What does CBD have to offer to consumers and the cosmetic industry?
In 2021, the skin care cosmetics market generated over $18 billion in revenue in the United States alone and over $100 billion worldwide. As consumers become more conscious of what types of products they are willing to use and put on their skin, interest in cosmetics made with natural, clean, and sustainable ingredients is growing. This shift towards conscious consumerism has also led to an explosion in the market size of products made with natural ingredients with wide-ranging potential benefits such as CBD.
In 2018, the CBD skincare market was valued at $633.6 million and it is projected to reach $3,484 million by 2026, representing close to 10% of the total global skincare market. Leading the way in the European and global CBD cosmetics markets are innovative independent brands like Prima, Saint Jane, Raised Spirit, Disciple and Aurelia London. Major UK and American retailers like Sephora, The Body Shop, and Cult Beauty are also taking notice of the trend and are now carrying CBD drops and skincare products in their stores. In 2021, Avon also expanded their CBD beauty line of cleansers, balms, and creams.
When looking at the numbers, the growing interest and demand for CBD cosmetics is undeniable. But what is it that makes CBD such an appealing ingredient, and are the claims made by the cosmetics industry backed by science? In the age of the internet, simply marketing products as natural and clean is not enough. Since modern-day consumers can and will do their own research to find out if the products that interest them actually work, the products have to do just that — actually work. Accordingly, brand and quality standards in the industry have risen to uphold customer loyalty, but ongoing research shows that CBD seems to be up to the challenge of meeting them.
CBD has long been known to have a wide variety of therapeutic uses from aiding sleep to managing chronic pain and anxiety, and importantly, there is a significant body of research supporting the safety of CBD for both internal and topical uses. Most advantageous for the cosmetics industry are the many beneficial effects that can be obtained by CBD being absorbed through the skin. The compound is well known for its anti-inflammatory properties, and has been shown to reduce redness, itching, and swelling of the skin caused by allergic reactions such as contact dermatitis.
Besides its powerful anti-inflammatory effects, CBD’s molecular structure also causes it to have excellent antioxidant properties, having the ability to reduce reactive oxygen species, accumulation of which can lead to cell damage. One study found CBD to exhibit even more powerful antioxidant properties against oxidative stress than vitamin E. These findings open up a wide-range of potential therapeutic applications of CBD from the treatment of neurological disorders linked to oxidative stress, to combatting visible signs of aging in the skin. Particularly important for the anti-aging skincare market are studies that have shown CBD to be effective in protecting against the damaging effects of UV radiation.
Another unique characteristic of CBD that makes it a very appealing ingredient in the cosmetics industry is its antimicrobial effects, giving it the ability to help normalize and maintain the natural microbiome of the skin. Microbiome imbalance has been linked to a wide range of dermatological disorders like eczema, psoriasis, and pruritis, and although more research is needed to validate medical applications, CBD shows great promise in the treatment of skin various disorders. Combined with its anti-inflammatory properties and its ability to inhibit excess oil production in the skin, the antimicrobial properties of CBD also make it an ideal candidate for the treatment of acne, which is one of the most prevalent dermatological afflictions worldwide, therefore representing a huge proportion of the skincare market.
As research on CBD advances and provides more evidence of its beneficial effects for the cosmetics industry, it’s likely that more and more CBD skincare products will hit the market, adding fuel to the fire of the current explosion in market interest. Besides CBD, other lesser-known cannabinoids such as CBG, CBC and CBDv could also turn out to be potent cosmetics ingredients in the future. With plenty of science to back up marketing claims and the ability to live up to the high brand and quality standards of using pure, sustainable, and natural ingredients, cannabinoid products have the potential to appease even the most conscious of consumers.
At Hyasynth Bio we strive to make pure, high quality sources of major and minor cannabinoids accessible to the world. Interested in learning more about Hyasynth‘s biosynthesis platform and how we’re changing the Cannabinoid industry? Visit our website at www.hyasynthbio.com or contact us directly at info@hasynthbio.com
Estrid Jakobsen — Estrid is an independent freelance science writer who holds a PhD in neuroscience and has over 10 years of experience in science communication and outreach initiatives.
