Your Comprehensive Guide to CBD Creams and CBD Balms

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What are the benefits of topical CBD? What are the best ways to apply CBD cream? Learn it all in this in-depth guide.

After checking out the wealth of positive testimonials available on the internet, perhaps you’ve decided to try skin-care products with CBD. Millions of people around the world are combining their love for skin care with CBD, and they are deciding to try this exciting, relatively new (at least in the sense of mass production) type of cannabinoid product for themselves.

When you’re first starting out using CBDfx cream and balms, you’ll need to know how to pick the right product, and you’ll also need to find out the best ways to apply CBD, or cannabidiol, topically. We’ll cover all these points and more in this guide, and we’ll even give you tips on how the aging process works to help you protect your skin health for years to come.

CBD Topical Cream vs. CBD Balm: What’s the Difference?

Before we proceed any further, we’ll need to cover one key point: What’s the difference between CBD hemp cream and CBD balm? Both product formulations have their advantages and disadvantages, and learning the differences between these options will help you find out which CBD topical is right for you.

1. CBDfx CBD Creams

topicalcream In most topical industry contexts, a “cream” is a topical that’s made with a water base. Using water as a base for a topical has a number of advantages: Water-based topicals absorb better into the skin, meaning they can take advantage of transdermal absorption, which is a mainstream application method for active ingredients — including CBD — and other substances.

Topicals that have been formulated with water bases absorb into your skin rapidly, which may or may not be what you’re looking for, depending on your circumstances. Rapid absorption times ensure that you won’t end up with any residue on your skin, but if your goal is to have a CBD product that remains on your skin’s surface for a longer period of time, you’ll want to choose an oil-based CBD topical instead.

Best Water-Based CBD Topical Creams

CBD Cream for Muscle and Joint: Cooling Formula (500–3000mg): As the original water-based CBDfx topical, our CBD muscle cream shines as the crown jewel of our topical lineup. With simple ingredients and strengths up to 3000mg CBD per bottle, this topical goes on smoothly and leaves only a light, refreshingly minty scent behind.

2. CBDfx CBD Balms

balmstick Typically, “balm” is used to describe topicals that are oil-based, and CBDfx balms are no different. Oil-based topicals offer a variety of unique advantages, because these types of topical products don’t necessarily absorb into your skin so much as they stay on the surface of your dermis and leave behind a protective barrier on your skin.

In the winter, for instance, balms can protect your skin from getting dry and chapped while water-based topicals won’t offer this advantage. Plus, smoothing a dab of balm onto your skin just feels good. There’s nothing more relaxing than applying your favorite balm before bed or after a workout, and here at CBDfx, we have a variety of CBD-infused balms for you to choose from.

Best Oil-Based CBD Topical Balms

  • CBD Balm Stick Calming and Moisturizing (750–3000mg): This updated version of our original CBD balm offers all the same ingredients as its predecessor, but we’ve upgraded it to provide even more calming comfort. Ingredients like lavender, chamomile and tea tree oil add a special relaxing aroma that knocks this balm out of the park!
  • CBD Balm Stick Muscle and Joint (750–3000mg): We designed this CBD balm specifically with physical recovery in mind. Whether you just spent all day helping your friend move, or yesterday’s bike ride is still taking a toll, count on ingredients like camphor, wintergreen and peppermint oils — plus organic, broad spectrum CBD — to get you through.

What Are the Best CBD Lotions?

With increased competition comes increased variety, and since the CBD industry is still largely unregulated, you could end up choosing a bad CBD topical if you aren’t careful. If you check for a few simple criteria as you make a purchase, however, you’ll find that picking out the best CBD cream or balm is easier than you think:

1. Check for Lab Testing

cbdfx us blog How to Read a Lab ReportAll reputable companies test their consumer products for safety. Third-party laboratory testing helps consumers know they’re choosing safe products, and testing also helps regulators ensure that companies are toeing the line and creating their products in good faith.

Since the FDA has yet to determine how to deal with the ever-growing CBD phenomenon, however, this agency hasn’t yet offered its usual powers of direct oversight over the CBD industry. Therefore, it’s up to individual CBD producers themselves to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that their products are free from mold, pesticides, heavy metals, and other contaminants that could pose health hazards.

Reputable, third-party lab testing is especially important in the CBD industry for one crucial reason: verifying the CBD concentration in the final product. Some bad actors within the CBD producer community have been caught selling CBD products that only contain a fraction of the CBD listed on the ingredients label, and others have been busted for selling “cannabidiol” products that don’t contain any CBD whatsoever.

Especially when it comes to topicals, lab tests of the final product are necessary to make sure you get what you’re paying for. Go ahead and take a moment to check out our lab reports; you’ll find that here at CBDfx, we always meet the standards that we set out for ourselves.

