Trying to buy CBD products can get overwhelming, quick, particularly when it comes to topical creams and lotions. But never fear – High There has you covered.
Our review roundup of the best CBD creams available will tell you everything you need to know to make an informed purchase, with a variety of different styles and strengths we think make up some of the best CBD topicals on the market. Let’s dig in.
Note: the products in this article have been independently selected and featured editorially. Making a purchase using a link in this article may earn us a commission.
What is CBD Cream?
CBD cream is, much like the name suggests, a topical cream or lotion containing cannabidiol, or CBD. Typically designed to relieve localized aches and pains, CBD creams usually combine their cannabidiol content with other ingredients such as essential oils and vitamins.
Aiming for both pain relief and skincare, most CBD lotions will both offer soothing relief and leave skin feeling soft, smooth and moisturized. Though some may be designed for specific areas of the body, such as the lips or feet, typically a CBD topical product can be applied anywhere on the external body. Be wary of getting the lotion in any orifices (such as the eyes) or open wounds on the skin, as most CBD creams will contain products that can be irritating if applied to highly sensitive or broken skin.
Will CBD Cream Make Me Feel High?
Absolutely not. Our article on “
” goes into greater detail on this topic but to summarize, first it’s important to understand the differences between CBD and other cannabinoids.The cannabis plant produces a wide variety of cannabinoids, from THC to CBD to CBN and CBA and many others (over 100 unique cannabinoids discovered and counting). Many of these cannabinoids carry a psychoactive component, meaning they will work to make you high when ingested/smoked/etc. CBD will not.
Due to the way CBD interacts with the human cannabinoid system it literally cannot, will not get someone high. The cannabinoid THC interacts with our body’s CB1 cannabinoid receptors, ultimately disrupting the regular flow of electrical and chemical energy that helps govern our brain and body. CBD will only interact with our CB2 receptors, located not on the brain but all through-out the body. These receptors can help to regulate mood, reduce soreness and tension, and offer other benefits… but getting high is not among them, on a very base, biological level.
Will CBD Cream Help With Pain?
Though research into CBD is still ongoing and incomplete, early studies do show that CBD has several anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties.
A topical cream is one of the easiest ways to take in CBD without having to ingest, smoke, or vaporize your cannabinoids, and allow for precision-targeting of painful areas on the body.
How Did We Choose the Best CBD Creams?
First and foremost, our list does not feature any company unwilling to provide verifiable laboratory results for their products. Unscrupulous companies plague the legal cannabinoid market, with contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides, and other undesirable ingredients sadly common.
Laboratory testing, preferably third-party, is a vital part of proving the safety of any cannabis product. With the CBD (and cannabis in general) market mostly unregulated by the US government there is very little federal oversight for companies producing dangerous, potentially harmful products; worse, tales of manufacturers falsifying their testing results are also not unheard of, making verifiable laboratory tests of any cannabis-related product an important way of protecting your health when making a purchase.
We also looked at factors such as:
- Ease-of-use: How difficult is this product to use? Would someone with medical needs have a difficult time opening, applying, or otherwise handling/using this product?
- Quality of ingredients: Many CBD lotions will offer GMO-certified or all-organic labels on their products but this isn’t always the case. Overall we prefer products that include fewer ingredients, as this implies a simpler, more focused product, but as most extraneous ingredients in any skincare product are usually related to aesthetic purposes such as scent, a longer ingredient list doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
- CBD content: More isn’t always better and less isn’t always worse. We’ve attempted to find a wide variety of products to fit a wide array of product types, ease-of-use, and overall budget, with CBD offerings ranging from 100mg all the way to 3000mg (yes, really; one of our chosen products has three thousand milligrams of CBD per ounce).
CBDistillery’s CBDol Topical CBD Salve
Best overall
CBDistellery’s CBDol topical CBD salve is designed to help relieve symptoms of muscle fatigue including soreness and tension, while reducing overall stress.
Their balm has an invigorating combination of eucalyptus, camphor and rosemary with hints of mint and grapefruit that keep both mind and body feeling refreshed. Each container of CBDol has 500 total milligrams in a 1 ounce, screw-on-lid container, making it one of the strongest CBD lotions on our list.
