In an industry where the next best thing is always just around the corner, most beauty trends don’t have a very long shelf life. Yet, the newly tapped market of CBD-infused beauty products has students buzzing with the experimental and holistic approach to relaxation and pain relief in their daily lives.
From healing balms to lotions to makeup products, the healing properties and anti-inflammatory ingredients in the product make for a quick fix for the small perils that come with being a student in a high-pressure environment.
CBD, short for cannabidiol, is a natural compound found in hemp plants. Its side effect — whether ingested or applied topically — is a sense of calm and relaxation, of course without the high that the THC component of hemp plants provides. CBD beauty products rose to popularity in 2018 and since then, many students have become avid users.
Rory Meyers first-year Lindsey Nelson injured her joint while running in preparation for a cross-country meet. When no other muscle relaxers seemed to soothe her pain, she decided to try out a CBD-based healing balm recommended by a classmate.
“I felt it would be beneficial because the permeability of CBD cream allows the benefits to get beyond the skin layer, like the muscles underneath,” Nelson said. “And I knew that CBD can help pain and inflammation, so I decided to give it a go.”
Although CBD beauty products do encompass a vast range of items like mascara, face serums and lip glosses, the most popular of the sort seem to be balms and lotions. The main purpose of such products is to relieve any muscle aches or pains as well as tension relief, which can be warranted in an urban setting where most individuals spend all day on their feet. But the benefits of a fast-acting topical solution go beyond everyday use and toward niche purposes like pain relief for athletes, an often-overlooked sector of the healing and wellness industry.
When it comes to CBD products for aesthetic purposes, many students praise CBD For Life Pure CBD Eye Serum as a miracle worker, diminishing even the most stubborn eye bags thanks to CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties.
Due to their increasing popularity, CBD beauty products can be found in practically any beauty supply store like Sephora or Ulta. Some students opt for home businesses for their CBD fix, and a variety of local businesses around campus have made their way into the niche market scene such as Come Back Daily on Broadway and Hemp Garden on Cornelia street.
Another major allure of the CBD-based beauty product is its organic composition. In a time where chemicals are constantly being added into products of everyday use, knowing where the ingredients in their makeup and wellness products came from is of utmost importance to students.
“Honestly, stigma is probably the main reason people don’t use CBD products in my opinion,” Steinhardt junior Grace Duggery said. “Anything associated with cannabis is going to be met with some opposition. Lack of knowledge about CBD also is a contributor. I think some people don’t realize that CBD doesn’t have intoxicating effects — you will not get high from using CBD.”
CBD beauty products have come a long way since the days of Hempz body lotion, but it has yet to break the stigma of being associated with the illegality of marijuana. As its market continues to grow, NYU students are just a small part of a larger group searching for a natural way to look just as relaxed as they feel.
Email Daniela Ortiz at [email protected].
