Hemp seed oil is a plain plant oil pressed from hemp seeds, and the evidence for benefits is thinner than most labels suggest. The best-known trial had people eat it; the research on putting it on skin is a handful of small studies. This guide separates what was measured from what is claimed.
We sell a Hemp Beard Oil that contains hemp seed oil, so read this with that in mind. Where our own listing says more than the sources do, this page says so. For other oils with their own write-ups, see our guide to facial oils for dry skin.
Hemp seed oil is pressed from the seeds. Health Canada says it is not cannabis oil: exempt hemp-seed oil cannot contain more than 10 parts per million of THC.
The best-known trial had people eat hempseed oil, and it improved dryness and itch in atopic dermatitis. Evidence for putting it on skin is limited to a few small trials in creams.
A Korean lab study measured THC and CBD in the commercial hempseed oils it tested, so a seed oil can carry traces even though it is not made from the flowers.
Natural does not mean allergy-proof. A dermatologist quoted by the American Academy of Dermatology says natural in no way means it will not cause an allergic reaction, so patch test any new oil first.
What Is Hemp Oil, and Is It the Same as CBD Oil?
No. Hemp seed oil is pressed from the seeds, while CBD oil is an extract from the leaves and flowering heads. Health Canada regulates them as different products.
- Hemp-seed oil: Health Canada describes it as oil made from pressing the grain of hemp plants, processed like other oil seeds such as canola. It is marketed in Canada in food, cosmetics, natural health products and veterinary health products.
- Cannabis oil: Health Canada describes this as usually a THC and/or CBD-rich extract from the leaves and flowering heads, mixed with a plant oil. It may only be sold through authorized cannabis retailers.
- The legal line for hemp-seed oil: To be exempt from the Cannabis Act it cannot contain more than 10 parts per million of THC, and no phytocannabinoid such as THC or CBD may be added or concentrated by processing.
Does Hemp Seed Oil Help Skin?
It may help some skin conditions when eaten, and a few small studies tested creams, but none of it proves a general skin benefit. A 2024 review of hemp on the skin in Pharmaceutics says dosages and treatment instructions are still under investigation.
- The eaten-oil trial: In a 2005 randomized crossover study, atopic dermatitis patients took dietary hempseed oil and olive oil in turn over 20 weeks. After hempseed oil, skin dryness and itchiness improved and dermal medication use fell. The oil was swallowed, not applied.
- The cream trials: The same review describes a 12-week trial of a cream with 1% hempseed oil in 20 people with mild to moderate acne, where lesions improved and sebum fell. It also describes a small trial of a 3% cannabis seed extract cream on the cheeks of 11 healthy people.
- What is missing: We found no large trial of plain hemp seed oil applied to skin. The cream studies are small, short and use a full formula, so the oil's own effect cannot be isolated.
What Is in Hemp Seed Oil?
It is mostly polyunsaturated fatty acids. The same 2024 review lists gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), the essential fatty acids linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid, and the monounsaturated oleic acid as its major components.
- Why people mention omega-3 and omega-6: Those are the essential fatty acids named above. The 2005 trial's authors suggested its improvements came from the balanced supply of them, which is a suggestion, not a proven mechanism for creams.
- How it is made: The review says it is obtained mostly by mechanical cold pressing, and also by solvent or supercritical carbon dioxide extraction. Check the label if the method matters to you.
Featured in this guide
Hemp Beard Oil
A 30 mL dropper bottle of hemp seed and other plant oils, scented with natural essential oils in four scents. Full details are on the product page.
Shop now → ✓ 30-day money-back guarantee · Free shipping over $75Does Hemp Seed Oil Contain THC or CBD?
It can contain traces. Health Canada caps THC in exempt hemp-seed oil at 10 parts per million, and a lab study of commercial products sold in Korea in Forensic Science International measured both THC and CBD in the hempseed oils it tested.
- What the lab study found: In hempseed oil, THC ranged from 0.3 to 19.73 micrograms per millilitre and CBD from 6.66 to 63.40, in products from a different country with different rules.
- What the 2024 review says: THC in skin care should be present only at trace levels, and quality control should also check for pesticides, heavy metals and bacterial or fungal contamination.
- What that means for you: We found no Canadian test data on retail hemp seed oils. If a label says a hemp oil has no THC or CBD, treat it as a claim to ask the maker to document.
How Do You Use Hemp Seed Oil on Skin?
Patch test first, then use a few drops on damp skin. No source we read gives a hemp oil routine, so these steps adapt the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) moisturizing advice; the amounts are our suggestion, not a tested dose.
- Patch test. Put a drop on a small area of inner forearm and wait a day. Natural oils can still cause reactions, and the AAD's dermatologist says natural does not mean it cannot cause a reaction.
- Apply to damp skin. The AAD says moisturizer works better on damp skin because it traps water and stops it evaporating. Pat dry lightly after washing, then apply.
- Use a few drops, not a pool. Warm two or three drops between your palms and press them on. More does not mean more moisture and can feel greasy.
- Choose fragrance-free if your skin is dry. The AAD says fragrance can be irritating to dry skin. Check any scented hemp product's ingredient list before you apply.
- Stop if it stings or itches. Persistent redness, stinging or itching means this oil is not suiting your skin.
What Is in Our Hemp Beard Oil?
Our Hemp Beard Oil contains hemp seed oil, but it is one of eight oils in the blend and is listed sixth. It is a 30 mL dropper bottle.
- Ingredients as listed: Apricot kernel, coconut, grape seed, sweet almond, jojoba, hemp seed, abyssinian seed and argan kernel oils, plus natural fragrance and variant essential oils. Our page lists tree-nut-derived oils (almond, argan, apricot) as an allergen.
- What our page claims: The listing says it is led by hemp seed oil and states no THC or CBD. Hemp is sixth in the ingredient list, so we cannot show it leads the blend, and we found no test data for the THC and CBD statement.
- Where it fits: It is a beard oil, not a general hemp oil. For how to use it, see our beard oil guide.
When Should You See a Dermatologist About Dry or Irritated Skin?
See one if dryness, itch or irritation persists despite a gentler routine. This guide is information, not medical advice.
The AAD quotes a dermatologist saying that some people need a prescription and help optimizing their home skin care routine. Atopic dermatitis, acne and eczema are conditions to have assessed, not to manage with a plant oil alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is hemp oil the same as CBD oil?
No. Hemp seed oil is pressed from the seeds. Health Canada describes cannabis oil as usually a THC and/or CBD-rich extract from the leaves and flowering heads.
Does hemp seed oil get you high?
Exempt hemp-seed oil in Canada cannot contain more than 10 parts per million of THC. A Korean lab study did find traces of THC in commercial hempseed oils, so check the maker's documentation.
Is hemp seed oil good for dry skin?
It is not proven. The best-known trial had patients eat it, and the cream studies we found were small. Moisturizing on damp skin is the AAD's advice.
Can you put hemp seed oil on your face?
Some people do, and one small trial used a cream with 1% hempseed oil for acne. We found no trial of the plain oil, so patch test first and stop if it irritates.
How do you use hemp oil on skin?
Patch test, then press two or three drops onto damp skin. No source gives a tested dose, so the amount is our suggestion.
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