CBD skincare: what the research says and why the market is growing

In just a few years, CBD has gone from niche product to an ingredient that turns up in everything from facial serums to body lotions. Behind the trend is both a growing interest in natural ingredients and research showing that the skin has its own endocannabinoid system. Here we look at what CBD does in skincare, what the studies actually show, how the market is developing and what to look for when you choose a product.

The skin has its own endocannabinoid system

The endocannabinoid system is a signalling system found throughout much of the body that helps keep various functions in balance. Researchers have shown that the skin has its own version of this system. The cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, the body’s own endocannabinoids and the enzymes that build and break them down are all found in skin cells, sebaceous glands and hair follicles.

According to a review in Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, the system is involved in how skin cells grow and mature, how much sebum is produced and how the skin responds to inflammation. That is a key reason why researchers and skincare companies have become interested in cannabinoids such as CBD.

You can read more about the endocannabinoid system and the different cannabinoids in our article What are cannabinoids? CBD, THC, CBG, CBN and the endocannabinoid system.

What does the research say about CBD and the skin?

One of the most cited studies was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation in 2014. The researchers treated human sebaceous gland cells with CBD in the laboratory and found that the cells produced less sebum and that several inflammatory signalling substances decreased. The results applied to cells and skin samples in the lab, not to people using a cream.

CBD also has antioxidant properties. According to a review in the journal Antioxidants, CBD can both scavenge free radicals directly and influence the body’s own defences against oxidative stress, which is relevant for skincare because UV radiation and air pollution create oxidative stress in the skin.

Studies in people are still few and small. In an Italian study from 2019, 20 people used an ointment containing CBD twice a day for three months. Skin hydration and elasticity improved, and nobody experienced irritation or allergic reactions. However, the study had no control group, and the researchers themselves point out that larger studies are needed. In short, the research is promising, but there are not yet any large controlled studies showing exactly what CBD does in a cream.

Full spectrum and terpenes in skincare

Just as with oils, the CBD in skincare can come from isolate, which is almost pure CBD, or from extracts that contain more of the hemp plant’s compounds. A full-spectrum or broad-spectrum extract also contains other cannabinoids and terpenes, the plant’s aromatic compounds. According to the theory of the entourage effect, these compounds reinforce and balance each other, so that the whole does more than the individual parts.

Terpenes are not just about scent. Beta-caryophyllene, found in hemp, pepper and cloves, binds to the CB2 receptor according to a study in PNAS, the same receptor that is found in the skin. It is one example of why many manufacturers choose extracts with a broad profile rather than pure isolate. Read more in our article What are terpenes in cannabis?

Common types of CBD skincare

• Creams and lotions are the largest product group and are used for everyday moisturising of the face or body.
• Serums have a lighter texture and a higher concentration of active ingredients, and are the fastest-growing group.
• Salves and balms usually have a base of wax and oils and are used on dry or exposed areas.
• Liniments are liquid products that are massaged in, often after exercise, and can combine CBD with warming or cooling ingredients.

Our own Muscle & Joint Cream is a liniment that combines CBD with both warming and cooling ingredients, and many people use it after training. Read more about how it works in the article Warming and cooling liniment.

A fast-growing market

The interest shows clearly in the figures. According to the analyst firm Grand View Research, the global CBD skincare market was worth 2.9 billion dollars in 2025, and the firm expects it to grow by around 22 per cent a year until 2033. North America is the largest market, but Europe accounts for around 30 per cent. Creams, lotions and moisturisers make up the largest product group, while serums are expected to grow fastest.

Forecasts like these vary widely between analyst firms and should be taken with a pinch of salt. The direction is clear, though. The drivers are growing demand for plant-based ingredients, more large beauty brands adding CBD to their ranges and clearer rules for CBD in cosmetics in the EU.

What are the rules for CBD in cosmetics?

In the EU, skincare is governed by the Cosmetics Regulation, Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. Among other things, it requires every product to have a safety assessment and a responsible person in the EU, and to be notified in the EU Cosmetic Products Notification Portal before it is sold. Cosmetics may not be marketed as a treatment for disease either.

For a long time, only synthetic CBD was listed in the EU ingredient database CosIng. In November 2020, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled in the so-called Kanavape case that CBD from the whole hemp plant should not be regarded as a narcotic. A few months later, in February 2021, the European Commission added CBD derived from extract, tincture or resin of cannabis to CosIng, along with hemp leaf extract. The raw material must come from industrial hemp with very low levels of THC, and national rules still apply. Each EU country has its own authority that supervises cosmetic products.

How to choose CBD skincare

• Read the ingredient list. CBD is listed as Cannabidiol. Hemp seed oil, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, is a good moisturising oil but contains no CBD.
• Check the amount. Reputable manufacturers state how many milligrams of CBD the package contains.
• Ask for a lab report. An analysis from an accredited laboratory shows that the content is correct and that the product contains no THC.
• Test first. Try the product on a small area, such as the inside of your forearm, before using it on your face.

To learn how to interpret the analysis, read our guide How to read a CBD lab report (COA), step by step.

Sources

• Bíró, T. et al. (2009). The endocannabinoid system of the skin in health and disease: novel perspectives and therapeutic opportunities. Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, 30(8), 411–420.
• Oláh, A. et al. (2014). Cannabidiol exerts sebostatic and antiinflammatory effects on human sebocytes. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 124(9), 3713–3724.
• Atalay, S. et al. (2020). Antioxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Cannabidiol. Antioxidants, 9(1), 21.
• Palmieri, B. et al. (2019). A therapeutic effect of CBD-enriched ointment in inflammatory skin diseases and cutaneous scars. Clinica Terapeutica, 170(2), e93–e99.
• Gertsch, J. et al. (2008). Beta-caryophyllene is a dietary cannabinoid. PNAS, 105(26), 9099–9104.
• Grand View Research. CBD Skin Care Market Size And Share Report.
• Cosmetics Design Europe (2021). Natural CBD from hemp for cosmetics added to European Commission CosIng database.
• Court of Justice of the European Union. Case C-663/18, B S and C A (Kanavape), judgment of 19 November 2020.
• European Union. Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products.