The Top 7 Hemp Seed Oil Brands
There are times when we come across certain products or even terms that we are not familiar with. For some of us, hemp oil or hemp seed oil is one of them and if you’re curious to know more about it, stick around as we’ll do our best to reveal all its secrets, including how and why can it be used as a cosmetic product.
What is Hemp Oil?
Hemp oil or hemp seed oil is a vegetable oil colored dark to clear light green, that smells nutty and obtained by crushing of the seeds of industrial Cannabis Sativa. It should be noted that a darker color of the oil comes with a more intense smell.
The oil can be refined as well, but in this case it will not only lack color and scent, but also its vitamins and antioxidants. This type of oil contains an insignificant quantity of THC, which is the psychoactive element in the plant, for which cannabis is known.
Extraction Methods
One of the first things to know about the extraction methods, is that the plants used are the ones with the lowest amounts of THC mentioned above. Another important thing to know about this oil is that the main process of obtaining it, is by pressing the seeds of the plant. In some cases, the seeds are cold pressed and sometimes the seeds are cleaned up to 99.99% of their THC content. This doesn’t change the hemp oil benefits.
There are more ways to extract hemp oil, but each method gives a different product. We’ll talk briefly about the various types of oil in the following section. During the process, and until the oil is bottled, nitrogen gas is used to flush the oil to remove the oxygen. To be considered a cold pressed oil, the process has to take place at under 50ºC, according to the American Oil Chemists Society.
Types
If you never came across this product, you might confuse it with hash oil or with cannabis flower essential oil. What they have in common is that all are derived from the same plant, but different parts and methods are used in the process. However, there are some people who might use the same name to refer to either one product because they’re not familiar with all the uses of the hemp plant, or they find this term more convenient.
There’s a big difference between this product and the hash oil. The later is obtained from the flowers of the plant, through a variety of extraction methods, has a different texture and serves other purposes. The hash oil is also called cannabidiol oil, or CBD oil for short.
The cannabis flower essential oil is also called hemp essential oil and its main characteristic is that it’s obtained through distillation. It’s mainly used externally for a variety of purposes, such as antimicrobial or as an insect repellent, and sometimes internally as medicine, usually as a sedative.
Hemp Oil Benefits and Where it is Used
There are several benefits observed by those who used this type of oil. Reduction of wrinkles and a smoother skin are the main reasons people use the oil.
Thinking of the hemp oil uses, we can mention the production of lubricants or plastics, when refined, and cooking when unrefined. While cooking with it, frying should be avoided as it burns fast. As food, it’s a good dietary supplement, it contains as much as 76% essential fatty acids, is low in calories and in saturated fats.
Hemp Oil Formula
This oil contains n-3 and n-6 essential fatty acids, especially linoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, gamma-linolenic acid, stearidonic acids, tocopherols and tocotrienols, phytosterols, phospholipids, carotenes, as well as minerals.
How to Dose
Dosing depends on the issue you want to treat. For instance, if you want to use it on your face to treat acne or some other skin condition, you’ll want to mix it with a few other solutions. For instance, if you want to cleanse your face with it, you only need to rub one teaspoon for a few minutes on your face and then rinse with hot water and a piece of cloth.
Other conditions, such as dermatitis, will require a prolonged use of the product, of about 20 weeks. While for eczema, you’ll need to apply a mixture of lavender essential oil (10 drops), with 5 drops of peppermint essential oil and a quarter or hemp seed oil.
As Face Care
Those trying to fight away the signs of ageing, should consider using hemp oil for skin. However, its use for this purpose has to start when the lines are still fine. This is because this oil contains 2 acids that the human body doesn’t produce: linoleic acid and oleic acid, and there is no better source to obtain these from.
People with oily skin really like to use this product as a moisturizer because their faces don’t get more clogged, despite using an oil. It’s used both as a cleanser and as a moisturiser, though acne sufferers noticed their skin improving after regular use of this product. Additionally, this oil will tighten large pores, leaving a smoother looking face.
As Hair Care
Hair can also benefit from the oil of industrial hemp. For this purpose, you’ll mostly need to use a shampoo containing it. However, if you decide to use the oil itself, do know that you can apply it directly on the hair and the scalp to moisturise them without making either feel sticky.
Additionally, the hair is strengthened and encouraged to grow when using this type of oil. To promote hair growth, the oil must be included in the diet. Those living in dry climates will benefit the most from using the product on their hair as it will maintain its moisture and it won’t break anymore.
Skin Care with Hemp Oil
If you’re interested in hemp seed oil skincare, do know there’s been a study that showed that people suffering from atopic dermatitis had reduced symptoms after 20 weeks of consuming edible hemp oil. We shouldn’t forget that this product is also rich in omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.
Eczema and rough patches are also healed or improved with this natural oil. For eczema, you’ll have to use the mix we described earlier, twice a day on the affected skin. It can also heal rashes when applied in a similar manner.
People with varicose veins should either include this oil in their diet or apply it on the affected areas. Its high content of omega fatty acids will thin out the blood, preventing it from building up on valves.
How to Choose a Hemp Oil
Before consuming or even buying hemp seed oil, you should talk to a doctor. Those having issues with their hearts are most advised to do so.
Depending on how you want to use it – on your body or in your diet, you can choose products that contain this oil or you can directly buy the edible hemp seed oil. For best results, it’s best to choose an organic one.
Summary
Discovering the many properties of this oil, one would wonder why isn’t it more popular. It’s easy to see how a single item can replace several beauty products that may not even be as good for your skin as they claim to be.
