Anyone who\u2019s reading this review probably knows the difference between pot and CBD<\/a>.<\/p>\n
They\u2019re each derived from a variety of the cannabis plant, but cannabidiol (the full name for CBD) is extracted from the hemp plant rather than the marijuana plant. It doesn\u2019t get you high, because hemp contains very little psychoactive THC<\/a>. CBD only delivers medicinal and health benefits.<\/p>\n
And when Mary\u2019s Medicinals launched Mary\u2019s Nutritionals, the CBD arm of its business, its staff included a number of cannabis experts already skilled in the company\u2019s medical marijuana operation. The company quickly earned praise for its therapeutic CBD topical products<\/a> \u2013 and has continued to grow ever since.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s dig into the details of this CBD producer.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve already touched on one of the elements that define the company\u2019s approach: expertise. Ever since the founding of Mary\u2019s Medicinals in 2013 and Mary\u2019s Nutritionals in 2015, the firms have relied on cannabis specialists, scientists, and botanists to help shape their farming and manufacturing techniques, as well as product development.<\/p>\n
Among those experts: in-house chemists who are deeply involved in both research and design efforts, and continual testing of products as they move through the production process. That R&D work has paid off not only in the creation of popular products but a number of awards from the cannabis industry including \u201cInvention of the Year,\u201d \u201cBest New Product,\u201d \u201cBest Transdermal\u201d and \u201cMost Valuable Brand.\u201d<\/p>\n
One big reason for the success is the commitment of Mary\u2019s Medicinals to technology. It was one of the first companies in the nation to use in-house Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography testing equipment to ensure the highest quality possible. It has been at the forefront of developing a new and more effective growing and extraction methods. And it was also among the first to isolate and market another powerful cannabinoid extracted from hemp, CBN.<\/p>\n
Co-founder Lynn Honderd has been a driving force in the qualitative and commercial success of the company, and also runs Mary\u2019s Foundation for Caring, a foundation devoted to patient outreach and education on the benefits of medical cannabis, cannabidiol, and other plant-based medications. The company also works closely with a number of other groups dedicated to the wellness of cannabis patients.<\/p>\n
All of those factors underscore the honest desire of Mary\u2019s Medicinals and Mary\u2019s Nutritionals to provide high-quality medical marijuana and CBD products, with a dedication to improving the lives of patients and customers. And while the company still sells a wealth of weed-based products (not available online, of course), its CBD business is impressive all by itself.<\/p>\n
Mary\u2019s receives very high grades in this department.<\/p>\n
For this section and the following ones, we\u2019ll be focusing on Mary\u2019s Nutritionals, the arm of Mary\u2019s Medicinals that produces and sells CBD products. The approach the company takes in developing and selling its medical marijuana is actually quite similar, but not completely germane to our discussion of CBD.<\/p>\n
The hemp from which Mary\u2019s cannabidiol is extracted is grown organically on Colorado farms owned by Elite Botanicals, That operation has partnered with Mary\u2019s Medicinals and several other major CBD producers to be their exclusive hemp supplier.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the company doesn\u2019t disclose the extraction method it uses, saying only that it uses the highest quality and standards. Elite Botanicals uses organic alcohol extraction, a process we don\u2019t think is optimal, but we can\u2019t tell whether that\u2019s also used for Mary\u2019s Nutritionals products.<\/p>\n
We\u2019d normally look for assurance that supercritical or standard CO2 extraction is used because they\u2019re processes which do the best job of preserving the cannabidiol\u2019s effectiveness. We\u2019d also be concerned about the non-disclosure policy. Everything else about the company, however, makes us fairly comfortable going on faith in this area.<\/p>\n
All of Mary\u2019s Nutritionals\u2019 CBD products contain full-spectrum cannabidiol, meaning it contains a minuscule amount of THC (less than 0.3%) plus all other naturally-occurring cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. Those ingredients combine for the entourage effect that boosts the power of CBD, making full-spectrum the most effective choice.<\/p>\n
The carrier oil used in products that require one is sweet almond oil, which isn\u2019t as efficient as MCT oils (like coconut oil) but still a decent choice that nicely covers the raw natural taste of hemp. Almost all of the ingredients used in Mary\u2019s Nutritional CBD products are natural.<\/p>\n
One final sign that Mary\u2019s is in the vanguard of cannabis and wellness: it also produces lines featuring other medicinally-powerful cannabinoids like CBN and CBG \u2013 although they\u2019re not available for sale online since they also contain THC levels that are higher than legally allowed for products derived strictly from hemp.<\/p>\n
The news isn\u2019t 100% positive, since the company does use some synthetic ingredients in a number of its topical and wellness products; its oil and capsules are completely natural, though. Additionally, no third-party test results are supplied with Mary\u2019s Medicinals products; the reports all come from the company\u2019s in-house testing.<\/p>\n
