We believe in taking care of our planet and upholding the long-term wellness of the environment. That’s why Humanist Beauty facial skincare has hand-selected its cannabinoid supply partner to ensure that we are supporting wholesome farmers and pesticide-free cultivation. Humanist Beauty products contain cannabinoids sourced from hemp that is grown with care on US farms using organic practices.
Our products are only made with hemp grown on US farms that are registered with respective State Departments of Agriculture and operate in strict compliance with state and federal law.
The organic CBD in all Humanist Beauty facial skincare products comes from a blend of full-spectrum whole hemp extract and pure organic CBD isolate. All finished formulas contain <0.3% THC. We chose to include a full-spectrum cannabinoid profile in appreciation for the topical ‘entourage effect’ – synergistic activity where the sum of natural benefits is greater than its parts. Our formulas are non-intoxicating and applying them topically cannot get you “high.”
And finally, we independently triple-test our products for cannabinoid quality, potency, purity, accuracy and consistency.
Humanist Beauty is transparent about its test results. Every lab report on the cannabinoids in your product batch can be found here.
Cannabis
A genus of annual flowering plants that includes three distinct variations: Cannabis sativa L., Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. Originating in Central Asia and dating back to ancient China, Egypt, and India, many believe that cannabis was the first crop ever cultivated by mankind. For over 10,000 years, cannabis has been used in a wide range of respected medicinal and spiritual applications. It is believed to have been named in the holy anointing oil recipe that both Moses and Jesus used for divination rituals. Cannabis crops were cultivated by all founding fathers of America and used as currency among the early settlers. Widely recognized for its serrated 7-fingered fan leaves, cannabis plants can range from tall and stalky to short and bushy. Plants are predominantly gender specific with male stamen and female pistils occurring on different plants, the females being those that produce resinous flowers. There are approximately 483 uniquely identifiable naturally components in the cannabis plant, over 100 of which are called cannabinoids that mimic compounds produced in the human body. The two most abundant cannabinoids are cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Other natural components include terpenes which impact aroma and flavonoids which possess antioxidant properties.
Hemp
Certain varieties of Cannabis sativa known as hemp are bred for their industrial applications and low concentration of Δ9-THC. For that reason, hemp is considered to be the ‘non-intoxicating’ form of cannabis though it is not free of intoxicating compounds. As of December 2018, it has become federally legal in the United States to cultivate hemp for a variety of commercial purposes, including cannabinoid supply. In the U.S., hemp is defined as a Cannabis sativa L. plant not containing more than 0.3% THC. Limitations on THC vary worldwide. For example, Switzerland has set the limit at 1%. The European Union has set the limit at 0.2%, while in Great Britain the limit is zero, unless growers have a cultivation license grow industrial hemp with no more than 0.2% THC. Hemp is cultivated and then refined into many products including wax, resin, cloth, pulp, paper, rope, fuel, and oil. Hemp seeds are considered a superfood by many due to their high protein, fiber, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid and antioxidant potency. It is important to note that hemp plants – not the seeds – are high in beneficial cannabinoids, including CBD. If you purchase straight hemp seed oil, it will not contain any CBD.
Marijuana
The word ‘marijuana’ sparks controversy today as a pejorative term due to its origination in US politics and racism against Mexican culture. Cannabis had enjoyed a long history of highly regarded medical use until the early 1900s. Cannabis-based treatments were being developed by many major pharmaceutical companies at the turn of the century. Shortly after that, a large wave of Mexican immigration into the United States sparked considerable resentment. The Mexican people brought with them their traditions and their culture which included smoking cannabis. The rancor hit a breaking point during the Great Depression as unemployment escalated and people feared job loss to immigrants. The Federal Bureau of Narcotics was created in 1930, with director Harry Anslinger stigmatizing ‘marijuana’ use as associated with ‘the violence, crime and dangerous tendencies of the Mexican and lower-class communities.’ By 1931, possession of cannabis became illegal in 29 states. The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 soon followed placing a huge tax on cannabis, making it too expensive to produce. In the 1960s, Richard Nixon set out to further vilify marijuana by associating its use with anti-war hippie and black communities who he considered his antagonists. His ‘War on Drugs’ enabled him to raid their homes and sentence them to prison. Despite the fact that the Marihuana Tax Act was struck down as unconstitutional in 1969, Nixon continued his effort to criminalize possession of cannabis by ushering in the Controlled Substances Act in 1970. The ‘War on Drugs’ continued through the Reagan era of the 1980s with white conservatives rallying to uphold ‘traditional upper-class family values,’ positioning marijuana as ‘the devil’s weed’. Even now, racial overtones continue sparking controversy with statements made such as, “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime.” Today, cannabis plant possession with more than 0.3% THC is still federally illegal and regulated. The name marijuana is still associated with high THC cannabis, as are more than 1200 terms such as weed, herb, ganga, pot, and Mary Jane.
