Hemp-derived CBD is now legal, and the substance has shown promise in treating health problems such as inflammation. But what effect does it have on skin?

Cannabidiol, or CBD, has been seeing widespread use as an additive in everything from beverages to pet food, with manufacturers claiming to address a specific ailment such as anxiety, inflammation, pain, and lack-of-sleep. The beauty and personal care products has not been unaffected by the CBD rush, with at least one analyst predicting that CBD-infused products on track to capture 15% of the $167 billon skin care market. But can CBD improve skin health and appearance?

Demand for CBD-infused beauty and cosmetics is hardly in doubt, with major retailers such as CVS, Walgreens, and Sephora adding or planning to add CBD products to their lineup. Hemp-derived CBD is now legal, and the substance has shown promise in treating health problems such as inflammation. Its scientific and anecdotal success also makes CBD prone to become the next health gimmick.

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Studies showing CBD’s effect on skin conditions are scant, with one major study often cited as demonstrable evidence of the cannabinoid’s curative properties on the skin. That study showed promise as the compound reduced the skin’s production of cells, the mechanism behind psoriasis. Why CBD is effective against psoriasis is not quite yet understood, with researchers concluding that more studies need to be done. Another popularly cited study shows promise with CBD reducing acne.

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For consumers, gauging CBD’s efficacy can prove difficult, as it is often added along with more conventional skin care ingredients that have longer track record, such as copper peptide, salicylic acid, or retinol. Hemp seed oil, an ingredient that is also used in skin care products, does not contain CBD, but is an effective skin moisturizer, but is also derived from cannabis, which might create confusion.

There doesn’t seem to be a downside to using CBD-infused products, save a possibly lighter wallet with no positive benefits, so consumers interested in trying CBD don’t seem to have much of a health risk in trying products infused with the cannabis-derived compound, but look for brands that actually have CBD and not just hemp oil or other hemp ingredients that do not contain cannabidiol.