oil products. Another well-known source of pollution is oil and oil based products, which are used everywhere and for a variety of purposes, including cosmetics production. All hydrocarbon components, even the safe ones that are contained in our favorite creams, add environmental problems. They tend to accumulate in water and soil, thereby disrupting the normal functioning of the environment and microorganisms.
Glitter. Spangles belong to one of the types of microplastics, which was declared a serious threat to the environment several years ago. These particles are found in the ocean, in the stomachs of marine fish, as well as in tap water — the pollution cycle closes very quickly. Glitter is made from aluminum and polyethylene terephthalate, elements that don’t decompose and continue to travel on water.
Preservatives. Well-known parabens are the most well-studied synthetic preservatives that, in small concentrations, are not harmful to human health. However, being washed off from our faces and bodies and getting into wastewater, they remain preservatives — substances hindering the decay processes. It means that while getting into the aquatic environment and soil in large quantities, preservatives can interfere with the vital processes of microorganisms and natural chemical reactions.

We also highlighted seven critical trends in cosmetics and beauty as a whole that nowadays are driving the global natural and organic beauty market.

First of all, the issue of cosmetic product design appeared. Nowadays, most consumer goods are designed for single use with packaging that usually ends up in landfill or incineration. The main aim of modern cosmetics design is to create packaging materials that can be upcycled or re-used at the end of their lives.
A wide range of functional ingredients is now available for natural skin care products, such as humectants, emulsifiers, surfactants, rheology modifiers, and emollients. Classification of natural and organic ingredients remains an acute problem to date. Because of this, three simplified categories have been introduced: organic products (certified), verified natural, natural origin.
Another issue for today is the need for sustainable sourcing. More questions are asked nowadays about the extraction, origins, and processing methods of cosmetic raw materials. There is already significant pressure for agricultural-based materials like palm oil to be sustainably sourced.
Traceability and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It was recently shown how supply chains of cosmetic ingredients could be linked to the SDGs. Traceability can help companies minimize social, environmental, and health risks in their supply chains.
Zero-waste efficiency. Most personal care companies have put resource efficiency at the top of their development programs. Companies like P&G have gone further to set zero-waste targets. The company is set to reach its goal of 100% zero manufacturing waste to landfills from its operations by 2020.
It is hard to find someone today who has not heard about the world problem of ocean plastic. According to statistics, one third of all plastic packaging ends up in the ocean. More than nine million tons of plastic annually. Animals living in the ocean suffer from this most of all. WWF states that 90% of large fish populations will never recover to their previous numbers. The first company that launched a cosmetic product with packaging made from reclaimed ocean plastic was Galileo Watermark. From that moment, several companies have started using ocean plastic. Among them today are P&G (Head & Shoulders beach plastic bottle), REN Clean Skincare, and Henkel.
According to the new plant cell technology for cosmetic & personal care applications, novel actives are being created today. Elodie Mauger from Mibelle Biochemistry showed how she had created MossCellTec from biotechnologically produced moss. There is also an excellent sustainability benefit since technology does not deplete the plant population.

It is only a part of the world issues related to cosmetics manufacturing to date. Nevertheless, taking actions to improve production and to limit ocean waste, together with using green materials and natural ingredients, will lead to noticeable changes in the beauty world in some years.

CBD boom in the beauty industry. Same players, different scenes.

CBD oil for anxiety, pain relief, sleeping disorders, sex drive, depression, and so on. Nowadays, CBD products are almost everywhere, and you can’t hide from these novelties in the medicine of the 21st century, even if you wanted to. With such a buzz that cannabidiol has created, new fields of our life that starting to take advantage of CBD oil benefits no longer surprised us. Among the main benefits of this non-psychoactive part of the cannabis plant, that have made it so popular are abilities to:

treat anxiety and depression;
relieve pain (even chronic);
improve sleep and alleviate sleeping disorders;
increase sex drive and treat erectile dysfunction;
decrease inflammations.

All these benefits have found their way in the world of beauty and initiated the rise of its new, improved branch — CBD beauty industry. Before listening to your internal skeptic who will say, “oh gosh, it is CBD again, we’ve heard enough”, let’s try to puzzle out how do these products work and what are the primary CBD oil effects for beauty.

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First of all, let’s analyze the rise of the CBD beauty industry and look closer at some statistics to understand it’s not just another joke. Although the industry is still at the beginning stage, the CBD beauty movement is rising rapidly together with clean beauty, self-care, and consumer interest in ingredient efficacy. Moreover, younger generations are interested as anyone else in trying this new buzzy trend, which gives an excellent potential for CBD beauty growth and development.

The industry of CBD beauty products is expected to reach the point of $25B in ten years. It means that in ten years, CBD products share in the total skincare market will be 15%. According to statistics, more than half of all women interested in CBD makeup. Among the generations, the breakdown is the following:

Generation Z (1990 and later) — 67%;
Millennials (1981–1996) — 62%;
Generation X and older (1965–1979) — 33%.

