City

The skinny on cannabis-infused cosmetics

Wellness gurus are spiking their artisanal lotions and salves with a not-so-secret ingredient.  But does it work? We put a few to the test

By Courtney Shea | February 25, 2019

By Courtney Shea | 02/25/2019

Here’s the rub

For those who can’t make it to the spa in Grafton, Ste. Anne’s recently debuted a whole line of CBD products. The rescue muscle salve, whose other ingredients include arnica, beeswax and black cumin oil, is designed to reduce swelling and inflammation. $46.50. Steannes.com.

Courtney’s take: “The salve has a pleasant Vick’s VapoRub–esque aroma. I rubbed it on my knee, which had been acting up after a particularly bendy yoga class. I immediately felt a cool, tingly sensation, and half an hour later, my knee was much less cranky.”

High tea

One bag of Mary’s Wellness Tea won’t get you wasted—and it’s not supposed to, with the relatively low THC dose of 60 mg per serving, plus 6 mg of CBD. $5 per bag. Maryswellness.com.

Courtney’s take: “There’s something delightfully civilized about getting high off a hot cup of tea. I tried the Berry Berry (tart and fruity with a hint of cannabis funk) and Green Tea and Ginger (which tastes like someone dropped a joint in the kettle). It reduced my anxiety and cleared my head. While watching True Detective, I poured a second cup in the hopes of getting buzzed. Instead, I conked out before the episode was over.”

Eat spray love

Calyx, the city’s first CBD boutique, makes its calming mist with a blend of peppermint extract, grape-seed oil, menthol and about 3.3 mg of CBD. You’re meant to spritz it like a breath freshener. $90. Calyxwellness.co.

Courtney’s take: “It didn’t taste terrible—it reminded me of oily Listerine—but it’s hard to relax when you’re trying to determine whether you’re relaxed. I sampled it again before a work meeting and felt atypically detached, so maybe that was a sign of canna-induced calm. Either way, my breath smelled fresher than after a Wintergreen Lifesaver.”

Calm bomb

All Things Hemp Seed’s handmade bath bombs purport to harness the power of hemp-seed oil to soothe dry skin. Each one contains 15 mL of the miracle ingredient, plus witch hazel, white Kaolin clay and Epsom salts. $3.75. Allthingshempseed.com.

Courtney’s take: “The orange-ginger version smelled fresh, summery and not too overpowering, and my bath experience was utterly blissful (though I suspect most midday baths are). Pro: afterward, my skin felt noticeably softer than usual. Con: the orange colouring made it look like I was bathing in pee.”

The New Gold Rush

Part 1: Pot-Luck Dinner
The city is teeming with fancy, secret summer clubs serving THC-laced cuisine. We sent our restaurant critic to sample the goods

Part 2: The Pot Pilgrims
These five newcomers packed up their lives and moved to Toronto—all for the chance to work in weed

Part 3: Hot Boxes
Luxurious designer boutiques are the future of cannabis retail

Part 4: Professors of Pot
It’s a stoner’s dream come true: you can finally major in marijuana

Part 5: Plant Managers
The favourite strains of the horticulturally gifted growers at the city’s top cannabis companies

Part 6: Baked Goods
Wellness gurus are spiking their artisanal lotions and salves with a not-so-secret ingredient. We tested out some of the more intriguing products

Part 7: Buzz Food
Cannabis cooking classes—for those who want to cause and cure the munchies in one fell swoop

Part 8: High Rollers
We quizzed the city’s most powerful cannabis CEOs on their favourite strains, weed slang and what they eat when they get the munchies