There’s something extremely important to keep in mind when shopping for quality CBD products.
All CBD brands are not created equal.
While there are plenty of legitimate companies out there you can trust, there are quite a few you can’t.
Sure, CBD products that contain less than 0.3% THC are now legal under the 2018 Farm Bill, there still isn’t much regulation when it comes to CBD.
This means that anyone can start a CBD brand and claim they offer high-quality products…even if they don’t.
At CBD School, part of our mission is to provide consumers with all the information they need to know about making informed buying decisions when it comes to CBD.
There are some AMAZING brands out there doing great things with awesome products. When you know what to look for in a trusted brand, it can make it much easier to purchase the high quality products you deserve as a consumer.
Following are some things to look for when choosing a CBD brand you can trust.
How To Find A Trusted CBD Brand
When shopping for CBD, ask yourself the following questions to ensure you’re choosing products that are offered by a brand you can trust.
Who Is The Company?
Before you think about buying CBD products, make sure you do a bit of research on the company itself. Most trustworthy brands will have a section on their website that tells consumers about their company. They’ll also have a website that is well put together, easy to navigate and full of all the information consumers need to know about their company and their products.
Who is the company? What is their mission? Do they prioritize profit over offering a genuine description of who they are and why they’re in the CBD business? Do they provide contact information and a quality guarantee? Are these actually people who are genuinely interested in CBD, or are they simply marketing experts looking to make money on a burgeoning industry?
You’ll be able to tell a lot about a CBD brand by taking the time to research who they are. Joy Organics is an excellent example of a trustworthy brand that has taken the time to let consumers know who they are by offering potential customers their story, as well as their commitment to quality products.
If you’re looking for quality CBD products, you’ve got to ensure you’re purchasing said products from a quality company. They’re definitely out there. You just need to do a bit of research to make sure you find the right one.
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Where Is The Hemp Sourced To Create A Brand’s Products?
Just as all CBD products are not created equal, all hemp is not created equal. Hemp sourcing is HUGE when it comes to choosing a brand that offers quality CBD products.
Something important to keep in mind is that hemp quality directly influences the hemp extract quality. Hemp is extremely adept at a process known as phytoremediation, meaning it soaks up everything in the soil it’s cultivated in. This means that if hemp plants are grown in contaminated oil, there’s a very real chance these contaminants will end up in any extracts produced from these plants.
If you want to choose a trusted CBD brand, make sure they divulge where their hemp is sourced to make their products. Hemp grown in the US is regulated far more than hemp grown overseas and is indicative of a quality you can trust.
Does the company cultivate their own hemp, or do they source it from a private grower? If it is sourced from someone else, does the company provide this information on their website?
When choosing a CBD brand you can trust, make sure you determine where the hemp is sourced to make their product, and always ensure the hemp is grown in US soil.
Does The CBD Brand Offer Third Party Lab Test Results On Their Website?
Seeing that the CBD industry isn’t yet regulated under federal law, the best way to safeguard the products are safe, pure and contain what the labels say they do is through third party lab test results.
Third party lab testing is done by an independent company, most often on batches of extracted oil. Third party labs typically test for the following:
- Cannabinoid Profile (confirming the product contains as much CBD that is listed on the label, less than 0.3% THC and the presence of other minor cannabinoids)
- Terpenes
- Pesticides
- Heavy Metals
- Biological Contaminants (molds, fungi, bacteria, etc.)
Keep in mind that third party testing isn’t required by CBD companies. That being said, trusted brands are doing it anyways, which is an excellent indication of a company’s integrity. If a brand does not list third party lab test results on their website that are easily accessible, you’ll want to find a brand that does.
Lab test results will come in the form of a Certificate of Analysis (COA) that is usually found by clicking the link to third party lab tests on a company’s website. COAs contain information about the testing lab, the CBD brand, the potency of the product and the cannabinoid profile. They will also contain information about any harmful contaminants like mold, bacteria, pesticides and heavy metals.
How Do You Read A CBD Product Label?
Product labels will offer the basics of your CBD product, including the product size (CBD is typically sold in 30ml bottles), how many milligrams of CBD your product contains, how many milligrams are contained in each milliliter or serving size, ingredients and if the product contains full spectrum CBD, broad spectrum CBD or CBD isolate.
While there aren’t many regulatory guidelines concerning CBD labeling, most brands offer product labels that read like a “dietary supplement.” On the back of the label you’ll find your dosage or recommended serving size, along with product ingredients. The front of the label often contains the company’s name and how many total milligrams are in the product itself.
It can be a bit tricky to figure out how much CBD is in each serving size, especially if you’re new to CBD. Let’s say you have a 1000mg CBD tincture in a 30ml bottle. To determine how much CBD is in each one milliliter dropper, you’d use the following formula: 1000mg ÷ 30ml = 33.33mg of CBD per one milliliter serving.
What Ingredients Does The Product Contain?
Product ingredients should be listed both on the company’s website and the label itself. Most CBD oil tinctures contain relatively simply ingredients, including a carrier oil (usually MCT coconut oil, hempseed or olive oil), hemp extract and flavoring. Honestly, this is all that’s necessary for a quality tincture. Any other added ingredients should be avoided.
Final Thoughts On Finding A Trusted CBD Brand
While there’s quite a bit involved with finding a CBD brand you can trust, doing your research can help you avoid purchasing low-quality CBD products.
Brand transparency, customer service, hemp sourcing and third party lab testing are all things to take into account when looking for a CBD brand you can trust and a product that supports your needs.
At CBD School, we’ve personally tested dozens of products from several different brands. Don’t want to put the effort in to determine which brand you should buy from? We get it. Check out our CBD product guides to find high-quality CBD products from the CBD brands you can trust.
