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BENEFITS OF HEMP SEED OIL

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MISUNDERSTOOD MIRACLE CROP

The trending skincare ingredient once had a naughty reputation, but hemp has been nourishing dry skin for decades. Discover all the powers of the plant right here. Drink up!

Call us trendsetters, but we’ve been harnessing the power of hemp since 1992. With so many benefits packed into each little seed, it’s no wonder hemp seed oil has become a trending ingredient in the beauty industry over recent years. What’s taken them so long? As a gentle but heavy-duty moisturiser, there are endless ways to use hemp seed oil for skin, from face to body. What’s not to love?

Hemp seeds in hand

WHAT IS HEMP SEED OIL?

Hemp seed oil, also known as hemp oil, is oil that comes from the seeds of the hemp plant. This “miracle crop” has been a rich source of food, fibre and vegetable oil for thousands of years. Packed with protein and nourishing fatty acids like Omega-3 and Omega-6*, hemp has been the best kept secret in skincare, health and beauty.

*Source: Hempseed As a Nutritional Resource: An Overview

Hemp oil

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEMP SEED OIL AND CBD?

You’ve probably heard a lot about CBD oil lately as more countries wake up to the potential of the hemp plant. Both hemp oil and CBD are derived from varieties of the cannabis plant, but their make-up and benefits are totally different.

Hemp seed oil is extracted from the small seeds of the plant, which contain only trace levels of cannabinoids, but are richer in nutrients and those lovely fatty acids that nourish the overall condition of skin and hair. This makes hemp oil extremely popular in food and skincare products.

CBD oil, on the other hand, is produced using the leaves, flowers and stalks where active compounds are found in higher concentration. Its potency makes it extremely beneficial when it comes to holistic remedies and alternative wellness solutions.

Man in field of hemp

WHERE DO WE SOURCE OUR HEMP SEED OIL?

The ethical impact of The Body Shop’s Hemp range is uniquely significant. We work with a cooperative of 300 farmers in France to source our cold-pressed Community Fair Trade hemp seed oil. Cultivating the crops with a commitment to enriching the biodiversity of the local environment, the farmers have found a use for every part of the plant.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HEMP SEED OIL?

Man wringing water from cloth

SKIN HYDRATION

Hemp seed oil is considered to be wonderfully nourishing. This hardworking moisturiser is thought to provide effective relief to tight, dry skin through cold climates.

Snap back from dry spells with our new Hemp Overnight Nourishing Rescue Mask with cold pressed hemp seed oil. This overnight face mask gets to work while you sleep, so you can wake up to skin that feels softer and comforted for up to 72hrs, thanks to its moisturising veil.

Hands squeezing Hemp Hand Protector from tube

SKIN PROTECTION

Considered more than just a quick fix, hemp seed oil is thought to help restore the skin barrier and lock in moisture. Naturally, that makes hemp a hero for hardworking hands exposed to the elements. Our bestselling Hemp Hand Protector has been legendary for over 20 years.

Hands pulling plant from soil

THE ENVIRONMENT

Hemp in general is known for being a ‘miracle’ crop: because it helps to structure soil and can be used to regenerate land between food crops (whilst not taking it out of food production); it is thought to be four times more effective at capturing CO2 than trees; it doesn’t need pesticides or herbicides, providing habitat for wildlife - birds love the seeds.

The Body Shop sustainably sources hemp seed oil from a cooperative of 300 farmers in France. These farmers have devised a way to use the hemp plant in its entirety. We use oil from the seed, but the press cake is used as a high protein animal feed, the plant fibre is used to make cloth and rope and the woody core is used to produce a strong fibre for door panels, natural insulation, equine bedding and sustainable building material used in the construction industry. Everything is used and CO2 is locked away, there is zero waste.

THE MISUNDERSTOOD MIRACLE CROP

It’s not easy being green…three decades before everyone else. When we first started working with hemp in 1992, much of the world wasn’t ready, because discourse frequently (and incorrectly) confused the ingredient with the “other” variety of hemp.

Anita Roddick

“In 24 years in the cosmetics industry, I can think of few ingredients that stand out simply because of their performance and efficacy…but hemp is one of them.”

Anita Roddick

FOUNDER OF THE BODY SHOP

Hemp hand protector protest poster

The Body Shop’s founder, Anita Roddick, was wise enough to know that the public were being misinformed and hemp’s naughty reputation was unfounded.

Our deep belief in the power of the plant led us to launch our Hemp collection in 1998, attracting demonstrations from anti-drug campaigners, the outrage of politicians and international press. Police seized products in certain stores, while in the United States, we were required to remove the word “hemp” from all packaging. The range was temporarily banned in France, where government scientists claimed products contained trace amounts of THC, running afoul of strict anti-drug laws. Oh, how times have changed!

In France, gendarmes ‘arrested’ several hemp products in The Body Shop’s Aix-en-Provence store along with promotional material, claiming it would ‘incite the use of a banned substance’. In response, The Body Shop decided to take out a powerful ad in popular French newspaper Liberation, which read, “Arretez la peau sèche [pas nos vendeurs]” translating to “Stop dry skin [not our staff]”.

KNUCKLE DOWN ON DRYNESS WITH THE HEMP HAND PROTECTOR

Hemp hand protector on dry palm

Hard-grafting hands need a heavy-duty moisturiser that works as hard as they do. Each 100ml tube contains the goodness of over 900 hemp seeds, so this intense hydrator works around the clock to help shield skin for up to 24hrs – excellent news for anyone who gives it a little extra elbow grease. Can you believe they ever wanted to ban this product?

HEMP PROTECTS EVEN THE HARDEST WORKING HANDS

DEFENDING HARDWORKING HANDS FROM THE DAILY GRIND SINCE 1998. YOU HUSTLED. YOU HEMPED, YOU REVIEWED.*

*Customer testimonials taken from thebodyshop.com

Hands working on an engine

GREYHOUNDLOVER

“A lifesaver for my hands.”

Carpenter's hands

TINAROSE

“As a woman on a building site, my hands need it.”

Barista's hands

TILDY

"Nourishes and protects my hands like no other."

Gardener's hands

NATASHAOX

“I could not live without this.”

OTHER GREAT HEMP PRODUCTS

The Body Shop Hemp Shower Gel

HEMP SHOWER OIL

Parched skin’s power shower. This silky oil transforms into a rich lather for a skin-quenching cleanse that boosts hydration by a third. No wonder – each 250ml bottle contains 10% hemp seed oil from over 6,000 hemp seeds.

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The Body Shop Hemp Overnight Face Mask

HEMP OVERNIGHT FACE MASK

Put dry skin to bed. Slather on a layer of this rich overnight mask before bed and wake up to moisturised skin that feels comforted for up to 72hrs. Now that’s what we call beauty sleep.

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The Body Shop Hemp Foot Protector

HEMP FOOT PROTECTOR

Slipper-soft feet can be a reality with this ultra-slick cream. Rich enough to soften even the roughest of skin, the Foot Protector is the ultimate treat for dry feet in need of a little loving.

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The Body Shop Hemp Lip Care

HEMP LIP CARE

Dry lips, be gone. Slick on this stick, enriched with Community Fair Trade hemp seed oil and coconut oil, for butter-soft lips that can withstand the drying effects of the elements.

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