Best CBD Cream for Pain: Top 7 Brands in 2021

Pain can extend far beyond occasional general aches and uncomfortable areas of the body. Sadly, chronic pain affects over 50 million adults in the United States. In fact, chronic pain is the number one cause of disability and disease around the world. Chronic pain can cause body aches, joint pain, muscle pain, nerve irritation, and other issues.

Now more than ever, an increased number of people are looking to natural alternatives to help them treat and manage their chronic pain. CBD’s rise in popularity is providing pain sufferers with yet another natural alternative in pain management. If you’ve been wanting to try CBD for your chronic or acute pain, then our guide to the best CBD cream for pain will help you get started.

Top 7 Brands of CBD Cream for Pain in 2021

We spent countless hours measuring a great number of brands up against our strict guidelines. These top seven brands not only measured up but also exceeded some of our expectations.

FAB CBD — Strongest Formulation

Green Roads — Best Variety

Joy Organics — Pleasant Scents

CBDistillery — Interesting Options

Cheef Botanicals — High Potency

Premium Jane — Large Selection

Hemp Bombs — Creative Products

How We Arrived at Our CBD Cream for Pain List

Before we could write our guide, we had to first create a list of some of the most popular CBD brands out on the market. Next, we drew up a set of rigorous guidelines that we held our brands up against. After thoroughly researching both the brands and the products, we were able to remove most of the brands from our list until we were left with our top seven that stood up to our strict criteria. In comparing brands, we looked at things like hemp sources, brand reputation, third-party lab reports, and more. Additionally, we also took into consideration verified customer reviews as well as the writings of CBD journalists and niche experts.

Best CBD Cream for Pain in 2021

FAB CBD burst onto the scene in 2017. Since then, everyone involved with the brand has upheld the FAB CBD mission of creating the very best, thoughtfully crafted products so that everyone can live a preventative wellness lifestyle. The brand is well known among CBD enthusiasts and industry experts for having clean, potent, and effective CBD products that have become the industry gold standard. Moreover, the brand’s customer service has received a wealth of accolades for being kind, caring, and highly knowledgeable. Along with its Topical CBD Cream, FAB CBD also creates CBD+CBG oil, full-spectrum CBD oils, Full-Spectrum Body Salve, “Anytime” CBD gummies, “Nighttime” CBD PM Chews, non-CBD Green Superfoods, and Calm & Cool Crunchy CBD Dog Treats. The brand sources its organic hemp from Colorado and uses the industry preferred CO2 extraction process to obtain all of its extracts.

FAB CBD’s Topical CBD Cream is smooth, non-greasy, potent, and has a fresh blood orange scent that will whisk your senses away to tropical places. The cream works amazingly well on achy, overworked muscles and joints. It contains 600mg of organic, clean CBD. FAB CBD Topical CBD Cream is potent, rejuvenating, and moisturizing. FAB CBD also makes a full-spectrum body salve that works great on tougher pain issues.

Highlights

• Effective and clean products
• Freshly-scented, potent, moisturizing topical cream
• Smart and caring award-winning customer service department
• Innovative formulations
• Transparent practices
• Organic hemp source is grown in Colorado
• CO2 extraction
• Third-party lab testing

Pros

• Seed to sale involvement
• CBD cream and salve options
• Affordable prices
• Clean and potent products

Cons

• No international shipping
• No subscription services offered

Green Roads was founded by Laura Fuentes, a compounding pharmacist, in 2013. The brand, based out of Florida, has three full-time pharmacists on staff who oversee product creation and manufacturing practices. The brand’s mission is to help customers become their healthiest through the power of CBD products. Because the brand cares about transparency and accountability, they have been pushing for stricter industry requirements and increased transparency so that customers can be sure they are getting the safest, most pure, and most rigorously tested products.

Green Roads makes a couple of different CBD creams that are targeted towards relieving specific issues. The brand has a Pain Relief Cream in 150mg, 350mg, 750mg, Muscle & Joint Relief CBD Cream in 150mg and 350mg, and Skin Relief CBD Cream in 210mg. Green Roads also crafts hot and cool roll-ons in varying strengths. The brand does offer travel sizes in some of its topical products as well.

Highlights

• A solid variety of CBD topical products
• Pharmacist-formulated products
• Strong belief in transparency
• Pure, potent, effective products
• Full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and CBD isolate products
• Discount and rewards programs
• Discount of 50% for active and retired military personnel and first responders

Pros

• Award-winning pharmacist-formulated products
• A diverse line of products
• Updated third-party lab reports that are easily accessible by customers
• Free shipping
• Full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and CBD isolate products
• Discounts for military personnel and first responders
• Rewards and referral programs

Cons

• Not much specific information on hemp sources
• Limited CBD strength ranges
• No international shipping

Joy Organics creates clean, organic, robust products by using science and innovation. Joy Smith, the brand’s founder, created Joy Organics after struggling with her own difficult health issues, trying CBD products, and not finding exactly what she was looking for. She wanted to craft her own line of effective products that could help others who were suffering through their own difficult health issues. The brand makes it a point to practice compassion and kindness along with producing stellar CBD products.

