A tiny shopping cart with CBD oil bottles in it, next to a paper shopping bag with a hemp leaf poking out the top

How to Check the Quality of CBD Products

When it comes to CBD products, it’s exciting to be able to choose from a wealth of brands and product options. However, while options are a wonderful thing, sadly, not all CBD brands and products are created equal. When choosing a brand or a CBD product, it pays to take the time to put some research in.

7 Tips To Checking the Quality of CBD Products

Checking the quality of a CBD product that you’re interested in doesn’t have to be complicated, overwhelming, or difficult. In fact, researching brands and products puts you in a better position to be more educated about what you’re going to purchase down the road. It’s very easy to be a consumer, but it’s even more beneficial to be an educated consumer.

1. Where the Hemp is Sourced

You should always be aware of where a brand sources its hemp. While it’s great to save money and purchase CBD products that are easy on your wallet, most often, cheaper brands source their hemp from unclean places. In other words, the hemp could be laden with pesticides, herbicides, and other harmful chemicals. Look for brands that source their hemp from within the United States, as hemp that’s grown in Europe and other places is not held to the same standards as hemp that’s grown in the US. FAB CBD sources all of its organically grown hemp from Colorado where it's raised without harmful herbicides, pesticides, or other dangerous chemicals.
hemp plants on a hemp farm
When researching brands, the hemp should be organically grown and should not contain any harmful chemicals. It should also be cleanly harvested. Likewise, the extraction method is also key. There are quite a few ways to obtain CBD extracts from hemp. However, one of the cleanest ways is through the CO2 extraction method. This type of extraction process doesn’t leave any harmful chemicals or solvents in the hemp extracts. In looking for top-quality CBD products, you should look for brands, like FAB CBD, that use the industry-preferred CO2 extraction process to obtain their extracts.

2. Independent Third-Party Lab Testing

Brands that routinely test their products for purity and potency relay a strong message to customers that they care about transparency and the quality and effectiveness of their products. Moreover, all independent third-party lab reports should be easy for customers to find and should ideally be published on the brand’s website. Third-party lab testing is one way that brands have quality control in their manufacturing process. During this type of testing, independent labs review the manufacturing process as well as the final product. Not only does this type of testing show purity and potency, it also ensures that the final product adheres to specified quality and safety standards. All of FAB CBD's products are routinely tested for potency and purity by ProVerde Labs, an independent third-party laboratory, and then those results are posted on the FAB CBD website where customers can easily find them. Even though some brands do their own in-house testing, they will also outsource the final testing to an independent lab to confirm that their findings are accurate, reliable, and are bias-free. Independent third-party labs are in no way associated with a manufacturer or a distributor. Some things that are tested for are:
  • Product Potency
  • Cannabinoid Profile — Ensures that CBD is present in the products and in the amount that the manufacturers say it is, and to double check that THC levels fall within the legal guidelines (for full-spectrum products) or that there isn’t any THC in the final product at all (for broad spectrum products).
  • Pesticide and Fungicide Testing — Ensures that there aren’t any fungicides or pesticides in the final product.
  • Heavy Metals Analysis — This tests final products for cadmium, mercury, lead, arsenic, and other dangerous heavy metals.
  • Residual Solvents — For those brands who don’t use the industry-preferred CO2 extraction process, this type of testing exposes whether there are any solvent compounds from the extraction process left in the final product. The CO2 extract process is safe, environmentally friendly, and doesn’t leave any dangerous residual solvents in the final products. Interestingly, this process is even used for other products including coffee, essential oils, and carbonated beverages.