At the same time, 65% of the surveyed people responded that they are interested in trying CBD products for beauty, 14% are currently using them, 7% have never heard about CBD in beauty, 6% are not interested in trying, and 4% had already tried. The interest of people in trying something new is evident, although still many of us think CBD oil is rather a placebo than an active substance. Due to the lack of research, people don’t have their own opinion about CBD beauty products and make a conclusion based on rumors, advice from friends, and info from the web. Anyway, the interest is incredible — the number of online searches for CBD beauty products had risen to 370% through the first three months of 2019. Let’s look deeper at the mechanism of CBD products work in the beauty industry and clarify their effects.

Placebo effect and sensational advertising or real CBD oil results?

To understand how has CBD found its place in the world of beauty, let’s look closer at its five benefits related to our appearance:

Sleep quality improvement. We all faced that moment after a restless night when we look in the mirror and can’t understand what is that creature in the reflection. Sleep is the function that our body uses to regenerate itself. Thus, when we don’t sleep enough, our organism doesn’t have time to revive.
Moreover, lack of sleep or poor sleep quality may seriously worsen our health condition. What do we have in the morning after some hours of sleep? Worsened metabolism, dark under eyes circles, and unhealthy skin. How does CBD cope with this problem, you ask? The researchers have found the relation between CBD and the endocannabinoid system of our organism. It means cannabidiol plays a critical role in regulating homeostasis in our body. By regulating homeostasis, CBD alleviates the root causes of sleeping disorders, such as stress, anxiety, pain, and restlessness. It allows CBD to relieve sleeping disorders and improve the quality of sleep naturally.
Stress relief. Numerous studies have shown the detrimental effect stress causes on our organism. Among the issues caused by stress are high blood pressure, loss of hair, accelerated effects of aging, as well as acne and skin inflammations. It all directly influence our beauty. Our problems at work, arguments with relatives or friends, and worries about the deadlines make us older, worsen our health and appearance. In its turn, CBD interacts with receptors of the endocannabinoid system and reduces the stress signals coming to our brain, thereby improving our ability to manage stress.
Anti-aging benefits. We all get older, and unfortunately, this process is irreversible. With each year of life, our body experiences a variety of changes. The main component of our beauty, which is responsible for the vitality of our skin, hair, nails, bones, and ligaments, is collagen. It was found that after age 30, the collagen level in our organism declines significantly, resulting in sagging skin, wrinkles, and weakened bones. We can’t stop aging, but CBD shows the potential to slow it down. It improves the production of collagen in our bodies and acts as a protective agent against damages caused by inflammations and free radicals. Moreover, it was recently found that CBD is a source of rich fatty acids and other nutrients that can retain moisture and keep our skin youthful longer.
Skin repair. The CBD benefits are not limited to age-relating conditions. With the essential nutrients and antioxidants in its composition, cannabidiol has a high potential to enhance repair of the skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, scars, and discoloration of the skin. In addition to this, CBD can help to reduce inflammations and improve symptoms of inflammation-related conditions, such as acne and eczema.
Healthy circulatory system. The circulatory system is responsible for distributing blood, oxygen, and other nutrients throughout our body. When the body suffers from poor circulation, it may lead to a variety of health issues, such as discoloration of the skin, high blood pressure, and decreased skin cell regeneration leading to accelerated aging. Researches have shown that CBD could improve the circulatory system functioning by reducing blood pressure, vascular tension, and preventing cell death because of oxidative stress.

For the moment, among the main types of CBD products for beauty are:

CBD masks;
CBD supplements (oils/capsules);
CBD topicals;
CBD bath bombs;
CBD-infused hair care.

It’s up to you to decide whether it is only a publicized hype or an excellent supplement to your daily beauty routine. Until the lack of researches is replenished, the one thing to rely on is only the personal result.

Bottom line

Speaking about the future of CBD beauty products, the perspectives seem favorable. The share of all face skincare launches with CBD oil has grown from 0.2% in 2015 to 1.8% in 2018. Such a sharp rise predicts success in the nearest future that, together with $25B expectations in ten years, places the CBD beauty industry on a way of growth and development.

While there is much hype around CBD, the therapeutic and medicinal applications offered by CBD products are astounding. However, as with almost everything in our life, there is always the other side of the coin. Most new products boasting of CBD properties only have a cannabis Sativa oil (another name — hemp seed oil) as an active ingredient in their composition. And the funniest thing — hemp seed oil contains no CBD! Or, if it does, it’s below the detectable level — it’s very, very low. Of course, the pure hemp seed oil is still a helpful, light, non-comedogenic oil, but not much else. Lots of brands like to use the name “CBD,” so people buy it, expecting to take advantage of the sensational CBD benefits what they get. As a result is a placebo effect at best. We don’t want to make you all paranoids, but now it’s a perfect time to check the composition of your favorite CBD products. Maybe the ingredient you’re loving is not CBD?

Explore the best CBD brands in the world

If counting on the real CBD components in the beauty products composition, compounds like cannabidiol have the great potential to revolutionize the beauty industry and open the door in the future of the cosmetics without the harmful impact of synthetics and chemicals.

Verified by a Healthcare Professional

Anastasiia Myronenko

Anastasiia Myronenko is a Medical Physicist actively practicing in one of the leading cancer centers in Kyiv, Ukraine. She received her master’s degree in Medical Physics at Karazin Kharkiv National University and completed Biological Physics internship at GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research, Germany. Anastasiia Myronenko specializes in radiation therapy and is a fellow of Ukrainian Association of Medical Physicists.

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