For the past 10 years, I have devoted almost all my waking hours to skin care, the skin and the skin microbiome. However, it was only recently that I became enlightened about the skin's endocannabinoid system and the essential function it plays in our overall skin health. I have long held the view that the skin's microbiome (the bacteria, viruses, fungi, protista, archaea, etc.) that we have on and in our skin had by far the most decisive role in our overall skin health.

I have lectured again and again, year after year, about why skin care must contain probiotics (good bacteria) and prebiotics (nutrition for the skin's good microbes) in order to create optimal short- and long-term skin health.

I still hold the belief that microbial diversity is exceptionally important for perfect skin health but I am no longer convinced that this is the absolute most important thing… The absolute most important aspect of optimal skin health is probably a vital signaling system that was discovered by researchers in Israel during the early 90s... This signaling system is called the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) and is named after the plant that led to its discovery... Cannabis Sativa.

The first time I heard about the skin's endocannabinoid system, I immediately asked myself the question that you, as a reader of this text, are also asking yourself - "If this system is so important, why haven't I heard about it?" the earlier?". The answer to this question is in the name of the system… The mysterious and almost dangerous word… Cannabis.

Already in primary school, I was taught that cannabis (or marijuana as it is also called) was a s.k "gateway drug" to heavier drugs (such as cocaine, LCD, etc.) I therefore received at a very early age an extremely negative image of Cannabis and its typical symbol in the form of the cannabis leaf. What I was not told was that the Cannabis plant contains over 400 different substances and only one (alternatively a few) has a function that makes you "high". This substance goes by the name tetrahydrocannabinol or the abbreviation by which it is better known – THC.

Residual substances from the Cannabis Sativa plant have a number of different positive effects for our body (incl. our skin's) health. Besides THC, the second-most well-known substance is CBD.

So what is our endocannabinoid system (ECS), what functions does it have and how can we best help the system come into balance with skin care? Is there a simple way to explain this?

This is a very clever subject and more research is still needed to fully understand how everything is connected. From a skin perspective, however, it can be simplified to say that our ECS has three main functions:

1. Regulate and stabilize our skin's production of sebum - Sebum is the amazing oils that the body produces and sends out to the skin in order for it to function properly. Sebum is a combination of substances (mainly oils) that our body produces and sends out to the skin. This production process is very complicated and requires a lot of our total energy consumption.About 7% of the total amount of energy we consume goes into producing sebum.

For a long time, it was believed that our sebum's main purpose was to "lubricate the skin" and thus protect it. Many players in the skin care industry have long believed (and still believe today) that our sebum is an enemy that should preferably be washed away. Their evidence for this opinion is that an overproduction of sebum can lead to oily skin and, in the worst case, acne.

That our sebum lubricates the skin is certainly true, but its main task is something completely different and something much, much more important...

To understand this important task, one must first understand what sebum is made of. Our sebum consists of sterols, triglycerides, free fatty acids, wax esters, ceramides and hydrocarbons. Sebum is completely unique to us humans and the combination of these substances cannot be found in any other animal. The main "sebum function" is not to lubricate the skin, but to act as nutrition/food for the skin's good microbes. One could therefore say that sebum is the absolute best prebiotic for our skin.

When we help our ECS achieve Homeostasis (balance), this helps regulate and optimize the skin's sebum production. This is necessary for the skin to reach optimal skin health.

2.Reduce the risk of inflammation – One of the most important parts of achieving short- and long-term optimal skin health with as few signs of aging as possible is to reduce the occurrence of inflammation in the skin. Inflamed skin ages about twice as fast as non-inflamed skin. This clearly means that we as skin care manufacturers should do everything we can to reduce the risk of the onset of inflammation. If we can achieve homeostasis (balance) in our ECS, this means a lower risk of inflammation. This also leads to fewer signs of aging and the risk of nasty skin conditions.

3. Help a dry and/or dehydrated skin - A balanced ECS leads to all the skin's natural moisturizing functions working properly. The skin cells produce b.add own hyaluronic and lactic acid to b.la maintain a good fluid balance in the skin. When we ensure that the skin's endocannabinoid system is in homeostasis, we also ensure that the skin's own "moisture factories" continue with their necessary work.

So… How then do we help our ECS achieve homeostasis? There are several different "life-hacks" that you can consider to strengthen your ECS. Below I list 5 lifestyle choices that strengthen the function of your ECS:

• Training.
• A diet rich in healthy fats.
• Herbs and Probiotics dietary supplements.
• Stress less.
• Sleep more. 

In addition to these 5 reasons (which I will also describe in more depth in a later blog post), you can also use skin care products that contain CBD and CBG oils. CBD and CBG mimic the endocannabinoids our body naturally creates to help the ECS come into balance. When you add these substances to your skin, they will help the ECS do what it does best… Making you and your skin feel as good as possible.

Our products contain a unique combination of CBD and CBG that together strengthen your endocannabinoid system. Try our concept and you will understand why this is the key to optimal skin health.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3997295/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3736954/

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/cbd-oil-for-skin

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6429381/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7037408/

https://news.green-flower.com/5-ways-to-support-the-endocannabinoid-system-with-lifestyle/