CBD cream and balm: what the research says about skin

CBD cream and balm put cannabidiol directly on the skin, where the body's own endocannabinoid system is active. Lab tests on human skin show that CBD passes into it, and small human studies report better skin hydration and less itch. The research is still developing, so think of CBD balm as skincare, not medicine.

We make a CBD balm, and our CBD oils are also cosmetics labelled for use on the skin. The skin is where the label, the law and most of the research point the same way. This guide explains what the studies show, how to use a CBD balm, and how to read the ingredient list, using our own product as the example.

What is CBD cream, and how is it different from balm and oil?

All three are ways of putting CBD on the skin. The difference is the base that carries the CBD. CBD dissolves in fats, not in water, so it always sits in the oily part of the product.

"Salve" and "balm" mean much the same thing. Many salves use beeswax. Our balm, CBD Skin, uses rice bran wax, which keeps it vegan. Because it contains no water, it is a balm rather than a cream.

Our CBD oils are cosmetics for use on the skin as well. Their label directions are two to three drops on the skin, two to three times a day. Choose a balm if you want a product that spreads and stays in place. Choose an oil if you want to count the CBD drop by drop. Our CBD oil dosage guide shows the CBD in each drop.

Can CBD pass through the skin?

Yes, into the skin at least. How much goes further, into the bloodstream, depends on the formula.

The skin has its own endocannabinoid system. Skin cells, hair follicles and sebaceous (oil) glands make endocannabinoids and carry the receptors they act on. Reviews describe this system as a regulator of how skin cells grow, mature and respond to irritation, and of the skin barrier (Bíró et al., 2009; Tóth et al., 2019). That is why CBD on the skin is studied at all. There is more on this in our guide to the endocannabinoid system.

CBD permeates human skin in the lab. In a 2004 lab study with samples of human skin, CBD passed through about ten times more readily than delta-8-THC. Adding ethanol increased the flow (Stinchcomb et al., 2004). A 2022 study tested a CBD cream and a CBD gel on artificial skin membranes and found moderate permeability. The choice of emulsifier and the pH affected how well CBD passed through and how stable it stayed (Kirk et al., 2022).

Topical is not the same as transdermal. A topical product is meant to act where you apply it. A transdermal product, such as a medicine patch, is designed to carry a substance through the skin into the blood. In a rat study, a CBD gel made for transdermal delivery raised blood CBD levels in step with the amount applied (Hammell et al., 2016). For ordinary creams and balms on human skin, blood levels have rarely been measured. A 2023 systematic review asked future trials to measure them (Scholfield et al., 2023; Filipiuc et al., 2023).

What do human studies of CBD on the skin show?

Human research is still at an early stage. Most studies are small, and several tested products that combine CBD with other active ingredients. These are the ones that looked at skin feel and comfort.

Hydration and the skin barrier. In the Palmieri study, people applied a CBD ointment twice a day for three months. Measured skin hydration and elasticity improved, and less water was lost through the skin, a common sign of a healthier barrier. There was no comparison group, so the study shows what changed, not how much of the change came from CBD (Palmieri et al., 2019).

Facial skin. Ten adults used a facial product with retinol and CBD for six weeks. Pores, dehydration, roughness and wrinkles were rated better, and nobody had tolerability problems. Retinol is an active ingredient in its own right, so this was a test of the combination (Few et al., 2022).

Itch. This is where the evidence is strongest. In a double-blind trial, 60 people with chronic itch linked to kidney disease used a cannabis-containing cream or a placebo cream for four weeks. Itch fell more with the cannabis cream, and no side effects were reported (Anumas et al., 2024). A 2025 meta-analysis pooled 17 studies with 3,359 people. Topical cannabinoid-based products gave a modest but statistically significant reduction in itch. For dryness and redness, the pooled results did not reach significance, and the authors called for larger, standardised trials (Sermsaksasithorn et al., 2025).

How well skin tolerates CBD. Researchers patch-tested several CBD products on healthy adults, including four strengths of CBD alone. None caused irritation or allergic sensitisation (Maghfour et al., 2021).

Antioxidant lab work. In skin cells exposed to UV light, CBD raised the activity of the cells' own antioxidant enzymes and limited damage to their fats (Jastrząb et al., 2019). A 5% CBD cream reduced UVB damage scores in mice (Li et al., 2022). CBD does not absorb UVB light, so it is not a sunscreen (Gohad et al., 2020). Keep using a proper sun protection product.