Cornbread Hemp’s CBD Lotion (Menthol)
ORGANIC & FLOWER-ONLY
Lemongrass, menthol and eucalyptus make for a relaxing, refreshing combination in Kentucky-based Cornbread Hemp’s fully-organic CBD lotion.
Proudly proclaiming “no parabens, no preservatives, no seeds, no stems”, Cornbread’s trademarked “flower-only™” hemp cream is made, appropriately, from pure hemp flower (unlike most other CDB sources which include the majority of the hemp plant, stems and all).
Each two-ounce jar contains 500 milligrams of CBD, and for those looking to save Cornbread offers a discounted monthly subscription rate.
Cheef Botanicals CBD Salve
SIMPLE AND STRONG
If you want a super-strong CBD lotion with a simple list of ingredients, Cheef Botanicals may have your solution.
Each jar contains 2 ounces of their topical CBD cream and is available in either a 500mg “regular strength”, a 1000mg “extra strength”, or an absolutely whopping 2000mg “maximum strength” size.
Though the glass jar Cheef Botanicals packs their lotion in may not be the best for easy transportation any and all quibbles about packaging pale in comparison to the sheer amount of CBD contained within.
Cheef also has one of the shortest ingredients lists in our round-up – Good for those who like to keep it simple when it comes to their topicals.
Medterra’s Relief + Recovery Roll On
EASY TO APPLY
Medterra’s Relief + Recovery Roll On is designed for quick convenience, while not sacrificing the usual Medterra quality.
Available in either a 250mg or 500mg strength, the cooling power of the included menthol is quickly felt on the skin, while the hints of lavender offer a relaxing scent. Easy to apply and carry, the roll-on applicator is perfect not only for CBD users on the go, but for medical patients who may have difficulties applying traditional, oily creams.
FAB CBD’s Topical Cream
Citrus Fresh Scent
FAB CBD’s topical cream is a wonderful delight for those tired of minty, herbaceous scents; with the fresh aromas of chamomile and blood orange this is a cream meant to invigorate and help ease deep-seated aches and pain.
A Colorado-based company FAB’s organically-grown, full-spectrum lotion packs a healthy amount of CBD into it’s 2oz jar – 600mg in total, making their overall strength a bit higher than most competing brands.
As with all brands on our list, FAB CBD offers verified laboratory testing results, ensuring the quality of their overall product.
Joy Organics Unscented CBD Cream
PERFECTLY UNSCENTED
FAB CBD’s topical cream is a wonderful delight for those tired of minty, herbaceous scents; with the fresh aromas of chamomile and blood orange this is a cream meant to invigorate and help ease deep-seated aches and pain.
A Colorado-based company FAB’s organically-grown, full-spectrum lotion packs a healthy amount of CBD into it’s 2oz jar – 600mg in total, making their overall strength a bit higher than most competing brands.
As with all brands on our list, FAB CBD offers verified laboratory testing results, ensuring the quality of their overall product.
CBDfx Muscle & Joint Cooling Formula
ALL VEGAN, EXTRA STRONG
Another menthol-scented cream, CBDfx differentiates itself from the competition with their “Muscle & Joint Cooling Formula” by including unique ingredients such as caffeine and white willow bark.
With an all-vegan, cruelty-free list of ingredients (and full lab tests available on their website) CBDfx is a great option for anyone looking to ease muscle fatigue and relieve pain associated with cramps and other forms of tightness in the body.
Each 1.7oz bottle comes with your choice of either 500mg, 1000mg, or three whole thousand milligrams of CBD – Easily the most concentrated product in our roundup.
Wrapping Up
Again, there are a lot of CBD products on the market to choose from, and getting lost when wandering through your local store is a common occurrence.
Just remember: The legal cannabinoid market is highly unregulated, and the most important step you can take when purchasing a CBD product is to protect yourself. Buy CBD products only from trusted vendors & sources, making sure that their laboratory testing results are both recent and easily verified.
We hope we’ve helped you find some new favorites to enjoy with our roundup. Make sure to take a look at our articles below for more great CBD-related information and content.