Joy Organics’ topical CBD products are specially formulated to support health. The brand crafts THC-free CBD Sports Cream in cooling menthol and camphor in a strength of 400mg, and CBD Cream that’s THC-free, made from broad-spectrum extract, and contains 250mg of CBD. Joy Organics also makes Organic CBD Salve, and an Organic CBD Salve Stick in 500mg and 250mg, respectively. All of the brand’s topical products are made with high-quality, organic ingredients.

Highlights

• Organic, clean products
• USDA certified hemp
• Third-party lab testing
• Gluten-free, cruelty-free products
• Subscription services
• Nice array of CBD topical products

Pros

• Strong focus on transparency
• Excellent product variety
• CBD topicals in a nice variety of options and strengths
• Organic CBD products

Cons

• Does not offer international shipping

CBDistillery was started in 2016 by a group of friends based out of Colorado who set out to infuse the market with clean, potent CBD products. They wanted to counteract the influx of subpar brands that were producing CBD products laden with harmful herbicides, pesticides, solvents, and other dangerous chemicals. Along with crafting clean and potent products, CBDistillery also educates customers on the benefits of CBD.

CBDistillery creates an array of topicals including 300mg Broad Spectrum CBD Warming Cream, 300mg Broad Spectrum CBD Cooling Cream, and Warming Muscle Melt Creme + Cinnamon Oil in 300mg. The brand also has a large variety of other topical options including a line of CBD facial products, CBD body lotions, a topical CBD salve, CBD Skin Care Cream, 1000mg, and 500mg CBD Isolate CBD Relief Stick, and CBD hand lotion.

Highlights

• Organic hemp from Colorado
• Focus on transparency
• Seed to sale product involvement
• US Hemp Authority Certification Program certified
• Third-party lab testing
• Caring and knowledgeable customer service department

Pros

• Potent products
• Lab reports are easy for customers to find
• Programs for veterans, disabled, and low-income individuals
• Large, distinctive CBD topical options

Cons

• Uses ethanol extraction process
• Too many product offerings can be overwhelming to new customers

Cheef Botanicals was founded by a group that disliked where the California CBD market was going. To that end, they noticed that it lacked pure, clean, effective plant-based, health-oriented CBD products. In order to create some of the best CBD products in California and throughout the United States, the founders partnered with Colorado hemp farms. All of the brand’s products are vegan, plant-based, organic, dairy-free, gluten-free, non-GMO, and cruelty-free. The founders also made sure that the products were also free from herbicides, pesticides, solvents, and other chemicals.

Cheef Botanicals does not have as many CBD topical offerings as some of our other brands, but what products the brand does have are effective, clean, and potent. Cheef Botanicals makes a full-spectrum CBD Relief Salve in 500mg, 1000mg, and 2000mg strengths, and full-spectrum CBD Body Lotion in 200mg and 800mg strengths and in scents of Cucumber Melon and Orange Bliss. The brand also makes a CBD Lip Balm and a CBD Hand Sanitizer.

Highlights

• Organic hemp from Colorado
• Strong, effective CBD products
• Ships throughout the USA
• Independent lab testing
• Affordable prices

Pros

• High-quality, potent products
• 100% money-back guarantee
• Offers subscription and bundle options
• Interesting line of topical products

Cons

• No assistance programs offered
• Limited topical options

Premium Jane is based out of Scottsdale, AZ, and has a mission to promote CBD’s beneficial properties while delivering CBD products to those in need. All of the brand’s products are sourced from regulated and controlled hemp. Moreover, Premium Jane works hard to regularly create CBD products that can offer customers all of the benefits that hemp has to offer. All of Premium Jane’s hemp comes from Kentucky. Each product is verified and tested by an independent third-party lab. Lastly, in order to get the best products possible, the brand uses the industry preferred CO2 extraction process to obtain all of its potent and pure extracts.

Premium Jane offers a diverse range of CBD topical products. The topicals that the brand creates include 1500mg Cocoa Butter CBD Topical Salve, 750mg Eucalyptus CBD Topical Salve, 200mg CBD Rejuvenation Cream, 300mg CBD Facial Day Cream, and 300mg CBD Facial Night Cream. All of the topicals are full-spectrum, non-GMO, and lab-tested to be free from solvents, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and other harmful chemicals.

Highlights

• Small but interesting line of topical products
• Third-party lab testing
• Offers full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and CBD isolate products
• CO2 extraction process
• Clean hemp sources from Kentucky
• Affordable prices
• International and Domestic shipping

Pros

• Free shipping for all products
• Worldwide shipping
• Products tested by a third-party lab
• Interesting topical options

Cons

• Not many flavor options for other products

Hemp Bombs crafts its products from high-quality industrial hemp that’s manufactured in-house and is tested at multiple stages. The brand sources its hemp from American farms and is free from any harmful pesticides, chemicals, or heavy metals. Hemp Bombs has a team of experts that are involved in the extraction, manufacturing, and packaging process. All products are tested by a third-party lab multiple times at various stages during production.

