The Best CBD Products Shopping Guide
Written by:
John Goss
1. DiolPure / 2. Green Compass / 3. Aspen Green / 4. Nacher Apothecary
(These are not listed in order of preference!)
The CBD oil industry has exploded over the last decade or so, and every brand promises that they make the BEST CBD product for all that ails you: insomnia, anxiety, pain, and more.
Unfortunately, too many brands are producing inexpensive and poor quality oil. Not only is this potentially unsafe, but these brands often produce ineffective results as well. In fact, studies showe that some 70% of CBD oils sold online are mislabeled!
The goal of this post is to help you find the best CBD product. We will cover what it is, what it does (and doesn’t do), and most importantly, how to find a safe, effective brand of hemp product.
First, let’s cover the basics.
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD, is a natural compound found in the cannabis plant. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the psychoactive component of cannabis, CBD does not produce a “high” sensation. CBD has become increasingly popular in recent years due to its potential health benefits, and it is now legal in many parts of the world.
Does CBD oil really do anything?
Yes. The very strongest scientific evidence is for CBD’s effectiveness in treating certain childhood epilepsy syndromes. In numerous studies, CBD has been shown to reduce or even stop seizures. (The FDA even approved the first ever cannabis-derived medicine for this use.) In addition, CBD may:
- Relieve pain. CBD interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system, which is responsible for regulating various functions, including pain sensation.
- Reduce anxiety. CBD has also been shown to have potential benefits for mental health.
- Kick an addiction. CBD may help reduce cravings for tobacco and heroin .
- Benefit the skin. CBD contains anti-inflammatory properties, which may help reduce inflammation and redness in the skin. This makes CBD potentially useful for treating skin conditions such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis.
Anecdotally, I know people who swear by CBD for everything from acne to menstrual pain.
So the bottom line is, yes, CBD has real, demonstrable therapeutic uses. But it’s critical that manufacturers have a solid understanding of how and why CBD works. Without this knowledge, their formulations may only be a guess rather than based in solid science. This can make all the difference between a very effective formulation and one that does nothing. (Lucky for you, there are four brands below that we are recommending.)
Is CBD oil safe?
While CBD is found in marijuana (it’s one of hundreds of compounds therein), it will not cause you to get high. The WHO concurs that “there is no evidence of public health related problems associated with the use of pure CBD.”
As of now, the FDA does not regulate the safety or purity of dietary supplements like CBD. So you have to find a manufacturer you trust to feel confident that the product you buy has active ingredients at the dose listed on the label.
When looking for the best CBD brand it is important to ask:
- Where do they source their hemp? It is important that the hemp comes from a U.S. registered hemp farm. During our search, we were shocked to see e-commerce sites that offered over 184,000 products from China to U.S. hemp distributors. We also prefer companies that use organic and sustainable farming practices. Avoid companies that are not transparent about their sourcing.
- How do they process their hemp? There are many ways to extract the CBD from hemp, but they are not all equally safe. Some brands use nasty solvents such as butane and ethanol. These solvents are often left in the final product.
- Do they third-party lab test their products? This is a major one. The best CBD brands will share their lab results, and the testing should be done at an independent and ISO-accredited lab. Make sure the lab’s contact information is included and the date of testing was recent.
- How much CBD/hemp oil is in each bottle? This is usually the biggest factor in the pricing of CBD oil. Some brands have more milligrams than others. Having a therapeutic dose is important to get the desired effect. By calculating how many milligrams are in each dose, you’ll be able to calculate how quickly you will go through your bottle and what value you are getting for your buck.
- What other ingredients are used? We have seen everything from sugar, alcohol, preservatives, artificial flavoring, and other Sneaky ingredients added to CBD oils. Sometimes other herbs or melatonin are included in CBD formulations, which can be fine but is worth noting. It’s important to check the label for unwanted ingredients as well as allergens.
CBD Vs. Hemp Oil
If you see hemp oil on a label, it usually indicates that the product contains oil from just the hemp seed, which means it won’t contain THC or CBD.
Hemp extract, on the other hand, comes from the plant not the seed, and therefore will contain CBD and a small amount of THC. CBD products will be called extracts or oils, since often the extract will contain oils, such as MCT oil.
For the purposes of this guide, we will use these terms interchangeably.
The Entourage Effect
If you start to research CBD, you’ll quickly learn about what scientists call the “entourage effect.” In a nutshell, this is when the interactions between the plant’s individual compounds work synergistically to magnify the therapeutic benefits. Basically, the medicinal impact of the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Terpenes are a type of molecule found in hemp, and they have their own therapeutic properties that can contribute to the entourage effect.
Most CBD oils also contain Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT). Here’s why: CBD and terpenes need to be delivered in an oil base that allows for optimal, healthy absorption into our systems. MCT is a saturated fatty acid derived from coconut oil and has numerous health benefits. It is easily absorbed into the body, making it the ideal carrier oil for CBD.
Is the Best CBD Full Spectrum?
There are three types of CBD: isolate, broad spectrum, and full spectrum.
CBD isolate is pure CBD, whereas broad and full spectrum contain other compounds from the hemp plant. Broad spectrum does not contain THC, but because full spectrum CBD contains all compounds, it does contain small amounts of THC.
