There’s a lot going on in the world right now, and if you’re looking for a natural way to stay calm and keep your spirits lifted, you may want to consider using a CBD oil.
Unlike THC, a psychoactive compound found in marijuana that is still illegal in many parts of the country, cannabidiol, or CBD products, won’t create the same “high” that you might experience from THC. Instead, for some users, CBD acts like a favorite blanket, promoting feelings of warmth, comfort, and tranquility. Most CBD products are available for online purchase, soothe skin, and promote general wellness without the need for a prescription.
“It’s always an uphill battle fighting misconceptions and helping better educate people about CBD,” says Deep Patel, CEO of Penguin CBD. “For instance, many still believe that CBD will get you high. This is absolutely untrue. THC is the cannabinoid compound that causes a psychoactive reaction,” Patel explains. “Hemp contains very little of it naturally, and broad-spectrum brands like Penguin remove it completely during extraction.”
In our experience, the easiest way to start adding CBD to your daily routine is through a good CBD oil. Depending on what you’re using it for, the best CBD oils can be applied topically (i.e., on the skin), sublingually (i.e., under the tongue), or even mixed into a drink. A few drops a day could go a long way toward easing restlessness, boosting your mood, and supporting restful sleep.
The benefits of CBD oil have also been touted for recovery in healthy individuals — it’s used by some professional athletes — and the beauty industry has fallen in love with CBD oil as a supposed not-so-secret ingredient for healthier-looking skin. As with anything, make sure you do your research before picking up a CBD oil.
“The usual indicator of a high-quality CBD oil is how much background information is provided about it,” shares Patel. “A good CBD brand will tell you where their hemp is grown, their extraction process, and the results they’ve received from independent third-party lab testing. At Penguin, we’re dedicated to providing total transparency for our customers’ peace of mind.”
We’ve rounded up 10 of our favorite CBD oils to use right now, based on ease of use, purported benefits, and efficacy. Keep in mind, the FDA is still evaluating CBD. The statements in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA, and the products listed below are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Penguin CBD Oil
Penguin is one of our favorite CBD oils to help maintain a calm and balanced mood. Made with sustainably-grown hemp from Oregon, Penguin’s CBD oil is batched to order and delivered quickly, ensuring that a fresh and potent product arrives at your door.
Using a broad-spectrum hemp extract that contains no THC, Penguin’s CBD oil has enhanced potency, courtesy of additional cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. It all combines into a formula that’s certified by ProVerde Laboratories, an independent third-party lab. ProVerde also ensures that Penguin’s products contain zero pesticides, heavy metals, or harmful contaminants.
Penguin suggests starting with one full dose (about 1 milliliter, or half a dropperful) under the tongue and waiting 60 to 90 seconds before swallowing. There’s 8.3 milligrams of CBD per serving (more in the higher-strength bottles).
We like mixing the CBD oil into a drink, though that’s based more on preference than flavor. In fact, when it comes to taste, Penguin’s CBD oil is one of the easiest to take, thanks to fun flavors like mint, strawberry, and cookies & cream.
Choose from 250-milligram, 600-milligram, and 1,000-milligram sizes. Dosages will increase as the sizes get larger. Starting at $45, PenguinCBD.com
Sunday Scaries CBD Oil Tincture With Vitamins
We’ve started swapping our glasses of wine at night for a couple of drops of this CBD oil tincture from Sunday Scaries. The tincture (a liquid blend of CBD oil and coconut oil) is great for helping you chill out before bed, preventing your mind from racing, and helping you relax. As the brand explains, it makes for a “chill nightcap — minus the hangover.”
Sunday Scaries says its formula delivers a proprietary blend of broad-spectrum CBD (sourced in Colorado) and vitamin B12 and D3. The CBD oil has a slight fruity taste that’s easy to mix into a glass of water or take on its own. You can even apply this CBD oil topically by, say, mixing a couple of drops into your favorite lotion.
Take one-third of a dropperful under your tongue and hold it for 10 seconds or so before swallowing. There are 10 milligrams of CBD per serving. In our experience, it’s best to start small. You may not feel the effects right away, but give it an hour or so before you take another dose. Note: This is just to help you unwind but not recommended as a sleeping aid.
$75, SundayScaries.com
Papa & Barkley Releaf Body Oil
Papa & Barkley have found that magic balance between functional and trendy CBD products, and its Releaf Body Oil is a perfect example.
The full-spectrum oil is made from Colorado-sourced hemp, along with a soothing blend of jojoba oil, MCT coconut oil, and vitamin E. Massage a few drops onto your skin as part of your normal recovery (it’s particularly great after a workout or run). An essential oil blend of eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree, and lavender helps to calm the senses.
Papa & Barkley says their CBD oil can be used head to toe, and we concur. We like to massage a few drops into our temples (breathing in the calming scent of the essential oils), and we’ve used this to soothe our tired feet as well.
$39.99, PapaandBarkleyCBD.com
Elixinol Organic Balance CBD Tincture
Elixinol is one of the few USDA-certified organic CBD brands in the country, and we like this Organic Balance CBD Tincture as part of our daily routine. This tincture is not only full of CBD but also includes a full range of cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes that delivers the so-called “entourage effect” believed to help enhance the beneficial properties of CBD.
A drop of this in the morning sets us up nicely for the day, keeping us calm and collected while staying focused and alert.
