Our Favorite CBD Lotion for the Winter Ahead

• 707 Flora’s CBD lotion will keep your skin feeling refreshed all winter long. 
• All of 707 Flora’s CBD skincare products are clean, cruelty-free, snd dermatologist tested. 
• Joan Sutton combined her experience as a beauty product development expert and appreciation for the power of cannabis to bring 707 Flora to life. 

8-minute read

For radiant skin all winter, look no further than 707 Flora’s CBD lotion

With the holidays coming up, we all start to think of radiance. From tree lights to candles, it’s a way to brighten the deepening darkness of winter days. And, of course, we all want to be equally radiant in our holiday pics. So this time of year, our thoughts are turning to pre-holiday skincare. Since it went legal, we’ve tried a ton of CBD lotion. But this is our skin, and we’re not just gonna put anything on it. We want our CBD and our hyaluronic acid, too. So we did some sleuthing and discovered 707 Flora. This luxe, spa brand has deep roots in both cannabis and cutting edge skincare. So we asked the line’s founder, Joan Sutton, to tell us why we should make the switch to CBD beauty.

How did you first connect with cannabis?

I first tried cannabis with my older sister when I was 14. I didn’t use it on the regular until a few years later. It was a game-changer for me. My mind has always run a million miles a minute. I picture it looking like a highway with a dozen lanes—all of them constantly racing with hasty thoughts. The cannabis slowed me down and helped me focus. I hid it forever from my family and especially in business. People expected teenagers to smoke pot. But corporate VPs couldn’t openly consume without judgement or worse. So I hid it for my whole adult life, until I launched my brand. Even though cannabis has been legal for years in California, it wasn’t until 707 Flora was on the market that I felt comfortable talking about it. But after I started the conversation, it made me realize how important destigmatizing marijuana use is.

 

Where does the name 707 Flora come from?

707 Flora comes from the 707 area code of Humboldt County and the Emerald Triangle. That’s where my farm is. Many consider Humboldt the foundation of the modern cannabis industry. We wanted to pay homage to it and draw attention to this very special part of California. And, of course, Flora represents the cannabis flower which is where the plant produces most of its active ingredients.

What makes 707 Flora skincare special?

Our skincare is special because it truly marries skincare technology with cannabis science. For over 30 years, I developed hundreds of products for some of the world’s largest beauty brands. Since CBD became legal, we’ve seen a ton of CBD lotion. Because it’s “on trend”, a lot of traditional beauty companies rushed CBD products to market. Also, lots of cannabis brands have dipped their toes into the beauty space without really understanding the physiology of the skin. With 707 Flora, I wanted to bridge the gap between high performance skincare and hemp cannabis treatments. Our skincare products really accomplish that. They’re hemp-based and have luxurious, spa-like textures. Our formulas are also clean, dermatologist tested, vegan, and cruelty-free.

With your experience as a beauty product development expert, what led you to create a line that focused on CBD?

In 2017, I attended the High Times Cannabis Cup with my partner, Wesley Titus. He’s been a trailblazer in the cannabis industry for decades. Initially, I tagged along as an outsider looking in. He introduced me to some long-time friends who had won awards, and we started an in-depth conversation about terpenes. I have a ton of experience developing fragrances and working with essential oils. So my mind started swirling. I realized that beauty and cannabis had a lot in common. The conversation was so inspiring. I was teaching them, and they were teaching me. I was astounded by the science, passion, and culture. Wesley and I both left the event completely inspired to create a brand using the power of cannabis. I immediately went to work, educating myself about the endocannabinoid system (ECS). I focused on its relationship to the skin in order to formulate CBD lotion that would deliver visible results and have a profound effect on overall skin health.

What are the main benefits of using CBD skincare?

With skincare, we’re generally treating the epidermis of the skin. That’s the top layer of the skin, and it consists of several inner layers. The basal layer is the innermost layer of the epidermis. That’s where new skin cells are born. We have cannabis receptors (CB1 and CB2) throughout our bodies that work as regulators for things like inflammation, pain, and anxiety, etc. We also have CB1 and CB2 receptors at the basal layer of the skin. They work as pathways to communicate to the nucleus of the cell what our skin needs. That’s why CBD is ideal in skincare. CBD acts like an adaptogen. It works on the skin to bring balance and good health.