Cannabinoids
A very diverse chemical family of natural as well as artificially created substances that act on the endocannabinoid system of the body. At least 113 different cannabinoids isolated from cannabis have been identified. Different cannabinoids exhibit different effects, with some proven to have soothing and relaxing properties.
THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol)
First isolated and synthesized in 1964, THC has been found to be the most abundant cannabinoid in the cannabis plant. It is the strongly psychoactive cannabinoid found in the resin produced by the leaves and buds primarily of the female cannabis plant. THC is responsible for the “high” one gets from smoking or ingesting cannabis, therefore its production and usage are strictly regulated.
Terpenes
Aromatic chemicals in various plants that provide scent, flavor, and wellness benefits ranging from calming to energizing. The smell of lavender, citrus, pine needles, and mint, for example, are all due to the presence of terpenes. Because terpenes produce vibrant smells, they form the basis of many essential oils and are an integral part of aromatherapy. Inhaling the scents from some plants and essential oils may affect a person’s mood and stress levels. Over 100 different terpenes have been identified in the cannabis plant, including myrcene, pinene, caryophyllene, limonene, linalool, bisabolol and terpinolene. Many experts believe that terpenes are responsible for considerably more benefits beyond those provided by cannabinoids alone, thereby supporting the ‘entourage effect’.
The Entourage Effect
A term first used by Dr. Raphael Mechoulam and then popularized by neurologist Dr. Ethan Russo who in 2011 published a paper in the British Journal of Pharmacology called Taming THC. The entourage effect refers to the enhanced benefits that occur when CBD, THC, terpenes and other naturally occurring compounds found in cannabis are taken together. The constituents become more than the sum of their parts, working in synergy to amplify their combined effect. Dr. Russo made the case for studying various phytocannabinoid-terpinoid interactions that could potentially one day offer treatment for the management of pain, inflammation, depression, anxiety, addiction, epilepsy, cancer, fungal and bacterial infections.
CBD Isolate
Describes pure CBD. Does not contain terpenes, THC, flavonoids or any other cannabinoids than cannabidiol.
Broad Spectrum
Describes the oil that is extracted from the whole hemp plant to include a broad range of cannabinoids and hemp compounds but excludes all traces of THC.
Full Spectrum
Describes the oil that is extracted from the whole hemp plant to contain the same cannabinoids and compounds, such as terpenes, vitamins, essential fatty acids and phytonutrients, as the original hemp plant. May include trace amounts of THC if the source plant material contains trace amounts of THC.
Psychoactive
Any chemical substance that can enter the brain from the bloodstream and directly affect the central nervous system. A psychoactive effect can range from being extremely mild to extremely severe. Many psychoactive substances have medical applications (such as anesthetics, psychiatric drugs, etc.), but some of these substances are used solely for recreation, potentially causing dangerous side effects and addiction.
Intoxicating
Any substance that can cause you to lose control of your faculties and alter your behavior. Many illegal drugs have intoxicating properties, although worldwide most intoxication cases are attributed to alcohol. Intoxication can be caused by substances that directly affect the brain (i.e., psychoactive) or by indirectly causing damage to your body (i.e., through toxicity, hence the term).
CBD is extracted and separated from specific varieties of cannabis. CBD is the second most abundant compound in cannabis, typically representing up to 40% of its extracts. The most abundant constituent of cannabis is the cannabinoid known as THC, an intoxicating and illegal substance that is responsible for causing cannabis consumers to get “high.”
