In January of 2019, the UAE government confirmed that the sale and purchase of hemp seed oil is legal. “Dubai Municipality denies the rumour of the existence of narcotic properties in hemp seed oil that is used in cosmetics and care,” they wrote on Instagram. “The extraction of the hemp seed oil is done by pressing the seeds of the plant, similar to the methods of extracting Olive oil and Coconut with no other treatments.”

When the news dropped, all major beauty retailers and e-tailers alike, from Namshi to Noon, responded to the interests of modern consumers in procuring and stocking their shelves with this new and exciting ingredient. Hemp seed oil is truly making its mark in the cosmetics industry, quickly becoming part of our every beauty vernacular – but is also perhaps the most poorly understood ingredient out there.

“Hemp seed oil is made from cold-pressing the hemp seeds together to result in an ingredient that is highly beneficial for the skin and body,” says Carolin. “The plant contains less than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and therefore has no psychoactive components, which differentiates it from CBD.”

Now, A-listers from Kim Kardashian to Jennifer Aniston swear by the oil, resulting in more and more established and emerging brands turning their attention to this new-age ingredient, adopting a more sophisticated and nuanced approach to wellness.

One of these brands is Essence. The vegan and clean make-up label loved by many recently launched their latest collection, High Beauty, which boasts several new hemp seed oil-based products. Hello, Good Stuff! Face Primer, the 24ever Defined Volume Mascara and the 24ever Bold Volume Mascara are all packed with soothing properties, including natural hemp seed oil, aloe vera extract, glycerin, jojoba oil, vitamin E and hyaluronic acid. The result? An intensely moisturizing line-up of beauty products that will work wonders for hydration.

“Hemp seed oil is known for its moisturizing and soothing properties, thanks to the high percentage of omega-six-fatty acids,” says Carolin. “The pure oil is also super anti-inflammatory, further helps to balance the skin’s natural oil production, and has also anti-ageing properties. The oil was historically used as an ingredient in food, and has proven not just safe, but also highly effective for use in cosmetic products.”

The best thing about using hemp seed oil for skin care is that it doesn’t discriminate. It loves and thrives on any and all skin types; oily skin, dry skin, ageing and aged skin, damaged, inflamed and sore skin as well as psoriasis, rosacea, eczema and acne-prone skin. “Hemp seed oil is totally safe in makeup and skincare with no known serious side-effects, but as with every ingredient, little skin irritations cannot be ruled out completely,” warns Carolin.

So how does hemp seed oil fit into the world of clean beauty? The powerhouse botanical ingredient isn’t just great for your skin, its net environmental benefit is also impressive. Among the more salient features, the hemp plant grows in a variety of climates and soil types, is naturally resistant to most pests, and grows very tightly spaced allowing it to outcompete most weeds. Recognised as one of nature’s most perfectly balanced oils, there are no other chemical combinations found in the formula – unlike a lot of other beauty products on the market, which are packed with a whole host of unpronounceable pharmaceutical nasties. Get it for, Dhs


Taking into account everything from where the exact materials are sourced, to how the ingredients are processed, to the concentrations in the finished formulas, Carolin says hemp seel oil and clean beauty go hand-in-hand at Cosnova.

91% of Essence products are vegan, with the brand’s aim being to increase this to 100% in the new future. Catrice Cosmetics, another cosmetic label under the Cosnova umbrella, also has a strong commitment to the planet – We Want Shelves Full Of Cosmetic And Oceans Full Of Fish being its tagline.

“Hemp seed oil fits into what our standards of clean beauty are,” Carolin says. “Clean beauty means that our products are free of ingredients that can be problematic for the environment, because it’s not just us who needs to stay healthy, it’s the planet, too. This is our mission every day.”

“Our definition of clean beauty is strict. It challenges us. We want to make a real difference, not empty promises. All products with our ‘Clean Beauty’ label stuck on them have a high proportion of natural substances, the shortest possible list of ingredient, and contain completely harmless and uncritical ingredients. We also support the sustainable cultivation of palm oil and its derivatives where palm oil is contained.”


As for the future of hemp seed oil, Carolin says that as the wellness industry continues to grow – particularly after the world has been in a pandemic-induced lockdown for the last year – so will the rise of this powerhouse ingredient. “I don’t think it’s a trend,” she says. “It comes with far too many benefits for the skin and body. As health, wellness and skincare continue to march towards a cleaner future together, hemp seed oil will stay relevant for a very, very long time to come.”

The High Beauty collection from Essence is available at noon.com