707 Flora includes a lot more than just CBD lotion—what other ingredients are in your line?

Effective skincare seldom relies on the performance of a single active ingredient. Instead, a group of raw materials work as an ensemble. When I started formulating for 707 Flora, it was really important to me to include the skincare staples I believe in. Then I also brought in other active ingredients and adaptogens that complement the benefits of full spectrum CBD. So,our products go beyond just CBD lotion. We use some of nature’s finest actives. That includes microalgaes, seaweed, and antiaging hero ingredients like peptides and hyaluronic acid. At the same time, the best formulations retain a kind of elegant simplicity. So we kept our line clean and free of unnecessary additives and fillers.

Tell us about each of your skincare products and what they can do for us

Core Cleanser

Our Core Cleanser is a hydrating foaming cleanser that gives you the freshest start. Its fine exfoliating beads are gentle and completely eco-friendly!

Daily Moisturizer

Our Daily Moisturizer is a a one-step skin quencher. It’s a lightweight water-based cream that also works as an amazing makeup primer. It’s for those of us who love a light cream but still need moisture and nutrients.

707 Balm

707 Balm is our on-the-go skin fix. It’s a multipurpose SOS balm. Use it on lips or any area with dry skin for soothing moisture. It’s my saviour!

Moisture Matrix

Our Moisture Matrix is a leave-on night mask that’ll have you waking up with deeply hydrated, dewy skin. It also has prebiotics to enhance your skin’s microbiome. It’s truly overnight magic.

Revitalizing Eye Cream

I developed our Revitalizing Eye Cream after getting frustrated that my makeup was continuously creasing around my eyes. This eye cream uses blur technology to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It also mattifies your skin. I like to mix some with my concealer with it before applying it under my eyes. It also helps with dark circles and puffiness.

Youth Boost Serum

Youth Boost Serum is our “radiance remedy.” It works to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while revealing a smooth, glowing complexion. It has a silky texture that glides easily onto skin. The texture is so fresh that it absorbs instantly.

How fast will we notice 707 Flora CBD lotion working? 

You should experience the difference right away. Your skin should feel more hydrated and healthy. But there’s also a cumulative effect. In a blind consumer panel, we saw increased visual results especially at the 4-week mark. That makes perfect sense because CBD lotion works on that basal layer of the skin where new cells are born. And the cell renewal process takes approximately 30 days. The newer healthier cells should be surfacing about a month after you start using it.

Fave terpene or strain? 

Oh, I love fruity terpenes like myrcene. I actually recreated a natural myrcene scent profile for some of our 707 Flora products. A lot of terpenes are allergens that can irritate the skin. In fact, the FDA prohibits us from using natural myrcene in that way. That’s why I recreated its scent. My favorite mj strain is Sundae Driver, a true hybrid and fruity.

For those of us who’ve been all about retinol, what’s the difference between it and CBD lotion?

Retinol is a form of vitamin A. It has a lot of benefits for the skin, including pore-size reduction, anti-aging, and increased collagen production. But, for many, those benefits come with a price—irritation and increased sensitivity. Retinol strips down the skin. CBD lotion works to bring the skin into balance and help it do what it does naturally. CBD and retinol are both good, just different. And neither are miracles! If you are using strong retinols, you could use CBD lotion to help calm irritation. The real magic happens when you have the right combination of actives in effective delivery systems that address your particular needs.

You also make tinctures, including a brand new one that sounds absolutely delicious—Cozy Cocoa. What can your tinctures do for us that a CBD lotion can’t?

We formulated our CBD + Turmeric Tinctures to enrich overall wellbeing and encourage beauty from within. They do that with a blend of high-grade hemp extract, high-potency turmeric, and coconut-derived MCT oil. This combination of CBD and turmeric is the ultimate skin destresser because it works on the skin from the inside out. CBD tinctures are also one of the fastest and most efficient delivery systems of cannabinoids to the body. We recommend incorporating 707 Flora CBD + Turmeric Tinctures into your beauty and wellness routine to encourage a glow that truly comes from within.

Besides CBD lotion, how do you like to consume cannabis? 

I like flower. It’s the best way to slow down my brain. I also love Wesley’s homemade edibles. He has a lot of old-school Humboldt recipes.

If someone wants to start with just one 707 Flora product, which one do you recommend?

Depending on their skin type, I would recommend Core Cleanser or Moisture Matrix. Both are our bestsellers for a reason! Try the gently exfoliating Core Cleanser to refresh skin and dissolve away impurities. And Moisture Matrix is great for dry skin.

How can we find out about your newest product drops?

The best way to keep up with 707 Flora is by subscribing to our newsletter or following us on Instagram.