Customers Drawn To New Beauty Products With CBD
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) - It could be the next big thing in beauty and wellness: CBD. Products containing the ingredient have been popping up everywhere including at mainstream retailers like CVS, Walgreens and Sephora.
The trending beauty section at Neiman Marcus features creams, serums, masks, and oils -- all selling the powers of CBD.
"It's great, customers come in here and I think they don't expect Neiman Marcus to be part of this new wave of this trend," said Sales Manager Liz Ha.
CBD is the compound derived from the cannabis plant that does not get users high. Neiman Marcus says sales have been strong since it introduced CBD-infused products in five of its stores at the end of last year.
"Most of our customers come in for pain relief and also for redness, irritation, inflammation for the skin, because those are really the product benefits that CBD has to offer," said Ha.
The Saint Jane Luxury Beauty Serum says it infuses organic botanicals with CBD to create calmness, and promises to make your face glow.
The hemp salve from Cannabliss hydrates the skin, and calms wounds, rashes and sunburns.
"Just to try something new, if it's a miracle product, why not have a go," said tourist and Neiman Marcus shopper Melissa Brady.
The CBD products at Neiman Marcus range from $24 to $125. The CBD industry is expected to hit $22 billion dollars over the next three years, according to Brightfield Group.
San Francisco-based marijuana delivery startup Eaze says since December 2018, its wellness branch has seen a 600 percent increase in demand, with nearly 75 percent of the orders coming from female customers.
"Patients are certainly looking for options that are more natural and that they feel comfortable with using. I think that said, the science is not there to support their use at this time," said Dr. Dana Feigenbaum, Resident Physician at the UCSF Department of Dermatology.
Dr. Feigenbaum says there are many anecdotal reports of people having success with CBD products. To date, there have been tests done on animals, and small randomized trials on humans.
"What we know from those limited studies is there might be some benefit for CBD and topical cannabis in the use of conditions like acne," said Dr. Feigenbaum. "In patients with inflammatory conditions, one of which is eczema or a form of sensitive skin, CBD has been helpful in terms of hydrating and decreasing the itch in those patients."
The CBD beauty industry is so new, the FDA is figuring out how to regulate it. The agency recently announced it's holding a public hearing for stakeholders to share their experiences and challenges at the end of May.