3. Ingredients

Product ingredients are key. When the ingredients are high-quality, then the products can potentially be more potent and effective. Not only that, but when you combine top-quality ingredients with organic hemp, a clean extraction and manufacturing process, and routine testing by an independent third-party lab, then you can feel confident that the CBD products you’re purchasing are some of the best. While there are basic ingredients always found in final CBD products, there are other ingredients that can be added to help boost a product’s purpose and effectiveness.
Someone passes a CBD oil bottle to their friend while they talk in the backyard

Some products, like FAB CBD's "Nighttime" CBD PM Chews, contain essential oils, flower extracts, and other natural supplements like melatonin, 5-HTP, ashwagandha, and L-Theanine to help with restful and restorative sleep. Still, other brands use plants like aloe vera in their topical creams to help moisturize the skin. FAB CBD includes aloe vera, coconut oil, and cocoa butter in its light and silky Topical CBD Cream that has an uplifting blood orange scent, so not only will your skin feel soft and supple, but your muscles and joints will feel great too. If you're looking for something a bit stronger, then you might want to consider a product that contains heating and cooling elements that help deeply soothe tired joints and muscles. Body salves have proven to be both nourishing to the skin as well as tough on tired muscles and joints. A combination of CBD, essential oils, beeswax, and jojoba oil offer protection and healing to the skin in a way that differs from topical creams. FAB CBD's plant-infused Body Salve contains menthol crystals to cool and cinnamomum camphora oil to heat, along with lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary, ginger, peppermint, tea tree, and lemongrass essential oils, and vitamin E oil to nourish the skin. Products like topical cream and body salve are prime examples of how CBD can be combined with other natural ingredients so that they can have a larger, more positive effect on the body. If you’re purchasing low-quality products, then there’s no telling what kinds of inferior ingredients were also added into them. When you purchase CBD products from reputable brands that are transparent, that strictly adhere to best manufacturing practices, and that make it a point to use top-notch ingredients in all of their products, then you’ll know that what you’re purchasing is effective and worth the money you’re spending to boost your overall health and wellness. 

4. Synthetic vs Pure

Synthetic CBD is a type of cannabinoid that’s made artificially. This differs greatly from natural CBD that comes directly from the hemp and marijuana plants. Natural CBD oils, like FAB CBD's full-spectrum oils, have a wealth of benefits to them and can help to boost your overall health and wellness. Conversely, synthetic oils are manufactured artificially and are not real cannabinoids. In essence, synthetic CBD oils are created from chemicals that are able to bind to receptors in the human body’s endocannabinoid system, but have little to none of the therapeutic potential of natural cannabinoids. In purchasing natural oils like FAB CBD's full-spectrum CBD oils, your body will be able to receive all of the beneficial cannabinoids, terpenes, and phytonutrients that the hemp plant has to offer. When it comes to buying CBD products, it’s of utmost importance that you focus on products that are clean and that are created from natural sources, like the ones created by FAB CBD. If you want to get the most out of your CBD products, then natural is the best and only way to go.

5. Brand Trust

Deep research is an excellent way to learn about a brand, its products, and its overall reputation. The brand’s online presence, however, is also highly important. When you begin to look at a brand’s online presence, you need to closely hone in on the brand’s website, its social profile, verified customer reviews, and whether or not its founder comes out to back up his/her products. The first thing you should notice about a brand is whether or not its website looks easy to use. Are the graphics fun and friendly? Can you navigate the website easily? Can you quickly locate products, third-party lab reports, or info on how to contact customer service? Does the brand clearly lay out its return policy? Take some time to peruse the website and get comfortable with it. Make a mental note of what works for you and what doesn’t. Next, does the brand list its social media accounts? If so, visit them to see what the brand’s overall social presence is like. Does the brand engage with its customers? Does the brand regularly post on its social media? Are the posts fun and engaging? Everyone at FAB CBD loves to engage with customers in a fun, caring, and insightful way through social media posts, emails, customer service calls, and through the kind comments that they make in response to customers on all of the FAB CBD social media accounts. Not only does everyone at FAB CBD believe in creating the very best, top-quality CBD products, they also believe that taking care of customers to make sure they have an amazing experience is of great importance as well. Verified customer reviews are pivotal in solidifying a brand’s reputation. The genuine and verified words of both long-time and new customers can inform and speak to those who have been curious about a brand and its CBD products. It’s been said that word of mouth is the best form of advertising. Nothing speaks better about a brand’s reputation and the quality of its products than the forthright words and heartfelt reviews of its customers, and to date, FAB CBD is proud to have 2,100 positive verified customer reviews on its website.

