Well-being, relaxation: is cannabis perfume a good idea?

Cannabis, hemp, CBD ... in recent months, cosmetics has taken over this little green plant, which is more or less legal in France. A craze which has increased since the confinements of 2020: according to some, cannabis is the essential ingredient in the magic formula against stress. To the point where some now offer cannabis perfume !

So, info or fakery? This is what Bastille has clarified for you in this article with the help of Tilyo , a young committed brand which offers CBD botanical oils .

Relax, we’ll explain everything to you!

Cannabis, hemp and CBD: an update on the differences

We start by going over the basics. Did you think cannabis and hemp were the same thing ? Nope. The differences are subtle but they are important - especially if you discuss them with a person in public authority, if you see what we mean.

Cannabis

Cannabis is the famous green leafy plant that you may have tried to consume as a narcotic during your youth, or even more recently (we're just between us). Its little thing is that it contains a large quantity of cannabinoids in its leaves, its stems and even its flowers. These are these chemical substances, secreted by the plant, which have a more or less significant impact on the nervous system and the brain, once the plant is smoked or ingested.

Among these substances, we find the famous tetrahydrocannabinol, better known by the acronym THC . This molecule, highly sought after by cannabis consumers, produces significant psychotropic effects on the brain . In short, it can take you above the clouds or into the arms of Morpheus: unfortunately, that's your brain that decides for you.

CBD

CBD is another cannabinoid found in cannabis. By its real name cannabidiol , CBD is not psychotropic : that is to say, unlike THC, it does not cause harmful effects such as euphoria or drowsiness. As for the benefits, we'll tell you everything a little later in the article... patience, patience. We said we were relaxing.

Hemp

Hemp is a variety of cannabis which has the particularity of having a very low THC level (less than 0.2% on average, compared to 5 to 20% in cannabis), while being rich in CBD. This is why you often see it in infusions, cosmetics or other everyday products.

Attention, subtlety: do not confuse hemp oil and CBD oil .

• The first is made from hemp seeds : it does not contain cannabinoids but it has a high content of proteins and saturated fatty acids. It is used in cooking, and it is even recommended for cardiovascular health!
• As for CBD oil, it is extracted from hemp flowers with a low THC content but a high concentration of CBD. It is an oil that you will mainly find in beauty and well-being rituals, like at Tilyo!

What are the benefits of CBD?

Even if studies are still ongoing, CBD has shown rather positive results when it comes to treating insomnia, certain chronic inflammations, reducing stress or even fighting against skin aging or against dehydration of the skin. the skin. A daily ally, especially when you live in large, stressful cities like Paris! It is for all these benefits that we find CBD in all its forms: herbal teas, gummies, anti-aging creams, moisturizers, edible oils like at Tilyo, etc. Ingenious marketing pros have therefore naturally decided to launch “cannabis” or “CBD” perfumes . The tantalizing descriptions evoke “hypnotic heart notes” and other “healing benefits”. What is it really ?

CBD perfume: a bad idea

First of all, let's study a little about the smell of cannabis itself. If you've ever smelled it, this description will surely be familiar to you. Here is how Nicolas Beaulieu, perfumer at IFF who signed Bataille , describes it:

"For me, there are as many smells of cannabis, weed or marijuana as there are varieties of these plants; but in my opinion they always have in common an acidic start, a herbaceous aromatic facet, and finally an acrid resinous note, more or less balsamic".

Interesting, right? To be completely honest, we tested a cannabis accord at Bastille and after exploring all its facets, we finally found that it was quite difficult to use in a fragrance . In short, it took up a lot of space for a result that wasn't really attractive - even when adorning it with a slightly more pleasant sandalwood. But basically, what made us abandon the idea of ​​a CBD perfume for the moment is that these cannabis accords are simply... artificially recreated .

Because yes: unfortunately, hemp and CBD oils do not give off a strong enough odor to be used in perfumery. The olfactory note of cannabis is therefore recreated thanks to a mixture of several raw materials ( this is called an accord ), which can be both natural and synthetic.

For the curious, here is how Nicolas Beaulieu recreates the smell of cannabis :

• " For the acidic start: I often translate it with sulfur notes of grapefruit or rhubarb, sometimes both
• For the aromatic, herbaceous side: I like to use medicinal sage or oregano.
• And finally the acrid resinous note: you can use tobacco, hay, or even Java vetiver for its earthy smoky side.

In short, this means that a "cannabis" or "CBD" perfume does not in fact have any of the relaxing properties of CBD... It's a nice marketing argument , but don't expect one. miracle effects!

Plan B: essential oils

If you are looking for the same relaxing effects as CBD while adding a pleasant olfactory dimension, you can turn to essential oils. Their impact on our emotions no longer needs to be proven. Moreover, we have produced a very practical little guide on the subject, to read right here . In summary: if you are looking for relaxation, your best allies will be lavender and orange blossom essential oil. And as it happens, some of these essential oils are present in their natural state in Bastille perfumes. Overview of our feel good perfumes:

Demain Promis : a soft, enveloping and relaxing fragrance thanks to its hint of lavender, accompanied by sandalwood and musk:

Full Moon , a superb floral bouquet that contains neroli essential oil and orange blossom absolute, perfect for relaxing in the evening:

Good question. In 2021, the legislation on the use of CBD is still quite vague and remains difficult to apply. This is also why most major cosmetics groups do not wish to venture into the marketing of CBD products. To recap, the latest news (July 2021):

• CBD-based products have been free to circulate on European territory, and therefore in France, since November 2020 provided that the finished product contains 0% THC .
• The case of cannabis flowers, known for their high concentration of CBD, is still debated (especially since smart people prefer to smoke it).

For its part, Tilyo took up the challenge of offering edible CBD oils while respecting French regulations . Hemp is produced in France, then extracted with supercritical CO2 in order to keep all the benefits of the plant while ensuring 0% THC in the final oil, with laboratory proof. We validate!

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Photos: Benjamin Brunner, Teanna Morgan, Kelly Sikkema, Jules Theret
Sources: Nicolas Beaulieu , Le Monde , https://www.cbd.fr/