Some people find that full-spectrum CBD is the most effective, but you can play around with different brands and see which ones you like best.
Best Stuff
Aspen Green
Aspen Green is based in Colorado, where they grow all of their hemp. They the CO2 method to extract CBD from only the flowers of the plant.
Aspen Green CBD is certified organic, and each batch is third-party tested for pesticides, metals, and mold.
Aspen Green’s line of CBD products include tinctures, gummies, topical balms, and products for pets. Note that all of Aspen Green’s products are full spectrum. The only flavors used by Aspen Green are essential oils (unflavored products are also available).
DiolPure
DiolPure is unique brand of CBD because it does not come from the cannabis plant.
DiolPure products contain PureForm CBD, which has been awarded the Clean Label Project Purity Award and the Certified THC-Free award. PureForm’s process uses a citrus-derived terpene called limonene to make its CBD via synthesis.
The result is a molecularly identical CBD without pesticides, mycotoxins, or THC. There are no class one or two solvents used in this process.
DiolPure comes in tincture or gummy form.
Green Compass
I was introduced to Green Compass earlier this year and am so impressed with this company. To start with, I love that Green Compass grows their own organic hemp in North Carolina.
Green Compass checks all our other boxes too–the only use the flower part of the cannabis plant, and they use the CO2 method of extraction. Green Compass has scannable third-party test results available on every single package of CBD they sell.
Green Compass sells a wide range of full-spectrum, broad-spectrum and isolate CBD products. (If you want to avoid even trace amounts of THC, you’d choose broad spectrum or isolates.)
Green Compass products come in tinctures, jellies, and topicals.
Nacher Apothecary
Use code GIMME for 15% off
Meticulously crafted CBD to deliver the best quality and therapeutic value.
Uses only use minimally processed full spectrum cbd from certified organic hemp.
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Okay Stuff
Bluebird Botanicals
Bluebird Botanicals is another third-party-tested brand, but it’s made of imported hemp.
Charlotte’s Web
Charlotte’s Web is one of the most well-known brands, and I know a lot of you are fans. Charlotte’s Web tests their US-grown hemp, and their formulas come in different strengths. Charlotte’s Web also makes a topical CBD as well as one for pets. One of the downsides to Charlotte’s Web is that they do not make specific formulas, and the higher concentration formulas are expensive. Finally, Charlotte’s Web uses natural flavors, which many people prefer to avoid.
Highline Wellness
Highline Wellness is a popular brand, and we like that they publish all of their independent testing results. However, Highline doesn’t specify where they grow their CBD, and it is not organic.
Sneaky Stuff
Due to a complete lack of regulation, anyone can create a CBD brand right now by buying untested extracts. This makes the list of Sneaky Stuff brands too long to list. A few brands that got into trouble are Diamond CBD and Ultra CBD. And Q Sciences uses sodium benzoate in their formula.
Stay sane,
John, Certified Holistic Health Coach
Note: This article contains affiliate links or sponsored content, which means that if you make a purchase, we may earn a commission. We only recommend products that meet our strict standards for non-toxicity and that we use (or want to use!) ourselves. Thank you so much for supporting the brands that make Good Stuff!
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70 responses to “The Best CBD Products Shopping Guide”
Hugely disappointed in this article. I was hoping for several options that you tested, but this just looks like you’re pushing one company because you’re clearly benefiting from the sales – you’re selling it through your site. Not cool.
I would also appreciate to see what other brands were researched and to know which were good, better, best, bad and sneaky! This is always so helpful in your articles! I’m especially interested to see what you learned about hempworks! Thanks!
I agree with Casey. I became skeptical as soon as you noted that you are now selling that particular CBD oil in your store…
We’ve added some new brands above and will continue to review more!
Nuleaf is reputable as well as Haleigh’s hope . Please do more research before posting just one.
RE: Consumer Labs. I like them alot and I have found them reliable and helpful but unfortunately, while they do “extensive” testing on the products they test, they don’t do “extensive” testing on a wide enough variety of each product category, and only update testing results (with new tests) in most cases, every two years. Also, Consumer Labs by and large only does testing on products that the companies themselves pay a fee to Consumer Labs to test. (Consumer Labs then goes and purchases the products directly off the shelf – for random sampling quality standards). So, many times you won’t find the product you use tested, either because the company hasn’t contracted with Consumer Labs or Consumer Labs hasn’t done more recent testing on the product category, (yet).
Hi John,
What other brands did you look into? Appreciate the info, though this does come across as an attempt to get in on the latest craze with the heavy marketing for one “best” partner brand that you sell in your store and no mention of other good or bad options that you came across. Hopefully an update will come soon including broader research bc I do appreciate the less biased posts of this site.
Thank you
What does you guys think of Ojai Energetics CBD and Sol CBD Oil? Both are supposed to be very clean – I was using Sol for a while and now Im trying Ojai Energetics.
Is there any third party testing for purity and concentration on this product? Consumerlabs.com does extensive testing and I don’t remember seeing this brand on their list. Speaking to the owner is not a sufficient for making sure there are no dangerous compounds in the product and the concentration is consistent with that which is labeled. Thanks.
It’s in the paragraph called components and testing
Which one would you use for pain
The relief spray or balm works best.
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