We’ve all seen our fair share of health products boasting ingredients like ginseng, licorice root, maca and ashwaghanda. Whether you’re already obsessed or are still on the fence, high has you covered with everything you need to know about adaptogens and your skin.

So, What Are Adaptogens...Really?

Adaptogens have been a top health and wellness trend for years, but there’s really nothing new here – you just knew them as ‘superfoods’ before.

Basically,  adaptogens are non-toxic natural plants that adapt to help your body fight off different kinds of stress which allows it to ultimately recover. The key word here is ‘adapt’ which means that they acclimate to changing conditions, sort of like a one-size-fits-all ingredient.

According to experts from the European Medicines Agency, the common thread between all adaptogens is that they are nontoxic in normal doses. The same experts report that specific adaptogens don’t trigger your body to respond to certain types of stress in any one, particular way. Instead, adaptogens increase your body’s ability to handle various types of stresses which reduces the total effect that this stress has on your body. Most importantly, adaptogens normalize your body’s natural processes so that you’re able to heal from the damage this stress caused, and better resist stress in the future too.

Say I'm Interested...How Do I Use Them?

Adaptogens are plants (often roots, herbs or mushrooms) which are typically sold in the form of a powder or pill meant to be ingested. They have a reputation for tasting pretty … earthy, and some are known to interact with certain types of medications so it’s important to do your own research and talk to a doctor before deciding to take them.

What you probably didn’t know is that some adaptogens can be much more effective when you apply them topically to your skin. You already know what our favorite is…Cannabis sativa!

Topical Adaptogens are Skincare Game Changers.

Your skin deals with way more stress than you might know. Think free radicals, UV rays, smog, cold, dry winter air and more. While you may not feel the typical emotions associated with stress from these things, your skin lets you know in its own “fun” little way that it’s unhappy. Keep in mind, these stressors are all in addition to the physiological stress you experience emotionally. Stress causes cortisol levels in the body to spike, which has a number of implications for the skin including triggering oil production.

Common conditions like acne, redness, dull skin, rosacea, eczema, uneven texture, irritation, loss of hydration and impaired wound healing are results of your skin’s inflammatory response to stress. Sadly, most of us overlook the underlying issue of inflammation and unintentionally stress our skin out more by using harsh exfoliating scrubs, chemical-filled face creams and acne medications.

When you apply an adaptogen like Cannabis sativa seed oil to your skin, the same stress-eliminating process that happens inside your body begins to happen to your skin too. Neutralizing the inflammation caused by stress is an important step, because it allows your skin to repair itself. This not only reduces visible signs of inflammation in your skin, but it means your skin will be better able to protect itself from future stress.

Cannabis sativa is Your Adaptogenic Soulmate.

The skincare results I see formulating with Cannabis sativa seed oil are above and beyond anything I have seen in my 30+ year career as a natural beauty formulator – which is the reason I formulated high.

I use Cannabis Sativa seed derivatives sourced from the seeds of legal Cannabis sativa (hemp) plants where THC and CBD are not found. While these two things may be beneficial for other uses, when it comes to skincare and skin health, there is no additional benefit.

Cannabis Sativa seed oil (commonly known as hemp seed oil) is revolutionary specifically for skin health because of its adaptogenic qualities and naturally-high concentrations of nutrients that our skin needs for healthy function.  It contains powerful levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-6, omega-3, omega-9, linoleic acid, and even gamma linoleic acids (GLA’s) rarely found in natural oils. Made up of 80% polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), its perfect 3:1 ratio of omega-6 (linoleic acid) to omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) EFAs mean it absorbs deep into the skin, where it balances and repairs the skin’s natural barrier while also neutralizing inflammation. Even more, it delivers potent antioxidants, bioflavonoids, vitamins and essential fatty acids to help repair skin cells so that your skin can heal, and better protect itself in the future.