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There’s been no shortage of CBD products hitting the market in recent years, from tampons and gummies to cold brew coffee and CBD chocolate.
Now, you can even buy a CBD face mask. Playa London – a company that usually dedicates its time to making organic cotton shirts – is selling an “anti-viral stress relief mask to help fight Covid-19”.
The masks are said to be “infused with microparticles of CBD” to de-stress wearers during the pandemic – as well as being “ergonomically designed so that they do not smudge lipstick and makeup”.
Playa’s new mask is just one of a number of CBD products being marketed to help the public deal with coronavirus anxiety – with CBD-infused vape liquids, oils and moisturisers all being pushed hard by sellers right now.
We’re all looking for ways to destress at the moment, so we’re unsurprised to hear that CBD sales are growing. Pure Sport CBD, a company selling CBD oils and capsules, says sales have grown almost 25% during the pandemic.
But it’s important to remember that not all CBD products are created equal. Wellness CBD products (available off-the-shelf in stores and online) are very different from the CBD-based medications prescribed for conditions such as epilepsy, which have gone through clinical trials.
Critics have long pointed out that the CBD wellness industry is largely unregulated in the UK, with “little evidence” these products work.
“These [wellness products] typically contain low concentrations of CBD mixed in with other cannabinoids, and there are wide variations in what they contain,” Professor Philip McGuire, an expert in psychiatry and cognitive neuroscience at King’s College London, previously told HuffPost UK.
“It’s often difficult to know what the concentration of the different ingredients in these preparations is from just looking at the product label.”
In 2019, the Food Standards Agency urged members of the public to “think carefully” before using off-the-shelf CBD products and said you shouldn’t be taking them at all if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking any medication.
CBD does have its fans though, and you’ll find thousands of advocates online singing its praises, claiming products have helped them deal with stress, anxiety and chronic pain.
Dr Chandni Hindocha, a research fellow investigating CBD at UCL, and Professor McGuire, told HuffPost UK the positive reviews may be down to a placebo effect. In reality, we just don’t have the research to say for certain.
Until more studies are conducted, you may want to avoid wasting your money and use our self-care toolkit for looking after your wellbeing instead.
And remember, studies have shown that a homemade cotton mask is effective for limiting the spread of Covid-19, so don’t be afraid to keep it simple.