Jen Bean had mild eczema off and on as a kid when she and her family lived in hot, dry Bakersfield, California. The Bean family moved to Santa Barbara, California, where the climate was milder. But when she turned 21, Jen developed psoriasis, an autoimmune disease unrelated to eczema. The psoriasis started as thick, scaly, pink patches on her knee caps, ankles and elbows. It took forever to get an appointment with a dermatologist, and when it finally came, he prescribed Fluocinonide, a strong corticosteroid.

Before we continue Jen’s story…

Any product that helps with a skin disease is deemed a “drug” by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA defines a drug as “a product intended to diagnose, mitigate, treat, or prevent disease, or to affect the structure or function of the body.” Green Bee Botanicals products are currently considered “cosmetics,” defined by the FDA as “articles intended to be rubbed, poured…or otherwise applied to the human body…for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance.”

To legally sell our products as disease-healing “drugs” in the US, each product is required to go through a lengthy and expensive FDA approval process that includes animal testing and human clinical trials. We do not want to test on animals — all of our products are 100% cruelty-free and vegan — and we don’t have the many millions of dollars this would cost.

With that in mind, the following is an anecdotal account of one person’s experience. Jen wrote to thank us and included before-and-after pictures that really wow’d us, and naturally we want to share her story. But we have not done clinical trials, we aren’t promising to cure any disease or condition, and our products have not yet been evaluated by the FDA.

First things first: What is psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a skin disease that causes a rash with itchy, scaly patches, most commonly on the knees, elbows, trunk and scalp. Psoriasis is a common, long-term (chronic) disease with no cure. It can be painful, interfere with sleep and make it hard to concentrate. The condition is not contagious.

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While the cause of psoriasis isn’t fully understood, it’s basically an immune system malfunction that triggers skin cells to grow too fast and to attack healthy skin cells by mistake.

Side effects of psoriasis medication

Potential side effects of many pharmaceutical drugs for psoriasis, including Fluocinonide, the drug prescribed to Jen, can be intense. The ‘minor’ side effects include burning, itching, swelling, skin thinning, stretch marks, permanent skin discoloration, acne, extreme hair growth and painful folliculitis. If it enters the blood stream, it can also cause extreme tiredness, weight loss, headaches, swollen ankles and feet, increased thirst and vision problems.

Plant remedies for psoriasis

Jen used the prescription corticosteroid for two weeks and then stopped. She wanted to find a more natural, plant-based remedy that wouldn’t come with so many side effects.

She tried an elimination diet which didn’t make much of a difference in the psoriasis; in fact, the symptoms continued to worsen. As a licensed esthetician herself, she loves clean skincare ingredients – formulating and trying different combinations of healthy, healing plants and herbs. She made her own skin-soothing salves out of Greek yogurt, honey, oats and turmeric, which gave some relief. But the psoriasis kept spreading.

While working for iconic handmade cosmetics retailer Lush, Jen sometimes had to work from home because her eyes and mouth were swollen from the rapidly growing psoriasis.

Cannabis to the rescue

Jen’s mom, Kristi Bean, was desperate to help Jen find a safe, long-term solution for her psoriasis. For her birthday, Kristi surprised Jen with Green Bee Brightening Eye Cream, which she found at her local cannabis dispensary, Farmacy Santa Barbara. Jen used it liberally day and night on the red, inflamed skin around her eyes.

To Jen’s surprise and delight, Green Bee’s cannabis eye cream completely calmed the psoriasis around her eyes — in just two weeks.

Psoriasis relief at last

Excited, Jen returned to Farmacy Santa Barbara, where she picked up Green Bee Botanicals Deep Calm Massage Oil and Renewing Face Serum. She started using both right away on the thick patches of painful psoriasis on her knees, ankles and elbows, and the red splotches on her face.

Just as the symptoms around her eyes had alleviated after using Green Bee cannabis eye cream, the psoriasis symptoms on her body and face were similarly relieved — also in a couple of weeks after using Green Bee Botanicals Deep Calm Massage + Body Oil and Renewing Face Serum.

Getting any relief from psoriasis and other serious skin issues like eczema and rosacea is a tall order. Reversing the symptoms of psoriasis in two weeks is a minor miracle. As you can see from Jen’s before-and-after pictures, the difference is eyebrow-raising.

We aren’t legally allowed to say our products are what made the difference. What we can say is our skincare may improve the appearance of skin. Jen sure thinks so. Her skin has been calm and happy ever after.

“I was in tears, literally, to finally find products that heal my psoriasis without any bad side effects. I once drove an hour to Lompoc to get my Green Bee when Farmacy Santa Barbara was sold out. I will support the Green Bee women for the rest of my life. They changed my life.”

Jen Bean, now 28, Santa Barbara

Green Bee toner was a surprise – gentle on delicate skin

Recently Green Bee founder and formulator, Bridget May, gave Jen a cannabis skincare care package to thank her for letting us tell her amazing before-and-after story. The gift pack included Jen’s favorite cannabis skincare products as well as our new hemp-based Fresh Toner. Knowing how sensitive Jen’s skin is, it was a pleasure to hear Jen say, “Your toner was a nice surprise! It very gently exfoliates without being too much. It’s a perfect reset and prep for the rest of my skincare routine — which is mostly Green Bee!”

My day job is my dream job

In March 2022, Jen and her mom Kristi opened Beans BBQ on State Street in Santa Barbara. Beans BBQ is the brick-and-mortar sister to the catering company Jen and Kristi have been running since 2014, making “like-your-mama-made comfort food.”

Jen and her mom made a vision board in July 2021, signed the lease in October 2021, got the keys on Jan 1, 2022 and opened the doors of Beans BBQ on March 8. She and her mom DIY’d much of the restaurant, from sanding and refinishing the floors to learning how to operate an industrial scissor lift.

Jen says, “Growing up, Mom cooked and I baked. I never thought it was possible to be a kitchen witch making delicious things for a living. Today my day job is my day dream.”

Beans BBQ and Catering was just voted “Best Tri-Trip in the 805” for the second year in a row, and they’re a finalist in Santa Barbara Independent’s “Best of 2022” for Best Barbecue — vote for Beans BBQ here through September 1 2022 to support Jen and her mom!

Jen adds, “I love that Green Bee Botanicals is women-owned like me and my mom!”

“Green Bee’s eye cream is the only thing I trust for daily use around my eye area. With a professional background in both esthetics and cannabis, I appreciate the fusion of amazing, carefully chosen ingredients and price point. It’s something I always keep on hand and suggest to everyone and has done wonders for my psoriasis flare-ups around my eyes.”

Jen Bean

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Disclaimer

As we mentioned at the start, the FDA has not evaluated Green Bee Botanicals products for safety or efficacy. The statements above also have not been evaluated by the FDA. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. That our customers say they do was honestly a surprise to us, and because of the feedback we’ve received, we’re researching how to get FDA approval without testing on animals.