Recent reviews reach the same overall view. Lab and animal studies point to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and moisturising properties, and the number of clinical studies is growing but still small (Kuzumi et al., 2024; Baswan et al., 2020).

Does CBD cream help with sore joints and muscles?

This is one of the most common reasons people buy a CBD balm, and the research is at an early stage. In rats with an inflamed knee, a CBD gel reduced joint swelling and pain-related behaviour (Hammell et al., 2016). The first randomised trial in people was a pilot with 18 adults who had arthritis at the base of the thumb. They used a CBD cream with shea butter for two weeks and shea butter alone for two weeks. With CBD, pain and hand-function scores improved more, and there were no side effects (Heineman et al., 2022). Our guide to CBD for joints covers these studies in more detail. Ongoing joint pain needs a doctor's assessment.

Can CBD cream help with acne, eczema or psoriasis?

These are skin conditions, and a cosmetic balm is not a treatment for them. The research is interesting, though. In human oil-gland cells, CBD reduced oil production and had anti-inflammatory effects (Oláh et al., 2014). The Palmieri study above included people with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Our guide to CBD for skin goes through acne, eczema, psoriasis and rosacea one by one. If you have a diagnosed skin condition, ask a dermatologist before adding a new product.

How do you use CBD cream or balm?

1. Try a small area first. Apply a little to the inside of your forearm and wait 24 hours. This matters most if your skin is sensitive, because many balms contain plant extracts and essential oils.
2. Start with clean, dry skin. The balm spreads more evenly and nothing is trapped under it.
3. Use a small amount. A balm melts on contact with warm skin. Massage it in until it is absorbed.
4. Repeat as the label says. For CBD Skin, that is up to four times a day.
5. Wash your hands afterwards, and keep the balm away from your eyes and from broken or irritated skin.
6. Stop if your skin reacts. Redness, stinging or a rash after use, including after time in the sun, means the product does not suit you. This applies to any skin product.

Who should not use it. Our CBD balm is not for anyone under 18, and it should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. If you have a serious medical condition or take prescription medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist first. Our guides to CBD side effects and CBD and medication explain why.

How do you read a CBD cream label?

EU law sets out what a cosmetic label must show. The ingredient list uses standard INCI names and runs in descending order of weight. Ingredients under 1% may follow in any order (Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Article 19). This is the full list for our balm, as printed on the product page, with the common names added:

* certified organic ingredient. *** made using organic ingredients.

Four things to check on any CBD cream or balm:

• Where the CBD comes from. Look for "cannabidiol" or a hemp extract in the ingredient list. "Cannabis sativa seed oil" is hemp seed oil, pressed from the seeds for its fatty acids. It is a good skin oil, but the CBD comes from the extract.
• How much CBD there is. A serious label gives the CBD in mg per pack. CBD Skin holds 300 mg in 30 ml, which is about 10 mg per ml of balm.
• Batch number and expiry date. EU and UK rules require a batch number and a use-by date or, for long-lasting products, a period after opening. Our labels also print the CBD and THC content to two decimal places.
• Batch testing. Check that the maker tests every batch. For CBD Skin, every production batch is tested.

Is CBD cream legal in the EU and UK?

CBD creams and balms are sold as cosmetics. EU law defines a cosmetic as a product applied to the outside of the body to clean, protect, perfume or keep it in good condition, or to change its appearance. Before a cosmetic is sold, it needs a safety assessment and a product information file, and it must be notified to the European Commission through the Cosmetic Products Notification Portal (CPNP) (Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Articles 10, 11 and 13; European Commission, CPNP). Great Britain has its own notification service, SCPN, run by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS guidance).

Both sets of rules also say that a cosmetic's label and advertising must not imply characteristics or functions it does not have (Article 20). That is why a responsible CBD cream talks about skin care, not about treating a condition. CBD Skin is notified in the CPNP in the EU and in the SCPN in the UK.

How is our CBD balm made?

CBD Skin is made to ISO 22716, the good manufacturing practice standard for cosmetics. It is vegan, the ingredients marked on its label are certified organic, and it contains no THC. Read more about our quality control.

See our CBD balm and the rest of the range in CBD skincare.