Gohyhr

Hemp 101

All About Terpenes: CBD & Terpenes Explained

All About Terpenes: CBD & Terpenes Explained February 21, 2022
Reading Time: 4 minutes

As hemp becomes more mainstream, a word like “terpenes” may be on your radar. You may have even heard it here, because the products we sell from Care By Design Hemp always provide full-spectrum CBD products loaded with specialized terpenes. 

But what are terpenes and how much do they really matter when shopping for CBD?

These nifty little compounds matter quite a lot, actually! While hemp CBD alone can be beneficial, the addition of minor cannabinoids, terpenes, and other bioactive compounds from the plant work together to create what is known as the “entourage effect” which can synergistically alter its effectiveness. While not one of CBD’s cannabinoid companions, naturally-occurring flavor compounds known as terpenes also have a role to play.

If you’re curious about how we use terpenes to make your CBD experience more fulfilling, stay tuned. We’ll explain what terpenes are and why they matter.

What are Terpenes?

A class of organic compounds, terpenes are largely responsible for the aroma and flavor profile of many plants. Care By Design Hemp products uses terpenes to compliment the effects of their full-spectrum hemp CBD products.

Terpenes are not just the dominion of hemp. They are responsible for the aromas and tastes of many fruits, vegetables, and other plants we eat or use on a daily basis. If you enjoy using essential oils for aromatherapy, wear perfume, or simply enjoy a cold IPA on occasion, you understand the sensory effects of terpenes. 

As an example, the terpene linalool is responsible for lavender’s tranquil aroma, while ocimine’s earthy floral properties are evident in flowering herbs like basil and parsley.

Terpenes and Cannabinoids

Terpenes are all-natural, plant-based compounds that have been widely used in folk medicines for centuries. Their consumption has also been anecdotally linked to various effects. The hemp plant is particularly abundant in diverse terpenes, which accounts for its distinctive odor and flavor.

Cannabinoids are other naturally occurring compounds in the hemp plant. But recently, CBD has been in the public spotlight largely due to its use by many to promote wellness.

Terpenes and cannabinoids like CBD appear to work synergistically in interesting ways that we have yet to fully understand. But what we already know is intriguing, and has inspired us to formulate our products to encourage these collaborative benefits.

As we mentioned above, scientists have dubbed the interplay between terpenes, cannabinoids, and other compounds in the hemp plant the entourage effect. We’ll discuss this effect in more depth next.

How We Use Terpenes

Cannabidiol, or what we call CBD, is just one of about 100 cannabinoids found in the cannabis Sativa (hemp) plant. Some CBD companies isolate only CBD,  literally throwing away all the advantages that other cannabinoids offer.

In addition to using only sun-grown, full-spectrum hemp CBD oil, each of the formulations in the products we sell for Care By Design has a specially developed and calibrated recipe of terpenes in order to give you exactly the results you’re looking for.

So how did we formulate our incredible tinctures? Using scientific studies, of course.

How Care By Design Formulates it’s Hemp Products

All Care By Design Hemp products use CBD oils derived from California sun-grown hemp.  These rich oils are extracted using a unique low-temperature method. 

Why does that matter, you ask?  

By using a cold extraction process that is unique in the industry, CBD and minor cannabinoids, like CBDa, flavonoids, cannabinoid acids, and yes, our beloved terpenes, are preserved. A less careful extraction method compromises the integrity of these important components. 

After the CBD oils are expertly extracted, they’re combined with the freshly extracted and science-backed terpenes. 

We truly believe that we have created the most premium full-spectrum CBD products that can be found on the market today.

Besides providing cannabis users with products that meet their wellness needs, it’s also our goal to keep you educated.

A Quick Guide to Terpenes

Now that we understand a lot more about terpenes, it’s time to show how they are used. 

Let’s take a deeper look at the featured terpenes you’ll find in some of the products in our shop:

Myrcene

Myrcene is a prominent player in all of our formulations. It’s the most dominant terpene in hemp plants, giving them their fragrant, earthy aroma that’s similar to the smell of hops in beer. Myrcene is also found in mangoes, bay leaves, and lemongrass. 

Limonene

Our “Uplift” formulation has a big boost of limonene. As its name suggests, limonene has a fresh, citrusy, cheerful scent. In addition to hemp, limonene can be found in foods like lemons, dill, and celery seeds. 

Beta-Caryophyllene

Beta-Caryophyllene, or BCP, has a spicy scent and is among the terpenes found in black pepper, copaiba, cloves, and hops. 

Linalool

Linalool is found in over 200 different plants, including lavender, which contains it in abundance. 

Pinene

Pinene is a team player in our “Rest” recipe. Pinene smells just like it sounds – like a forest of evergreens. Besides pine trees, pinene is also found in herbs like basil and rosemary and has two varieties – alpha and beta.

Ocimene

Due to its earthy, floral aroma, ocimene is often used to sweeten product fragrances. It’s naturally found in orchids as well as black currants and flowering herbs. 

Are you ready to see how terpenes can supercharge your CBD experience first hand? Choose from our five different terpene-derived effects, here