Take half a dropperful twice daily. There are 5 milligrams of CBD per serving. This natural CBD oil has a slightly earthy flavor, so we like mixing it into our smoothies, though you can always take it under the tongue as well.
$29.99, Elixinol.com
Medterra CBD Oil Tincture
While some broad-spectrum CBD oils include a variety of other cannabinoids, we like Medterra’s isolate tinctures, which offer pure CBD. Medterra says this one is made with more than 99 percent CBD, plus organic, coconut-derived MCT oil.
The CBD oil tincture is available in three strengths: 500 milligrams, 1,000 milligrams, and 3,000 milligrams. The lowest strength starts at 16 milligrams of CBD per serving. Start with one drop under the tongue twice daily (we recommend once in the morning and once at night). The oil is light and virtually tasteless, so it can be easily taken on its own. Consider Medterra’s CBD tincture when you need a little pick-me-up (read: boosted spirits) without the high of THC.
Starting at $34.99, MedterraCBD.com
Mineral Health Recovery Hemp Oil
A multiuse tincture and topical, this recovery oil can be ingested sublingually, for overall wellness support, or applied topically, for targeted relief. Formulated with organic avocado oil, CBD, and linalool (a naturally-occurring terpene believed to enhance the calming benefits of CBD), this is a potent, effective formula.
We like taking half a dropperful under the tongue when our nerves are frayed. It’s also great to massage into the skin to help with healthy recovery. A dropper contains 67 milligrams of CBD — the highest amount of CBD per dose on our list. Start with a quarter dropperful (or about 17 milligrams of CBD) to see how your body reacts, then increase as needed.
$190, MineralHealth.co
Prima Night Magic 300 MG CBD Intensive Face Oil
The addition of CBD to this facial oil may help your skin get some rest while you sleep. Prima says the broad-spectrum hemp CBD extract forms a barrier against environmental stressors, while prickly pear, moringa, avocado, and kukui oils help improve the overall appearance of your skin.
The ingredients are meant to work together to balance out skin tone and restore softness and suppleness to your complexion. Want that coveted “healthy glow?” This CBD face oil could be a good starting point.
To use: Massage four to five drops of this CBD oil into your face after cleansing, but before you add any moisturizers or serums. The fast-absorbing formula doesn’t feel greasy and won’t stain your sheets. Go to bed with the face oil on, and let the ingredients get to work while you sleep.
$88, Prima.co
Level Zzz CBD Oil Drops
Craving more Zzz’s? We like Level Select’s Level Zzz CBD Oil Drops, which may help support a healthy, restful sleep.
This CBD tincture combines the calming benefits of CBD with the sleep-promoting properties of melatonin. The formula features 40 milligrams of broad spectrum CBD and 3 milligrams of Melatonin per dose. That’s one of the higher doses of CBD on our list, so start slowly, to see how your body reacts.
In our experience, it’s best to take you dosage about an hour before bed, to give the CBD time to work through your system. Bonus: These drops come in a creamy vanilla flavor, to help satisfy your sweet tooth before bed.
$89.99, levelselectcbd.com
Also Organics 1,500 MG CBD Tincture
Need something stronger? Also Organics is one of our favorite new brands, thanks to this potent formula, which gets you 50 milligrams of CBD per dose. The whole-plant CBD tincture is formulated with organic MCT oil and phytocannabinoid-rich hemp oil (that contains hundreds of naturally-occurring terpenes and therapeutic compounds from the hemp plant) to help with overall calm and well-being. The company says when taken regularly, the tincture can also help to maintain healthy sleep cycles.
To use: Squeeze one full dropper under the tongue. Hold for 20 seconds before swallowing. Also Organics recommends that you take this first thing in the morning to set you up nicely for the day.
This a mildly flavored tincture that can be taken under the tongue without any unpleasant aftertaste.
$139.99, AlsoOrganics.com
WLDKAT CBD 150 MG Ginger + Kombucha Bubbling Skin Tonic
This isn’t a traditional CBD oil per se, but we love the inspiration behind this new CBD line, not to mention this tonic’s skin-brightening effects.
Founded by a former product developer at cosmetics line Urban Decay, WLDKAT takes the best properties of CBD and combines them with unique skin-nourishing ingredients for a fun and irreverent take on beauty.
Pat a dime-size amount of this tonic onto your face like aftershave and feel it start to tingle, or “bubble,” as the broad-spectrum CBD, kombucha, and ginger-root extract get to work. WLDKAT says your skin will feel brighter and bouncier with more even tone and texture.
$28, WLDKAT.com
ALSO CONSIDER: Caliper CBD
Caliper was founded by CBD skeptics who recognized a need for a quality, science-backed CBD in an industry rife with misinformation and unfounded claims. Their flagship product, Caliper CBD isn’t a CBD oil but rather an odorless,
flavorless, dissolvable CBD powder that can be added to any beverage or food (think tea or dissolved in a glass of water).
The super portable 20mg packets are easy to throw in a bag or even in your pocket, for on-the-go relief whenever you need it most. We love throwing a packet in our gym bag for post-workout recovery and keeping a few packets on our nightstand to thwart off restless nights. What’s more, Caliper CBD is backed by science. Caliper has conducted clinical studies — in humans — that found Caliper CBD to be 4.5x more bioavailable than oil-based CBD, meaning a 20mg packet of Caliper is equal to a 90mg dose of an oil-based tincture.
$49.99, TryCaliper.com