A Super Seed!
Hemp: it’s known as a miracle herb, a cure-all, a plant verging on the sacred! There are all kinds of claims made for hemp’s magical powers and certainly it’s been used for centuries to maintain general health and happiness.
But here’s the sixty-four thousand dollar question: can it help keep eczema under control?
Certainly there are hundreds of skincare creams and lotions that contain hemp seed oil extracted from the seeds of the cannabis sativa plant. This is definitely not to be confused with its more potent sibling which is derived from the leaves of the plant; in fact hemp seed oil contains only insignificant amounts of psychoactive elements so is perfectly safe and legal to use in skincare!
Hemp for Eczema
Several sound scientific studies have shown that hemp seed has major benefits for skin,both when taken internally and when absorbed through the skin in the form of a hemp oil cream. This is likely to be due to the essential fatty acids (EFAs) which hemp oil is so rich in and which are so good for maintaining good skin condition.
One nutritional expert puts it very well: “hemp seed oil is a natural moisturiser and can help to make your skin feel smooth and soft while acting as a barrier and preventing moisture loss. Hemp is also rich in vitamin D, which is necessary for calcium absorption to help achieve soft, smooth and hydrated skin.”
EFAs have other marvellous properties: another medical site explains that EFAs “help maintain good skin health by keeping cell membranes flexible. Essential fatty acids also help fight acne, minimize scarring, relieve pain and inflammation, and moisturize dry skin. They also contain anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial properties which help to keep skin healthy.”
All of that goodness can be potted up and made into a truly wonderful hemp skincare cream.
Pure & Simple
In fact, hemp is so useful and so widely accepted as an effective ingredient that many high-street stores now make their own hemp creams and moisturisers. However, check the ingredients listed in mass-produced hemp creams because they’re sure to contain a whole host of extras: preservatives, fragrances and emulsifiers that sensitive skins might react to. Not terribly helpful when you want a good hemp moisturiser that won't flare up your already sore or sensitive skin.
At Balmonds we use just hemp oil without the nasties. If you check Wikipedia, you’ll see that “hemp oil or hempseed oil is obtained by pressing hemp seeds. Cold pressed, unrefined hemp oil is dark to clear light green in color, with a nutty flavour. The darker the color, the grassier the flavour.”
And yes, the proof of the pudding is definitely in the colour and scent: we source rich, cold-pressed hemp seed oil to use in our skincare products; you can see it and smell it in the golden-green colour of our Skin Salvation ointment and in the rich tones of our Bath & Body Oil. We don’t add any extra fragrance to disguise the scent of honey or the nuttiness of the hemp: our products are quite clearly simple, natural and effective.
