Topical Making with Cannalife Botanicals

We were so grateful to attend this year’s Cannabis Hemp Conference

What an amazing weekend Salimeh curated! It was so wonderful to meet and connect with all of our community. Such a rich weekend full of education, honest testimonials and workshops. We were very honoured to be invited to share our knowledge of topical making. We were so happy with the turn out and to have such an amazing receptive audience.

What we offered in our workshop was a basic recipe and info on working with herbal synergies and aromatherapy for greater healing potential.

Some of our first cannalife topicals used moon and sun infusions. An infusion without using heat would sit in oil for 1 month and be shaken daily. You can experiment with different phases of the moon to bring in certain energies into the infusion. We then reviewed traditional methods of making medicine with a low heat infusion, using the whole plant rather than extracts and allowing the carrier oil to pull the medicine from the plant over time.

As requested by those who attended the workshop, we are posting the presentation info and recipe here along with infographics about our products which highlight the ingredients we have chosen for different ailments.
We encourage you to use ingredients you feel drawn to because your cells have the deep knowledge of what your body needs, then research any herbs or essential oils you plan to incorporate into your recipes to learn about their properties.

Please feel free to reach out with any questions! info@cannalifebotanicals.ca

HOW TOPICALS WORK

Cannabis-infused lotions, sprays, balms and oils carry cannabinoids into the skin. When applied to the skin, the extracts activate the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) and bind to CB2 receptors and relieve pain, inflammation, and soothe irritations.

A 2005 study published in the Journal of Dermatological Science noted that both CB1 and CB2 reactivity were found in nerve fiber bundles, immune system cells, white blood cells, skin cells, hair cells and sweat glands. The abundance of these receptors indicates the therapeutic potential of cannabis topicals for anti-inflammatory and sensitivity-reducing action to painful stimuli.

COMMON USES

Some of the common uses for topical cannabis include:
•Arthritis
•Burns
•Pain Management
•Anti-Inflammatory
•Insect Bites
•Bacterial and Fungal Skin Infections
•Skin Elasticity
•Sexual Lubricant

MAKE YOUR OWN TOPICAL

Equipment:
-Grinder or food processor
-CookieSheet
-Aluminum Foil
-Heavy, medium-size double boiler (Two pots, one slightly smaller than the other, that can function as a double boiler)
-Water (for bottom of double boiler)
-Thermometer
-Spoon or Spatula
-Fine mesh strainer/sieve/cheese cloth
-Heatproof Glass Bowl (for strained balm)
-Storage Container

INGREDIENTS

•7-10 grams of roughly ground, dried cannabis and other herbs if desired
•1 ½ cups of coconut oil
•1/3 cup olive oil (optional and may include various oils)
•1/3 cup beeswax (15-25% Beeswax. Depending on the desired texture and the size of the batch.)
•A few drops of essential oil (your choice)

RECIPE

•Preheat your oven to 220 degrees Fahrenheit and spread your dried ground cannabis on a baking sheet. When the oven is preheated, decarboxylate your cannabis in the oven for 10-15 minutes. (I use half the time that I would noramally use for edibles)
•While your cannabis is in the oven, place coconut and olive oil in the saucepan or double boiler over low heat and stir continuously.
•Remove the decarbed cannabis from the oven and mix it into the oil. Maintain a low heat and continue stirring the cannabis and oil mixture for 20 to 25 minutes.
•Note: Keep the heat very low, especially when using a saucepan and not a double boiler–if the heat gets too high, you’ll scorch the cannabis and burn off the THC, decreasing the oil’s potency. This is especially pertinent if you’re using olive oil in your recipe, as olive oil has a lower smoke point than other oils.
•After 2-4 hours, remove from heat and pour the mixture through a cheesecloth into the jar. Set aside. If you double the batch infuse for 2 hours longer
•In the same saucepan or double boiler, add the beeswax and heat until it is melted. As the beeswax melts, slowly add the infused coconut oil.
•You can also add essential oils to your mixture–we recommend lavender, peppermint, or tea tree oils. Just a few drops will do.
•Once the beeswax and coconut oils are thoroughly mixed, remove from heat and transfer into containers for your infused salve.

PRODUCT BENEFITS