How Hemp Seed Oil Offers Clear, Nourished Skin
By now, we've all learned that essential oils are a necessary part of our routine if we want to keep our skin in tip-top shape. Clear skin, a brighter complexion, evened-out discoloration—there are a lot of purported benefits to incorporating an oil or two into our everyday skin care.
From coconut to Moroccan oil, it seems that we've heard ad nauseum about every oil we need—until now. Allow us to introduce you to the next "It" oil in skin care: hemp seed oil. We break down the benefits of hemp seed oil, from how great it is for dry skin to why we should mix it into a salad!
Keep reading for all you need to know about this multi-use ingredient…
HEMP SEED OIL
TYPE OF INGREDIENT: Hydrator
MAIN BENEFITS: Reduces inflammation, hydrates, regulates oil production.
WHO SHOULD USE IT: In general, people with acneic or combination skin.
HOW OFTEN CAN YOU USE IT: As often as you would use any oil—roughly twice a day.
WORKS WELL WITH: Acids and retinoids as it may mitigate the irritation they cause.
DON'T USE WITH: Hemp seed oil can be used universally.
What is Hemp Seed Oil?
Hemp seed oil—not to be confused with hemp oil, which is a blanket term for all oils that come from hemp and can include cannabidiol (CBD) oil—is made out of purely hemp seeds. CBD oil, in turn, is made from leaves, stalks, and flowers of hemp (and sometimes seeds as well). Hempseed Oil is the oil derived from the seeds of the hemp plant which is a cannabis plant cultivated for non-drug use. The oil is legal and used in large quantities for cosmetics, nutritional supplementation, and skin oils. It can be legally used when it has a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of less than 0.3 percent.
It can be marketed on its own or as an ingredient in moisturizing topicals. Make sure you know the difference between hemp seed oil and CBD oil. The latter absorbs into the skin and binds to cannabinoid receptors in the brain. It can have effects that are only beginning to be understood on anxiety, mood, sleep, and many other conditions. CBD can also have low levels of THC which has obvious psychoactive effects.
While other kinds of hemp oil are rich in cannabinoids as mentioned, hemp seed oil typically has no-to-few cannabinoids and contains mostly omega fatty acids. So, if you were worried about getting high off of hemp seed oil, you won't. You can already find it in a variety of skin care products, and you can even eat it.
Benefits of Hemp Seed Oil for Skin
Locks in hydration: Hemp seed oil is high in omega acids 3, 6, and 9, all of which help repair the skin barrier and form a seal over the skin to keep moisture trapped inside.
Attracts moisture: It is also a humectant, so it draws moisture to the skin.
Anti-inflammatory: Those same omega acids in hemp seed oil also help lower inflammation in the skin.
Soothes skin: Hemp seed oil is rich in fatty acids, which help hydrate and soothe inflamed skin.
Anti-acneic: It may even modulate skin oil production, which is huge for people with acneic or overly oily skin.
How to Use It
Naturally, hemp seed oil is being integrated into plenty of beauty products as a hydrator and anti-inflammatory. In particular, using it with retinoids or after acids because it's so effective at staving off inflammation. It works wonders for redness and acne, too. It's pretty easy to know how much to apply—just use as much as you would any other oil.
Many people are also a huge fan of incorporating hemp seed oil into their diet because its nutrients are so good for your body. It’s especially good to use raw hemp seeds in cooking, because they are in their natural state, so the body can absorb all the nutrients they offer most easily. Hemp seeds are great in salads, granolas, smoothies, and mixed in with grains, deliciously delivering vitamins A and E, but also essential trace minerals and a wealth of antioxidants.
It has a crispy, nutty taste and can be used on salads as a replacement for olive oil. It is high in omegas and full of essential amino acids that help make younger, smoother-looking skin and reduce inflammation in the body. Because it is a highly volatile oil, she does say it must be kept refrigerated and not heated.
The Takeaway
Hemp seed oil is a boss and we should be incorporating it everywhere, from skin care to our kitchens. So don’t delay in the glowing results of this nourishing oil and hop over to the Wild Naturals online store for hair and skin care products filled with multiple natural oils! And don’t worry, every ingredient is brimming with benefits for radiant, healthy, youthful skin.
