When enjoying the benefits of CBD after a workout, many adults rely on topical CBD products.** These creams, balms, bath salts, and other products deliver targeted relief for minor aches and pains, alongside CBD’s other wellness-boosting benefits.** But how do you use CBD topicals to optimize your recovery? And what makes them a go-to amongst other CBD products? It all begins with finding the best topical for your needs––and the one that slips seamlessly into your daily routine.
First, let’s gain a rudimentary understanding of what CBD is, then, we’ll unpack what the most popular CBD topicals are and how to use them, hopefully introducing you to your next gym bag essential!
What Is CBD?
Short for cannabidiol, CBD has long been a popular therapeutic compound. It’s a member of the cannabinoid family. These are chemical compounds native to hemp and cannabis plants. Though they’re over a hundred cannabinoids (that we’ve discovered so far), CBD is the most abundant, making up most of the plant’s cannabinoid profile. Other cannabinoids include CBG, CBC, CBN, and the notorious THC.
On the topic of THC, we need to take a little detour. Our products are derived from hemp plants. Hemp, by its nature (and regulated by the 2018 Farm Bill), is low in THC––less than 0.3%. Cannabis marijuana plants, on the other hand, can have THC levels that reach 30%.
THC is the psychoactive cannabinoid, inciting cannabis’s iconic “high.” CBD doesn’t offer psychotropic effects, but promotes a host of wellness-boosting benefits by interacting with your body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS).** This system works to maintain homeostasis, or balance, within the mind and body. The ECS exists as a network of receptors uniquely equipped to recognize and process cannabinoids.
When you take a CBD gummy, puff on a CBD vape, or enjoy a CBD tincture, the cannabinoids engage your ECS receptors and bolster their performance, which leads to a host of therapeutic benefits.**
But, unlike these CBD products, CBD topicals process through the body differently.
What Are CBD Topicals?
Unlike other CBD products, topicals don’t filter through your lungs or absorb through your digestive tract. Instead, CBD topicals introduce an effective dose of cannabidiol into your body through your skin. These cannabinoids never reach your bloodstream. They bypass the bloodstream completely and trickle down to the underlying muscles and joints, working to quiet minor aches and pains.**
Types of CBD Topicals
Each CBD topical offers its own set of benefits. Each topical is formulated for a unique, CBD-rich experience, from how they’re applied to the skin to the effects they promote. Choosing the right one for your routine will help you tailor the benefits of CBD to your post-workout recovery.**
CBD Cream
CBD creams rub on easily and dry quickly, promoting their soothing benefits in a matter of minutes.** We formulate these CBD lotions with a wide range of natural, healthful ingredients to complement CBD’s organic therapeutic properties. For example, our Muscle & Joint CBD Creams come with white willow bark and caffeine, in addition to hemp-derived broad-spectrum CBD.
Our Muscle & Joint CBD Cooling Cream is formulated with menthol to gently relieve your muscles.** In contrast, our Muscle & Joint CBD Heating Cream uses camphor oil to warm and soothe the targeted area.** Both are wonderful additions to any post-workout routine.
CBD Balm
CBD balms are rub-on topicals you can apply directly to your skin. Just remove the cap, rub the balm on the target area, and wait to feel CBD’s natural relief for minor aches and pains.** We carry two CBD balm sticks: Muscle & Joint CBD Balm Stick and Calming & Moisturizing CBD Balm Stick.
We formulate both with natural, organic ingredients and broad-spectrum CBD. Both balm sticks come in either a 750 or 3000mg stick. Many adults prefer these over other topicals because they can take these sticks on the go, enjoying their soothing relief immediately before or after a workout.**
CBD Bath Products
We also offer a couple CBD-infused bath products to help you unwind after a workout and focus on optimal recovery. First, our CBD bath bombs bring cannabidiol’s relaxing properties in four different formulas*:
- Recharge
- Soothing
- Calming
- Hydrating
Next, we have CBD Bath Salts formulated with either lavender or peppermint essential oils and mineral-rich Celtic sea salt. Our CBD bath products are perfect for a post-workout soak and offer all the topical wellness benefits of 99% CBD isolate.**
Tips on Using CBD Topicals for Muscle Soreness
With all this in mind, how should you use CBD topicals for post-workout recovery? It’s easier than you might think. A good rule of thumb is to apply small amounts of your chosen topical every couple of hours to maintain relief for minor aches and pains.** You can also take creams or balms with you to the gym and apply them before or during your workout, which can help you get a headstart on your post-workout recovery.**
When you apply the topical to your skin, let it air dry. If the area is typically covered by clothes, this is especially important. Letting the lotion dry will give the cannabinoids time to seep through the skin barrier and into the target tissue, where they’ll go on to relieve minor aches and pains.**
Also, be sure to find the appropriate strength for you. Each of our CBD creams and CBD balms have different levels of strength, making one more right for you over another. So, test topicals with varying milligrams of CBD to see which strength is best for you.
| CBDfx Product | Type of Topical | Type of CBD | Milligrams of CBD |
| CBD Muscle & Joint Cream: Cooling Formula | CBD Cream | Broad-Spectrum CBD | 1000/3000mg |
| CBG Muscle & Joint Cream: Heating Formula | CBD Cream | Broad-Spectrum CBD | 1000/3000mg |
| Calming & Moisturizing CBD Balm Stick | CBD Balm | Broad-Spectrum CBD | 750/3000mg |
| Muscle & Joint CBD Balm Stick | CBD Balm | Broad-Spectrum CBD | 750/3000mg |
| CBD Bath Bombs | CBD Bath Product | CBD Isolate | 200mg |
| CBD Bath Salts | CBD Bath Product | CBD Isolate | 100mg |
CBD Oil: An Alternative to Topical CBD
Another CBD product that’s ideal for post-workout recovery is CBD oil tinctures.** These hemp-derived CBD products are made with either full spectrum or broad-spectrum CBD and are taken sublingually (under your tongue). Unlike CBD topicals, tinctures filter through your bloodstream, promoting wellness benefits that affect the mind and body.** CBD tinctures come with a dropper attached to the lid, which helps you accurately measure out a dose.
Tinctures are a great addition to a wellness regime, because they’re quick and easy to take while offering long-lasting benefits, so you can enjoy them before or after a workout.**
If you’re interested in trying CBD tinctures alongside our collection of topicals, check out our complete collection of CBD oil!
