Even if you don’t know everything there is to know about CBD, there is one thing we all seem to know. It’s sold practically everywhere! Online and in-store, CBD has officially gone mainstream. While it’s great to see the rising popularity of holistic healing, the sheer volume of products can make buying CBD products overwhelming.

If you’re new to the world of CBD or seeking a higher quality experience, it’s important to know exactly what to look for in a trusted, reputable brand. That’s why we’ve put together a comprehensive guide on how to find quality CBD oil. 

In this guide, you’ll learn about - 

• The types of CBD to consider 
• Factors to consider (and verify!) from brands 

Buying CBD Products: Which Type? 

Before you begin finding a brand you love, one big decision you’ll need to make personally is which type of CBD is right for you. We’ll get into the different consumption methods later, but as for type, we’re talking about full-spectrum, broad-spectrum or isolate.  

These three classifications make the biggest difference in the types of effects you’ll experience.  Therefore, they are the most important to figure out when deciding to shop for CBD oil. 

• Full-spectrum CBD - Full-spectrum CBD refers to CBD oil and extracts that are “whole-plant” in nature - meaning you get the benefit of all of the compounds that the hemp plant produces. This includes minor cannabinoids like CBG, CBN, and even up to .3% THC. An amount that many users find is just enough to benefit from THC’s medicinal properties without the psychoactive buzz that is associated with it. Another benefit of full-spectrum CBD is the presence of plant terpenes like limonene, caryophyllene, and linalool, which all have their own unique effects. For instance, these terpenes and others are being researched for their stress-relieving, anxiety-beating, pain-relieving, and sedating benefits! 

• Broad-spectrum CBD - Broad-spectrum CBD is the most similar to full-spectrum CBD with one crucial difference. Broad-spectrum is specially extracted and refined to remove all traces of THC. For those sensitive to THC, broad-spectrum allows users to benefit from that whole-plant nature without any of the psychoactive cannabinoid. 

• Isolate CBD - Isolate is considered the least popular by many consumers. As the name suggests, CBD isolate goes through a refining process of removing every other compound except CBD, so the end product contains CBD and CBD only. For those seeking the individual effects of CBD only, this may be ideal. However, with just one cannabinoid, the effects can seem less profound due to the lack of an “entourage effect”. A proven phenomenon that shows cannabinoids and terpenes have a synergistic relationship where they amplify one another’s effects. Meaning, CBD’s effects could be stronger in the presence of THC, or terpenes and vice versa. 

Buying CBD Products: Factors to Consider 

As beneficial as the 2018 Farm Bill was for the legalization of hemp, it unfortunately did not create a regulated market where brands are upheld to a certain level of standards. That means it’s up to each individual brand to create, uphold, and maintain their high level of standards. 

Even further, it requires consumers to vet and research each individual brand when purchasing! Considering the sheer volume of brands, that can be quite the task! When setting out on the journey to answer the question, “where to buy cbd products”, here are the top 5 factors to consider to find a safe, reputable retailer. 

#1 - Traceable Supply Chain 

There’s a reason why farm to table is so popular…people want to know just where their food and consumables come from. The same should go for your CBD, and it all starts with the hemp plant. Indoors, or outdoors, hemp plants take anywhere from 3-6 months to fully mature from seed to harvest. A process that takes tender, loving care, to keep plants healthy and free to contaminants and molds. 

From there, the plants are harvested, which requires just as much care to preserve and protect the precious material. Most plant material will undergo a drying and curing phase too, where excess moisture is naturally removed from the plant to again avoid mold growth. Again - a process that should be done with the utmost care. 

Plants are then run through an extraction process to separate the oils from the plant material. Here, it’s important to note that a variety of extraction processes can be used. Some of which use harmful chemicals like butane to wash and separate the oils, so it is important to know what type of extraction process a brand is using, and how they ensure, via third party testing, that  elements from the extraction process are not passed to the finished product. 

This all comes down to whether or not a brand has a traceable supply chain in place. Do they communicate where and how their hemp is grown? How is the hemp harvested? What type of extraction process is used? 

#2 - Third-Party Testing 

Say it with us - do not buy CBD without third-party testing! One way CBD brands are able to verify and prove their products' quality and content is through third-party lab testing. Any reputable CBD brand will have third-party testing reports easily accessible on their website, which is most commonly called a Certificate of Analysis or “COA”.  These third party reports verify factors such as the amount of CBD and other cannabinoids present and ensures that no harmful chemicals - from the growing, harvesting, or extraction - are present in the end products. To ensure the testing reports are legitimate, you might want to do some extra research, like - 

• Verify that the report has a date listed. 
• Verify the batch and product #s match. 
• Verify the lab and ensure credibility. 

#3 - Product Variety 

As we have talked about in previous blog posts, CBD effects people in different ways, and one type of product may work better for you than another. That is why most high quality brands will often offer a variety of products for their customers to explore and enjoy. Of course, this can be a double edge sword. Sometimes, if a retailer has too many products, it could mean they’re outsourcing or white-labeling some of their products. 

Do your diligence in finding a reputable brand that has just the right mix of products that satisfy your own personal needs, without being too overabundant. 

#4 - Brand Story 

Most reputable brands will have an in-depth About Us page or at least give the customer a glimpse into their backstory or where they came from. Since CBD availability is so widespread, it’s easy for anyone to set up shop online and claim they have quality products. The most reputable and trustworthy brands will want to share how they got to where they are today! 

#5 - Awards, Recognition, or Reviews 

Lastly, most trusted and reputable brands will have some type of award, recognition, or review to share. To take your quest for buying CBD products that much further, look for any communication of certifications, industry wide or consumer voted awards, or even reviews on social media or Google to verify quality. 

Where to Buy Quality CBD Oil: The Final Word 

Here at Peaceful Lane, we pride ourselves on producing the most natural, high-quality CBD on the market today, and are constantly learning and testing ways to improve our operations every day. 

We source our hemp from our own multi-generational family farm where we are able to control our supply chain from seed to soil, to harvesting, drying, processing, and formulating to you. All driven by a mission to help you rest, restore, and recover so that you can hand life’s hard things better.