2. Study the Ingredients

Topicals often contain more ingredients than other types of CBD products to help facilitate absorption and increase shelf life. 

For many people wanting to buy CBD topicals, their main complaint is discomfort. Some toxic ingredients commonly used in low-quality topicals actually make certain discomforts worse, which completely flies in the face of what many users are trying to accomplish. We guarantee that our products only contain ingredients that will have positive effects on your life. As you review the ingredients present in our CBD topicals, please feel free to give us a shout if you have any questions about how they might affect you.

3. Take a Look at the Reviews

As with any other type of product, CBD customer reviews are a mixed bag. Too many people write reviews based on first impressions that rapidly fade, and an equal number of misguided folks complain about products without understanding how to use them. When taken as an aggregate, however, customer reviews can be helpful in ways that extend beyond their mere star ratings.

As you check out available reviews for CBD products, keep the following two factors in mind:

  • Are there any repeated complaints? It’s easy to discount a single negative customer review as biased or uninformed. If you see the same complaint over and over again, however, it’s possible that there’s a serious issue with the product that you shouldn’t overlook.
  • Are there any common points of praise? No matter what a company says about its products, you can ferret out the truth by poring over enough customer reviews. If you look hard enough, you might even find some high points of the product that the marketing copy didn’t express properly.

4. Learn About the Brand’s Reputation

It’s no stretch to say that the CBD industry is currently inundated with new brands. As CBD becomes ever-more popular, it’s too easy for people who don’t have your best interests in mind to get into the industry.

Established companies, however, have had to fight tooth and nail for years to get to their current positions of prominence. Unlike no-name CBD brands that just sprang up last week, veterans of the industry put their names on the line with every product they sell and ship. In addition to being more experienced, bigger brands also have more at stake and perform better as a result.

What Is the Best CBD Cream for Pain?

cbdfx us blog MOST POPULAR CBDFX CBD PRODUCTS RIGHT NOW muscle joint creamThat’s a bit of a tough question, as the best CBD balm for pain is going to be the one with the highest-quality supporting ingredients, as these items are going to be the ones providing effects that pertain to the soothing of certain discomforts. CBD topicals — and CBD creams, in particular — are rapidly growing in popularity, and the products that are being sought after the most are those that possess the best collective cast of ingredients, whether those ingredients be essential oils, extracts or herbal essences. Once you’ve found the CBD topical with your own “dream team” of ingredients, follow these simple steps to get used to applying your new CBD cream:

1. Start Taking Your CBD Cream With a “Drop Test”

Whenever you’re trying a new topical for the first time, it’s always a good idea to start with a “drop test.” Pick a particular spot on your skin that you can regularly observe over the next 24 hours, and apply a modest drop of your new CBD topical to that area. Performing a drop test will help you make sure that you aren’t allergic to any of the ingredients in your CBD cream or CBD balm, and as always, you can consult with a physician before you start using a new topical product.

2. Keep Your CBD Topical With You at All Times

There’s nothing worse than getting used to the effects of your topical only to accidentally leave it behind when you would like to have it most. Remember to take your new CBD topical with you wherever you go so you can apply it at a moment’s notice. Here at CBDfx, all our CBD topical products feature convenient packaging that makes it easy to slip your CBD cream or CBD balm into your backpack, purse, gym bag, or glove compartment before you head out for the day.

3. Try Both CBD Balms and Water-Based CBD Topicals

When you’re searching for a reliable, natural means of addressing discomfort, it only makes sense to consider as many options as possible. Instead of limiting yourself to either CBD balms or CBD creams, you might want to consider giving both oil-based and water-based CBD formulas a shot.

Water-based and oil-based CBD topical formulas work differently, and metabolism and skin attributes vary from person to person. Therefore, one type of formula might not deliver the results you expect, but another option might utterly exceed your expectations.

Plus, you might find that oil-based and water-based CBD topical formulas complement each other. As we mentioned earlier, water-based topicals absorb quickly, which has both benefits and drawbacks. By complementing this increased absorption time with an oil-based CBD topical that stays on your skin, you can enjoy the best of both worlds.

4. Experiment With Different CBD Topicals

There’s no CBD application method that’s right for everyone. For many CBD users, finding the perfect administration method and serving size requires a process of trial and error, so don’t be afraid to experiment to your heart’s content as you get used to using CBD topicals.

Can You Use CBD Oil for Wrinkles or Aging Skin?

cbdfx face mask

As we’ve mentioned above, CBD topicals rely, to an extent, on the ingredients that accompany the CBD. Certainly, CBD has soothing properties, but the other cast of characters also help to make products like our CBD Face Masks such a popular product.