Many people tend to mistake CBD for THC, because both are cannabinoids derived from the cannabis plant. This has created an unwarranted stigma around CBD. It is important to know that at the time of this writing there is no known evidence that CBD taken alone will lead to intoxication, though as with many other compounds, it may have negative side effects and counter-indications if taken in very large doses.
Your body is home to a complex biological system known as the endocannabinoid system, which was only discovered in 1992. It turns out that the endocannabinoid system comprises a variety of receptors that trigger physiological reactions, thereby inducing the various effects of cannabinoids.
The two main receptors in the endocannabinoid system are CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors are believed to be found mainly in the brain and nervous system while CB2 receptors are believed to be found mainly in the immune system. The diagram below provides a snapshot of potential CB1 and CB2 receptor influence throughout the human body as well as in the skin.
Where THC directly affects these receptors, CBD has a subtler, more indirect approach. Instead of attaching to these receptors, CBD affects how these receptors signal the body and its chemicals. Furthermore, CBD increases the production of the body’s own cannabinoids by blocking the enzymes that can break them down.
Along with its indirect effects on endocannabinoid receptors, CBD also influences other common receptors in the brain and body. This includes the opioid receptors, which play a role in regulating the sensation of pain, and serotonin receptors, which plays an active role in regulating mood.
CBD has a particularly low potential for binding with the CB1 and CB2 receptors, but instead acts as an antagonist of the receptors’ agonists. This means that CBD keeps the receptors working at optimal capacity and helps the function of all other cannabinoids, including the body’s own endocannabinoids. As a result, CBD can help the body maintain homeostasis, which is the ideal balance between interdependent elements in the body.
When we become stressed, our brains release cortisol, which is the compound responsible for how we feel when we are anxious. Cortisol can be helpful when we need to react quickly to a dangerous situation; however too much disrupts the natural balance of our body and mind which can result in serious health problems. When certain endocannabinoids are introduced into the body, it not only helps provide stress relief, it also helps to manage our perception of stress so that we can look at situations with clearer minds and make calmer decisions.
On a genetic level, there is no difference between hemp and marijuana. The distinction is purely legal. Simply stated, in the U.S., hemp is defined as a Cannabis sativa L. plant not containing more than 0.3% total THC that is grown under the auspices of the 2014 or 2018 Farm Bill. The European Union has set the limit at 0.2%, while in Great Britain the limit is zero, unless growers have a cultivation license grow industrial hemp with no more than 0.2% THC. Marijuana is the slang term that refers to cannabis grown to contain a variety of levels of THC and is regulated pursuant to state medical cannabis or adult-use cannabis programs. Hemp grown under the 2014 or 2018 Farm Bill is exempt from regulation under the federal Controlled Substances Act, while marijuana/cannabis, even if state-legal, remains classified as a Schedule I substance under the CSA and is thus federally illegal.
There’s a very complicated answer to this very simple question! In the US, CBD derived from hemp (with <0.3% THC by dry weight) is considered a legal cannabinoid. CBD derived from marijuana (with >0.3% THC by dry weight) is illegal federally, but could be state-legal, depending on the state. The United States Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, simply known as the Farm Bill, legalized industrial hemp nationwide in the US. However, the Drug Enforcement Agency still considers CBD a Schedule I controlled substance. To add to the complexity, state-by-state laws differ from the federal law. Numerous states have enacted legislation that allows for the use of hemp and hemp-derived products, including CBD. At the time of this writing, just three states (Idaho, South Dakota, and Nebraska) forbid any access to cannabis, including hemp-derived CBD products. Eleven states and D.C. currently allow for both medical and adult-use (recreational) use of cannabis, including hemp-derived CBD products: Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Washington D.C. The other 36 states allow for restricted use of medical cannabis in some form, though some relegate use to CBD oil only. It is important to know and abide by state-by-state laws when contemplating use of CBD.
And now for the fun legal stuff:
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Disclaimer: Statements on this website have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, mitigate, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, nor are the products intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of man/woman or other animals. CANNABIDIOL USE WHILE PREGNANT OR BREASTFEEDING MAY BE HARMFUL. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. Humanist Beauty Herban Wisdom products include hemp extract that contain less than 0.3% THC. Products containing CBD or THC are not to be used by or sold to persons under the age of 21.
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