No. All of our products are made for topical use only and when used on the skin are non-psychoactive. There are two reasons for this: 

1. Skin is an extremely effective barrier. It is built to keep out invading pathogens and toxins and to keep in the things we need, like moisture. Very little is able to get much deeper than the dermal layer, and that includes delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.
2. The THC molecule—the component of cannabis that can produce a ‘high’ in the human brain—is relatively large, and even under the best of circumstances has a difficult time passing through the cellular structures of the skin. (Even THC dermal patches that are highly-concentrated and contain penetration enhancers have been known to deliver the medicinal benefits of THC without the psychoactive effects.) 

There’s scientific evidence that shows THC has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In a concentrated dose applied topically to the skin, it can also increase hydration, balance sebum production to help with acne, and regulate cell growth — all without getting you high.

Additionally, the best available science makes clear that combined cannabinoids (eg, CBD+THC) are quantifiably superior to single compounds (eg, CBD alone). Even small doses of THC combined with CBD can improve the efficacy of cannabis topicals. Add in terpenes and flavonoids from the cannabis plant and you get the “entourage effect” — or what we like to call the "ensemble effect" because each compound is equally important and they each enhance the therapeutic effects of the others.

The short answer is that the cannabis market in California is strictly regulated and because of that, you are guaranteed a more potent and quality product, free from pesticides, residual solvents and heavy metals. Cannabis sativa is a phytoremediator, which means when you buy unregulated hemp products (Cannabis sativa that is grown for industrial use and has no more than 0.03% THC), you not only may be buying a product that has little or no active cannabinoids in it (such as CBD), you also run the risk of ingesting or applying to your skin loads of toxic chemicals, because the manufacturers are not required to test for potency or purity.

If a verifiably tested clean hemp source is used, it can be made into safe, potent, effective skincare and wellness products. Trust us; it’s worth doing your homework to find out what source is used for any hemp products you put on or in your body. When Green Bee adds hemp products to our lineup, we will test every one of them and share the results, even though it is not required by law. 

Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

The answer to this seemingly simple question is actually kind of complicated. The science of cannabis is evolving, much of the research is new, and plant biology can be complex. Muddling things further, hemp oil is called different things by different brands. You'll see it as hemp seed oil, cannabis sativa hemp seed oil, virgin hemp oil, hemp oil, CBD hemp oil, cannabis sativa seed oil and full-spectrum hemp oil, among other things.

But what's causing most of the confusion is that there is a ton, and we mean a TON, of misinformation out there. First off, it's important to know that there is a difference between hemp oil and hemp seed oil. 

We can tell you definitively that any product using hemp seed oil that claims it contains CBD is trying to pull the wool over your eyes.

CBD is one of dozens of healthy, healing compounds in the cannabis plant found mostly in the resin of the flowers, not in the seeds. If a hemp product is made from hemp seeds, it is botanically impossible for it to contain much, if any, CBD — or any other active cannabinoids for that matter. There may be scant traces of CBD on the coats of seeds if some resin happens to make contact with them, but not in any meaningful amount. That said, hemp seeds are an amazing food source and in the right formulation can be an effective skincare product. Hemp seeds are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and other goodies (see "Whats so good about hemp?" below).  

On the other hand, hemp oil derived from the whole hemp plant sometimes contains CBD. We say sometimes because hemp isn't regulated in the US and hemp products are not required to be tested, as cannabis products are. This is why hemp product labels are often misleading (or downright false) — there's no law against labeling a hemp product "high CBD" or "CBD-rich" for example. See "Are hemp products tested?" below for more.

The big takeaway is that it's important to carefully vet each product and its ingredients. Some hemp companies test their products for safety and potency, but most don't. We will test ours when we add hemp to our lineup.

We will answer this question in more depth in the near future, so check back with us frequently. 

Yes. The California Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) requires stringent testing of our cannabis-based products by a third-party laboratory for dosing accuracy, potency and safety, including pesticides, heavy metals, microbial impurities, mycotoxins, residual solvents and processing chemicals. 

Fun fact: this is even stricter than the USDA and California Certified Organic testing requirements! All Green Bee products pass this rigorous BCC testing; the very fact that they’re on the shelf means they meet or exceed all requirements. Even if these tests weren’t required by law, we would still test our products. 

As a former quality assurance chemist, our founder Bridget May understands how important testing is, and we all use Green Bee products ourselves, as do our friends and loved ones. The whole point of starting Green Bee was to make medicinal cannabis and skincare that is healing and good for all of us. When we add hemp products to our lineup, we will test them as well, even though currently it is not required by law.  

If you want the detailed test results for a specific Green Bee product, please contact us with the batch number on the package — we're happy to share and believe in 100% transparency.    

If you’re buying hemp “CBD” products on Amazon or anywhere else directly online, it may not — nay likely does not — contain real CBD. One big clue? Amazon’s own selling guidelines prohibit the sale of products containing cannabidiol (aka CBD). 

To say it another way, if you’re buying CBD-containing products anywhere other than from a regulated cannabis dispensary or cannabis delivery service, there’s no way to know for sure if it contains actual CBD. Some reputable hemp CBD brands exist, but you need to do your homework. 

First thing to know is that hemp is not regulated  in the US, unlike cannabis, which is highly regulated (see "Are Green Bee products tested" above) — so hemp is not required to be tested for purity, potency or even safety, as cannabis is. Many brands take advantage of this and are very, shall we say, liberal, with their CBD labeling.  

You won't be able to know if the CBD is clean, unless the manufacturer tests their products voluntarily and shares the results (as we do). There is no mandatory testing of hemp products.