Our Aloe Vera CBD Face Mask is formulated to soothe and tighten your skin. Our Charcoal CBD Face Mask purifies and brightens skin. Our Cucumber CBD Face Mask is formulated to hydrate and tighten, while our Lavender CBD Face Mask is designed to relax and soothe. Last, but not least, our Rose CBD Face Mask tones and moisturizes. 

All of our CBD Face Masks feature spa-quality ingredients delivered in an easy-to-use sheet mask format. With CBD Face Masks, you’re just 10 minutes away from softer, healthier skin.

Topicals With CBD Oil: What Are the Hallmarks of a Good Product?

We’ve covered how to pick the right CBD topical brand, but how do you determine the quality of a specific topical product that also contains CBD? While the right choice is different for everyone, there are some simple criteria you should keep an eye out for as you move forward:

1. Your CBD Topical Brand Keeps Things Simple

When it comes to CBD topicals, there’s no need to overdo it. You should be able to recognize each of the ingredients on your topical’s product label, or learn everything you need to know with a quick Google search. Topicals that are overly complicated are usually trying to cover for something, but simple CBD topicals harness the power of natural ingredients to deliver excellent results that also feel great on your skin.

2. Your CBD Topical Won’t Harm Your Skin With Nasty Preservatives and Other Toxins

All too often, environmental stresses and toxins make skin age faster than it would normally. Exposing your skin to more toxins is the last thing you’d want to do, but unfortunately, tons of CBD skin care products on the market contain nasty ingredients that have no business coming anywhere near your face.

As you search for a topical you like, keep an eye out for these common offenders that frequently sneak their way into such products:

  • Parabens
  • Phthalates
  • Artificial coloring agents
  • Sodium lauryl sulfate
  • Triclosan
  • Formaldehyde

What’s the Best CBD Oil for Tension Headaches

“Tension headache CBD” is a commonly searched term on Google, which shows how many people are interested in using CBD topical products to address it. These types of headaches are different from migraines; they occur due to tension, not because of a neurological imbalance. At the same time, however, tension headaches can be incredibly debilitating, which makes it worthwhile to have a detailed discussion regarding how to take advantage of the supporting ingredients in CBD topical products for tension headaches.

CBD Balm for Tension Headaches

Tension headaches are generally caused by tense muscles in your face, forehead and scalp. Therefore, a balm, which doesn’t absorb very far into your skin, might be the perfect solution for providing its effects. The massaging sensation as you rub it on your body or temples can feel especially relieving.

CBD Cream for Tension Headaches

Water-based topicals absorb deep into your skin, which might make these types of topical products more capable of reaching deeper sources of discomfort. Once again, being able to massage this product into an area of interest will be soothing and pleasant.

How to Learn More About CBD Skin Care Benefits

CBDfx Topical Cream vs CBDfx BalmOn your quest to find the best CBD topicals for discomfort, skin care and headaches, you’re bound to find yourself looking for more information. Here are some places you should start when you’re looking to become more educated on the topic.

1. Check Out the Studies

In addition to there being countless studies on CBD available to you via the internet, a bounty of studies have been performed on a number of the supporting ingredients in our CBD topicals that give the CBD creams and CBD balms many of their effects. You can read in-depth explanations of what makes oils, such as lavender and chamomile, so effective when included in topicals, and you’ll likely come to understand the biological end of these supporting ingredients much better!

2. Check the Reviews

Basic product reviews often leave you wanting more. To satisfy your desire for hands-on (albeit second-hand) knowledge about how CBD works, check out some of the long-form reviews and testimonials that are floating around the internet.

3. Try It for Yourself!

They say that experience is the best teacher, and here at CBDfx, we wholeheartedly agree. We offer a wider range of CBD products than practically any other CBD retailer on the market, which means you have dozens of ways to try CBD for whichever purpose you’re interested in. Remember that we’re always standing by to answer your questions and help you pick the perfect products for your needs.

Hemp Oil Benefits for the Skin: The Bottom Line

cbdfx bath bombs

Hemp is taking an increasingly prominent position within the skin-care market, and many skin health enthusiasts are rightly excited about combining CBD with the beneficial supporting ingredients already found in some of the world’s premium topical products. CBD is getting more mainstream by the day, and major retailers around the country are getting on the cannabidiol bandwagon; continued steps in the right direction are making CBD more legal and freely available than ever before.

There’s never been a better time to try a CBD topical for your skin-care needs, and CBDfx.com remains the best place on the internet to find CBD balms, creams, masks, and even bath bombs. Try a CBD topical for yourself today to find out exactly what the hype is all about!

Ready to pamper your feet? Try our relaxing CBD Foot Masks!


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