Let’s be blunt: the CBD beauty subcategory has fallen off from its high point, with several brands pivoting away from the ingredient due to rules, regulations and a dimming consumer interest in cannabis-infused products.
The late 2010s saw CBD beauty become a buzzword, with brands across the world vying for a hit by infusing cannabidiol to calm inflammation, boost moisture and soothe irritated skin alongside other benefits.
But while some CBD-focused skin care brands are still finding success, the subcategory as a whole has been on a comedown through recent years.
Cosmetics Business asks experts in formulation, product marketing and law and regulation to share insight into why CBD’s beauty moment saw a burnout, and whether or not interest in the subcategory can be resparked.
Sylwia Pawlaczyk, COO & Master Formulator, AV Laboratories
Sylwia Pawlaczyk: “CBD was not an ingredient created purely by marketing.
There is genuine biological rationale for investigating it in skin.
Preclinical research has shown effects on inflammatory signalling, oxidative stress and sebaceous gland biology, among other pathways.
For reference – one of the best-known studies demonstrated sebostatic and anti-inflammatory activity in human sebocytes and skin organ culture.
However, the commercial story developed much faster than the clinical evidence.
The key question is not whether a CBD product works, but whether CBD adds a measurable benefit
CBD also arrived at an unusually favourable cultural moment – cannabis liberalisation with the growth of wellness, natural beauty, and also the idea of ‘calming’ the skin.
In this case, it was a lifestyle narrative far bigger than most cosmetic ingredients.
In my view, CBD lost momentum because the expectations placed on it became considerably larger than what finished-product clinical evidence could support.
CBD has particularly interesting preclinical evidence around inflammatory signalling, sebaceous activity and oxidative stress.
Its sebostatic activity is mechanistically compelling, and emerging human research also suggests potential in areas such as itch and protection against UV-A-induced oxidative damage and DNA damage.
However, in well-controlled clinical trials, the evidence becomes much thinner.
A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of cannabinoid interventions in dermatology foun
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