We found one CBD skincare product that posted their test results on their website (apparently assuming people either wouldn’t actually read or wouldn’t understand them) where the test results completely contradicted all their claims of “100% organic,” “certified to be free from any pesticides, herbicides, solvents, heavy metals, or chemical fertilizers,” “lab tested for safety, purity, and potency” and “complete transparency.” 

 So do your homework; it’s important and your body and your skin will thank you for it. 

Regardless of whether a particular hemp product does or doesn’t contain CBD, hemp as a plant is amazing stuff. 

Hemp seeds, also adorably known as hemp hearts, are exceptionally nutritious: they’re high in antioxidants, have a ratio of omega-3, -6, and 9 fatty acids that perfectly mimics the optimal amount in your skin, are a fantastic plant-based protein source (more so than even chia seeds and flaxseeds), and are rich in vitamins A, C, and E, which combat signs of aging. Hemp seeds also contain nourishing amino acids and minerals, including potassium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, calcium, iron and zinc. So even without CBD, hemp seeds are a superfood for both your body and your skin. 

Hemp stalks and fibers are made into textiles, paper, rope and even concrete and plastic. There's not a lot this wonderplant can't do. 

Yes. We use nearly 100% organic and sustainably-sourced ingredients. We care about what we put on our skin and know you do too, and we care about the environment and the workers who harvest the ingredients we use. The only time we don’t use organic is in the rare case that organic is unavailable. 

And the reason you don’t see the word “organic” on our labels is because "organic" is a federal designation, and cannabis is federally illegal. Summarized by the California Department of Public Health here:  

All products that are sold, labeled or represented as organic must meet all applicable requirements in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic regulations and the California Organic Food and Farming Act of 2016. These federal and state laws do not allow for cannabis or cannabis products, or any of their ingredients, to be labeled as organic because cannabis is illegal under federal law, the USDA does not recognize cannabis as an agricultural product, and cannabis manufacturers are not eligible for state organics processor registrations.” 

However, so that you can tell which ingredients are organic in each of our formulations, we put an asterisk next to them on our packaging and call them ‘virtuous.’ Cuz, you know, they are!

We launched in 2015 as Little Green Bee and rebranded in 2019 as Green Bee Botanicals, updating our product names and upgrading our look. What do you think? We love it. 

Our time-tested recipes are the same you’ve come to love, except we added vitamin C to our serums and caffeine to our eye cream to boost the benefits of each.  

Our High CBD Healing Facial Serum is now called Renewing Serum, which has always been a 1:1 ratio THC-to-CBD blend.  

We developed a new CBD-concentrated face serum with only a trace of THC called Perfecting Serum, for problem or acne prone skin.  

Our massage oil, now called Deep Calm Massage Oil is still a luscious olive oil infusion of healing herbs and THC and CBD in a 3:1 ratio. We think you’ll love the new pump bottle dispenser!

No. All Green Bee products are 100% vegan. We don’t use any bee-derived ingredients in our products. We named the company Green Bee Botanicals because our founder Bridget May’s nickname is Bee and she is about as green as it gets, in the environmental sense. Of course, cannabis and hemp are also associated with the color green.

• Lab-certified safe 
• Paraben-free 
• Formaldehyde-free 
• Phthalate-free 
• 100% vegan

• Are for external use only 
• May contain oil from tree nuts (such as our face serums)
  
• Should not be used if a rash or irritation develops 

Yep. All of our products pass the strict California cannabis testing requirements for safety and contain at most only trace amounts of myrcene, a naturally occurring terpene in cannabis. Nonetheless, we are required to post the following:

"This product can expose you to chemicals including myrcene, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer. For more information go to: www.P65Warnings.ca.gov." 

GOVERNMENT WARNING: THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS CANNABIS, A SCHEDULE I CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN AND ANIMALS. CANNABIS PRODUCTS MAY ONLY BE POSSESSED OR CONSUMED BY PERSONS 21 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER UNLESS THE PERSON IS A QUALIFIED PATIENT. THE INTOXICATING EFFECTS OF CANNABIS PRODUCTS MAY BE DELAYED UP TO TWO HOURS. CANNABIS USE WHILE PREGNANT OR BREASTFEEDING MAY BE HARMFUL. CONSUMPTION OF CANNABIS PRODUCTS IMPAIRS YOUR ABILITY TO DRIVE AND OPERATE MACHINERY. PLEASE USE EXTREME CAUTION. 

Topicals are not meant to be consumed internally, and have no intoxicating effects if used accordingly. Do not eat.  

Sadly, no. Due to California regulations, we cannot sell directly to consumers. You can, however, find Green Bee products at many well-stocked cannabis dispensaries and cannabis delivery services. Find the location closest to you on our Where To Buy page.   

Not yet. Cannabis products are still considered a Schedule 1 illegal drug at the federal level in the US. No interstate cannabis commerce is allowed in the regulations. Nationwide legalization would solve this problem, so contact your member of congress and make your opinions heard. 

In the meantime, we're getting requests for Green Bee from far and wide, so once we've taken care of our home state of California, we're looking to expand to other states where cannabis is legal, such as Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Alaska, Florida, Michigan, Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, etc. If you're from one of these states, let us know! It'll help us prioritize which state to buzz into next. :-) 

Yes! Our products are stocked by a fast-growing number of cannabis delivery services around California. Find the location closest to you on our Where To Buy page.

Green Bee Botanicals products contain cannabis, so they are only available from licensed dispensaries and delivery services. We're currently in stores throughout California — find the one nearest you on our Where To Buy page. And if your local store or delivery service doesn't stock us yet, ask them to!