Mary\u2019s doesn\u2019t get an A for its approach to producing CBD products, but it comes pretty close.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Just a reminder: all of the products reviewed here are actually sold by Mary\u2019s Nutritionals, the CBD arm of Mary\u2019s Medicinals.<\/p>\n
The company first made its mark with groundbreaking cannabis transdermal cannabis patches and gels. And when it got into the cannabidiol market, it was the first to produce CBD patches and gels. They were just as highly-praised for their effectiveness then, and remain the gold standard in today\u2019s market.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s important to understand that all topical CBD products are generally effective only for surface pain, particularly muscle and joint aches and pains. Cannabidiol is unable to penetrate the epidermis, so these patches aren\u2019t intended to treat full-body issues. We\u2019ll look at CBD products that can easily reach the bloodstream shortly.<\/p>\n
The Mary\u2019s Nutritionals Elite transdermal patch delivers 10 milligrams of full-spectrum cannabidiol, which is gradually delivered through the skin for a period of 12 hours. It takes a while for the CBD to take effect, so the patches also contain eucalyptus for an immediate cooling effect on the affected area.<\/p>\n
Additional ingredients in the transdermal patches are anti-inflammatory oleic acid, sunflower lecithin, and propylene glycol (a synthetic product) to help with the distribution of the cannabidiol, and added terpenes to theoretically increase the entourage effect. Acrylic adhesive is used to hold the patch onto the skin. Quite simply, the patches are terrific.<\/p>\n
The other landmark product developed by Mary\u2019s Medicinals is a gel pen that directly applies cannabis gel to the skin; Mary\u2019s Nutritionals produces the same product for the application of topical CBD. There are 50 two-milligram doses in each gel pen, a convenient way to carry and administer cannabidiol. It works pretty well, but not as well as the patch.<\/p>\n
Menthol and basil are added to the formulation to cool the skin and smell nice, and it also contains added terpenes. A potential issue, though, is that isopropyl myristate is added as an emollient, and it has been shown to cause irritation or inflammation in about 5% of patients. Discontinue use of this product if you see these possible side effects.<\/p>\n
Mary\u2019s Nutritionals offers several other topical products as well.<\/p>\n
A quick summary: the transdermal patches are great, the gel pen is good and also convenient, but the other products aren\u2019t quite as impressive.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The company calls its CBD oil \u201cRemedy Tincture.\u201d But it shouldn\u2019t be confused with its \u201cRemedy 1:1\u201d oil which contains bountiful amounts of THC, or its Remedy CBN: CBD oil which also contains the cannabinoid CBN. Both of those are only sold at stores, not online<\/a>.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re already having trouble keeping Mary\u2019s Medicinals and Mary\u2019s Nutritionals straight, we have bad news. The CBD skincare products sold by the company are actually sold under a third brand name, Mary\u2019s Method. It\u2019s all the same company, though, with the same approach to cannabidiol and the products manufactured from it.<\/p>\n
These products include body scrub, hydrating serum, face moisturizer, restorative eye cream, nourishing body serum, and mud mask; all contain CBD as well as a number of other ingredients to support specific skincare goals. They\u2019re all good performers but many do contain synthetic ingredients and should be considered primarily for skincare purposes rather CBD administration.<\/p>\n
Ready for more confusion? The pet products sold by the company are marketed under a fourth brand, Mary\u2019s Tails. They include CBD oil (not only with bacon flavor, but a more effective carrier oil than the human CBD oil), CBD capsules, plus transdermal gel pens and moisturizing balm. All are completely natural and safe for pets.<\/p>\n
We have mixed feelings about Mary\u2019s Medicinals (and Nutritionals, and Method, and Tails) \u2013 aside from the difficulty we had keeping the brand names straight, and navigating the company\u2019s websites to find its CBD products online.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no question that Mary\u2019s makes a full effort to properly research, design, and develop its products, and to manufacture high-quality CBD lines. We trust their approach, and most of their core products have shown great results.<\/p>\n
We just wonder why they can\u2019t take the extra step to provide third-party testing and be more transparent about their production methods, as almost all of their high-end competitors do.<\/p>\n
That leaves us very enthusiastic about their core product, the transdermal patch, which has proven to be a great choice for those suffering from the aches and pains of arthritis and other joint and muscle problems. We\u2019re a little less enthusiastic about their oil (why can\u2019t they make a version without added ingredients?) and the rest of the CBD-infused products they sell.<\/p>\n
With the exception of Mary\u2019s Nutritionals\u2019 terrific transdermal patches, we\u2019d probably describe our overall verdict as \u201cquite good, with an asterisk.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Anyone who\u2019s reading this review probably knows the difference between pot and CBD. They\u2019re each derived from a variety of the cannabis plant, but cannabidiol (the full name for CBD) is extracted from the hemp plant rather than the marijuana plant. It doesn\u2019t get you high, because hemp contains very little psychoactive THC. CBD only […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":175,"featured_media":6410,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false},"categories":[373],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n