cbdMD Review

Written by Tyler Swell — Edited by Cathy Rozyczko on February 9, 2021

cbdMD claims to have traveled the world in search of the best conditions for growing hemp, finally landing right here in the USA. Smart move. The company provides both internal and third-party tests on their CBD oil and promotes the supremacy of whole plant extract — offering ALL cannabinoids plus other beneficial compounds as opposed to CBD isolate. Another good move. Their product line is extensive, but cbdMD ranks low due to an absence of potency tests for each SKU, among other things.

cbdMD claims to pride themselves chiefly on two things: quality and innovation. The innovation we’re not so sure about, but the quality is definitely a visible cornerstone. It all starts with hemp grown organically in Colorado and Kentucky, two areas known in the U.S. for superior cultivation practices and ideal soil. cbdMD discusses on their site how imported CBD hemp does not meet the same quality standards as the American stuff, and we totally agree. Not to mention, it yields a much smaller carbon footprint.

The company employs aquaponics in their greenhouses and stays vigilant throughout the grow process by performing consistent exams and testing soil pH levels. From there, the raw materials are put through CO2 extraction to yield broad-spectrum CBD oil, complete with multiple cannabinoids, terpenes, etc. that support the ‘entourage effect.’

cbdMD’s product line contains no isolate options, as the company stands firmly behind the benefits of whole plant extraction. Pricing is considerably affordable, and cbdMD even has a chart on their homepage comparing the low price of their tinctures and capsules to major brands like Endoca and Green Roads.

Offerings are available in eight categories, including:

• CBD oil tinctures ($30-$340) – These come in strengths from 300 to a whopping 7500 mg and contain MCT oil and all-natural extracts in the berry, mint, and orange flavors.
• CBD capsules ($36-$100)
• CBD for pets ($20-$150) – cbdMD’s pet line is generous compared to most mainstream vendors. They offer peanut butter tinctures and treats for dogs, catnip-flavored CBD oil for feline friends, and high concentration tinctures for horses.
• CBD vape oil ($30-$100)
• CBD gummies ($30 and $60)
• CBD topicals – There are three options here, each ranging in price from $30 to $100 based on size/concentration. Time for a chemical check. We found methylparaben, artificial coloring, and triethanolamine in the CBD Freeze; the latter two ingredients we can look past, but parabens are a deal-breaker. The CBD lotion also has a few chemical nasties, and the cleanest topical is the Inflammation Formula. It contains phenoxyethanol, but all the other components check out. Use your own judgment with this category.
• CBD bath bombs ($10/ea)
• CBD PM formula ($45)

With the exception of the CBD topicals, the cbdMD product line is pretty solid, but they come up short in the testing department. The good news is they test for all the things we look for — extensive contaminants and purity/potency. The bad news is that they only perform these tests on their batch of CBD oil.

It’s a good effort, but in addition to this test, we’ll need to see a cannabinoid profile for each SKU to grant the Safety Badge. We encourage cbdMD to add these tests to their process because hey, another badge from us is always a good thing. Not to mention, customers should know exactly how much CBD is in each bottle of product they purchase.

Bottom Line – Overall, cbdMD comes out decent with a mostly quality CBD product line (be wary with the chemicals in the topicals) and clean sources and processing. We’d like to see a little more from them, and providing cannabinoid profiles for each SKU is a great start.