The European Commission has included cannabigerol – CBG – as an ingredient in its cosmetics database Cosing. Therefore, hemp-derived CBG is safe for use in cosmetics and skincare products. The database contains tens of thousands of ingredients allowed to be used in cosmetics, along with their identifiers and attributed effects. With this approval, manufacturers of CBG products can safely use the cannabinoid in their cosmetic products for trade in the European Union

Naturally derived CBD – which was added to the Cosing database earlier this year – and synthetic CBD is also approved for cosmetic use in the EU, as are hemp leaves.

CBG – the mother cannabinoid

Cannabigerol is known as the mother cannabinoid because it is the precursor to all other cannabinoids such as CBD (cannabidiol), CBN (cannabinol), CBC (cannabichromene) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

CBG, like more than 100 other cannabinoids, can be extracted from the hemp plant. Since it occurs only in very tiny amounts in the hemp plant, it belongs to the “small” cannabinoids.

CBG is said to have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties, among others. It works with the CB1 and CB2 receptors found in the skin, helping maintain healthy skin function. Once CBG enters the epidermis, it penetrates the various layers of the skin to help calm inflammation, clear pores, reduce impurities, balance oil production, and improve cellular exchange.