>>>Learn About How To Avoid Fake or Poor Quality CBD Oils<<<

A picture of a CBD oil bottle next to sliced oranges on a yellow background. A customer review is written to the side.
Finally, and most importantly, does the founder of the brand come out to support and back up the quality of his or her products? Do you see the brand’s founder commenting and posting online? Does he or she regularly engage with customers online and answer any of their questions or concerns? For both new and regular customers, it can feel heartening, uplifting, and empowering to see the brand’s owner jump online to positively interact with customers and potential customers. In a sense, this also helps to boost and solidify the brand’s overall reputation. If you jump online into FAB CBD's Community Page on Facebook, you'll regularly see the brand's founder engaging with customers as well as speaking to the quality of the brand's top-rated products.

6. Clear Layout of Return Policies and Customer Service

For new customers, purchasing any CBD products for the first time can feel like a major gamble — especially if the products are purchased from a reputable brand and are somewhat on the expensive side. To be fair, when it comes to the price of CBD products, the old adage “You get what you pay for,” rings true. Products that appear to be on the expensive side are priced that way because they are made by following strict manufacturing standards and are created using top-shelf ingredients, therefore, the products are clean and potent. Having said all that, all reputable brands clearly lay out their return policies on their websites so that customers will know they have support should there be an issue with any product they purchase. Most reputable brands, like FAB CBD, typically have a 30-day, money-back guarantee policy. Likewise, a brand’s customer service department needs to be highly responsive, caring, and knowledgeable. It adds to the brand’s overall reputation and trust among customers when they can easily reach its customer service department as well as verbally interact with someone on the other end of the phone who is warm and caring. Customers constantly leave positive reviews or send emails praising FAB CBD's warm and caring customer service department. Everyone at FAB CBD goes out of their way to make sure that customers have the best experience as possible.

7. Product Packaging

Last but not least, in looking at the quality of CBD products, the appearance of product packaging, though seemingly minor, can play a huge part in helping you to determine whether a product is of superior quality. In looking at CBD products, the packaging should be engaging, clearly labeled, and not confusing in any way. Some of the important things that are labeled on CBD packaging is:
  • Brand and product identity
  • Net weight of the product
  • A full list of ingredients
  • Name and address of the brand
  • QR codes
  • Product strength
  • FDA (Food and Drug Administration) disclaimer
  • Brand contact information
Someone holds a bottle of CBD oil up to the camera while lifting the dropper out.
Some of the extras that can add excitement to CBD product packaging are the look of the outer packaging, package inserts, and a bright, fun, and engaging product design. You should steer clear of product packaging that isn’t clearly labeled or that appears to be misleading in any way. Customers can always rely on FAB CBD's full-spectrum oil bottles and other product packaging being clearly labeled with all of the important and necessary info. To that end, FAB CBD's designers put a lot of thought and effort into the brand's package designs. FAB CBD's packaging is fun, bright, engaging, and hard not to fall in love with.

Finding Quality Products Doesn’t Have to be Overwhelming

Regardless of where you begin in your research, finding quality CBD products should be an enjoyable journey. Not only will you be learning more about the CBD industry in general, but in your research, you’ll also be learning about what it takes to make top-shelf, high-quality CBD products. Hemp source, third-party independent lab tests, product ingredients, social media presence, verified customer reviews, and product packaging are but a few of the things that you can begin to look at in your research. As you continue, more topics that spark your interest will pop up for you. At the end of the day, the main goal should always be to find a solid, reputable brand, like FAB CBD, that creates high-quality, pure, and potent CBD products that can help to boost your overall health and wellbeing. Anything else you’ll learn is just icing on the cake.

 When deciding between CBD oil, topical cream, body salve, CBD gummies, or any other CBD product, your health needs and wellness goals will always dictate the type of product that you choose. Keep in mind that every product can be beneficial to your body in different ways, so once you're done with your research, start to think about what your needs are and what type of product or products will best suit those needs. If you cannot choose just one type of product, you can always combine a couple of products as well.