A fairly common theme we see pop up in our Facebook Support group are questions regarding the use of CBD in bath bombs. Over the next couple of days I’m going to tackle that question for you! I’ll tell you what type of CBD should be used, how much should be used, and how it should be incorporated. I’ll also give you a reliable, trusted resource for CBD–the same place I get my CBD!
But first things first, what is CBD and why should you use it in your products? CBD stands for Cannabidiol, and it is a compound that is found in hemp and non-hemp plants. It does not cause impairment and is not the same thing as THC, the chemical in marijuana that gets you high.
As humans, we naturally produce molecules called endocannabinoids. In fact, we have millions of endocannabinoid receptors which can be found all over our body as part of the ECS (endocannabinoid system). Endocannabinoids have been found to help regulate things like memory, emotions, pain control, inflammatory and immune responses and more. Phyto-cannabinoids, found in hemp plants, have a similar chemical structure to endocannabinoids and can help supplement or activate the ECS. That makes them a great option for using as an additive in handmade cosmetics.
In 2018 Hemp was removed from the list of federally controlled substances, so on a federal level you can be worry free about buying and selling hemp products. However, states still have the right to regulate hemp use, and as of the writing of this article, not all 50 states have legalized the use of CBD–even when it’s free of THC. To know whether you can sell products that contain CBD, you’ll have to research what is legal in your specific state!
When it comes to sourcing CBD, a quick google search will leave you reeling with the overwhelming number of options, and I have to be honest, when I first started looking into it I was pretty sure most CBD was just snake oil. It seemed impossible to sus out the facts from the flair, and I couldn’t help feeling like I was buying a used car from a slick dealer.
In 2018 I heard Kayla Fioravanti speak about CBD at a conference, but I tucked it into the back of my mind. Fast forward to 2023, and Kayla was again at the HSCG conference, but this time she gave me a couple samples of Ology CBD lotion.
Now look. I get very tense in crowded places (like airports) and can’t sleep in any bed but my own. Essentially, I’m a bad traveler. And as veteran of 2 rounds of medically prescribed physical therapy, travel leaves me prone to cricks in my neck, numb hands, and my sciatic nerve screaming from my hip to my ankle. I try to implement several wellness tools like a shakti mat, acupuncture, yoga, meditation, etc, but when I say that I LIVED on that CBD lotion during the month of May, I mean I lived on it. That was enough to let me know I had finally found a valid, reliable source for CBD. I was finally a believer.
Kayla is the co-founder of Ology Essentials, where they sell both cosmetics containing CBD, and the CBD oil and isolate so you can create your own products. One of the things I really like about their CBD oil and isolate is that it is third party tested and those test results are right there on their website. I definitely appreciate that transparency. When I was ready to write this article I contacted Kayla and was really grateful for her insight on CDB.
There are 3 types of CBD you can use in your products:
Full spectrum CBD: contains the full plant material (THC, cannabinoids, terpenes, plant material and chlorophyll) from the hemp plant. Requires a fat in the product PLUS a hot phase. Generally comes suspended in an oil (ie MCT, or fractionated coconut oil)
Isolate: contains only the isolated material (CBD) and none of the other plant materials. Can come as a crystal, powder, or suspended in oil. Is fat/alcohol soluble.
Broad Spectrum: similar to full spectrum this contains the cannabinoids, terpenes, plant material and chlorophyll, but the THC has been removed.
I prefer to use Isolate in my bath bombs. I find that it’s the easiest to work with and requires the least amount of math to figure out how much CBD is going into each bath bomb. Which brings us to the topic of usage rates!
When calculating usage you’ll first need to know how many bath bombs you get from your formula and how many mg of CBD you want per bath bomb. Let’s pretend that my batch makes 9 bath bombs, and I want to use 1 gram of CBD isolate in it. I can convert the 1 gram of isolate to 1000 mg, then divide that by the 9 bath bombs I’ll make, which will yield 111 mg of CBD per bath bomb.
I have found that, personally, anything under 100 mg of CBD in a bath bomb makes it really hard for me to notice any difference. To figure this out though, I made batches with .5 grams (or 55 mg per bath bomb), 1 gram (or 111 mg per bath bomb), 1.5 grams (or 166 mg per bath bomb), and 2 grams (or 333 mg per bath bomb). If you’re trying to figure this out for yourself, it could be hard to split up the grams the way I did unless you have a really accurate scale, so it’s kind of nice that Ology sells 1 gram of CBD isolate for $10. That way you can buy 1 gram, make a batch, see how you like it, and go from there!
On Wednesday I’ll show you step by step how I made these blissful bath bombs so you can get started making your own! In the meantime, here’s our affiliate link to Ology! Affiliate links are a great way to support content creators. After following this link, a small percentage of Ology purchases you make come back to Bath Fizz and Foam. You don’t have to do anything extra, and you’re still able to help support our work! Snazzy right!
DISCLAIMER: In the United States, bath bombs fall under the jurisdiction of the FDA and must follow all the rules and regulations for cosmetics. As such, cosmetic makers are not allowed to make any medical claims about their products, nor are they allowed to insinuate that their product can treat, prevent or mitigate any disease nor physical ailment, even if you or your customer believes this to be true based on personal experience. CBD bath bombs must be sold for cosmetic use only. Terms such as therapeutic, pain relieving, healing, etc are not allowed when describing your handmade cosmetics.
REFRENCES:
https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/featured-topics/CBD.html
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-endocannabinoid-system-essential-and-mysterious-202108112569
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKBo3k6rMlQ
https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-laws-regulations/it-cosmetic-drug-or-both-or-it-soap