When it comes to CBD topicals, Hemp Bombs formulates its line with soothing botanicals and premium CBD to help target and relieve painful areas. The brand has a wealth of creative topical products including beard grooming products and tattoo cream for after-ink care. Hemp Bombs has a CBD Pain Freeze that contains 100mg, 400mg, and 1000mg of CBD, and menthol to help cool and relieve muscle and joint pain. The CBD Pain Freeze also comes in a 200mg roll-on. The brand also crafts CBD Hand & Body Lotion with 125mg of CBD, shea butter, mango butter, and marula oil to help nourish dry skin.

Highlights

• Offers broad-spectrum and CBD isolate products
• CO2 extraction method
• Third-party lab testing
• The creative line of topical products
• Money-back guarantee
• Affordable products
• Refunds issued within 30 days

Pros

• Large range of products and flavors
• THC-free products
• A fun line of CBD topicals
• Enhanced product potency

Cons

• The brand doesn’t offer full-spectrum products

Courtesy of The CBD Break

How CBD Helps to Calm Pain

Scientists discovered that humans have an endocannabinoid system that helps bring the body back into balance by regulating pain, mood, memory, inflammation, and other functions. The body has CB1 and CB2 receptors that are located in the central and peripheral nervous systems. The receptors are found in the brain, nerve endings, and gastrointestinal system. Even though the body makes its own endocannabinoids, when you use CBD products, the CBD enters into the body to help boost the work of the endocannabinoid system.

The cannabinoids in CBD products are much like the body’s own endocannabinoids. CBD products can work in conjunction with the body’s endocannabinoid system to bring about balance, or homeostasis. This is one of the main reasons why CBD products are so effective at calming pain, lowering inflammation, lessening instances of insomnia, alleviating anxiety and depression, as well as helping other difficult health issues. CBD has been proven time and again to be a successful treatment for a wealth of health issues. And while CBD, or cannabidiol, is found in both the hemp and marijuana plants, only hemp-derived CBD products are legal throughout the United States, thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill.

Hemp-based CBD products must only contain 0.3% or less THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol. CBD and THC are two of the main cannabinoids in both the hemp and marijuana plants, and while you cannot get “high” from CBD, you can experience a euphoric “high” sensation from large quantities of THC. Thankfully, the hemp plant is bred to naturally contain less than 0.3% THC, so there is no way that anyone can get “high” from hemp-derived CBD products. Marijuana, on the other hand, contains large amounts of THC and is only acceptable to use in states where medical and recreational marijuana is legal.

Some of the most common ailments that people use CBD creams, oils, edibles, and other CBD products for are:

Types of Topical CBD Products

There are quite a few types of CBD topical products out on the market today. Now, consumers can choose from topical creams, salves, lotions, roll-on treatments, oils, and other things. Overall, the type of product that you choose purely comes down to preference. CBD creams tend to be lighter, silky, smooth, and non-greasy, while CBD salve is a touch heavier, somewhat waxy due to its beeswax or jojoba oil base, and better against more difficult health issues.

Roll-ons are great for a quick CBD application to a problem area as they go on fast and absorb almost instantly into the skin.

All of these products can come in different strengths and in varieties like full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and CBD isolates. Since topicals are created to help with localized pain issues, ingredients like menthol, cinnamon, and camphor are added to them to bring about a heating or cooling sensation. For example, FAB CBD Full-Spectrum Body Salve has both heating and cooling elements in it to help calm and soothe sore, achy, painful joints and muscles. Conversely, the brand’s Topical CBD Cream is silky, light, non-greasy, and comes in a pleasant blood orange scent to help calm and soothe irritated skin muscles and joints.

What Is a CBD Cream?

CBD cream is simply a specially formulated lotion that is infused with CBD, essential oils, and other skin nourishing, pain-relieving ingredients into a moisturizing base to help calm localized troubled areas. CBD cream can be full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, or CBD isolates, and come in an array of strengths and scents. When you’re looking for a CBD cream, you should make sure that it doesn’t contain any harmful additives, and that it’s created using organic ingredients and natural scents. Most CBD creams are light, effective, and easy to use. But as with any CBD product, you should take the time to do the research so that you can find the cream that is top-notch and that best suits your own unique health and wellness needs.

CBD Oil vs CBD Cream: Which One is Best for Pain?

This is an excellent question. At times, the pain can be so overwhelming that it’s difficult to know exactly where it’s coming from. If you have pain that’s stemming from a health issue like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, etc., then CBD oil is most likely the best way to go. CBD oils are fantastic to use for systemic issues because they work from inside the body by joining forces with the body’s endocannabinoid system to calm pain, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and other issues so that the body can return to a state of harmony. When CBD is taken internally, it enters into the bloodstream so that it can help bring about relaxation, alleviate inflammation, and decrease pain, among other things.

If you have more localized issues like painful muscles or achy joints, arthritis, osteoarthritis, or dry, irritated skin, then CBD cream is your best option. The cream works differently than CBD oil, edibles, or any other CBD product that is ingested. Topic creams are a great way to use CBD to target an affected area of the body. The cream sinks into the skin and muscle tissue to help calm, nourish, and soothe skin tissue, muscle tissue, and joints. In short, if you have an irritated superficial area that requires immediate, targeted relief, then CBD cream will be your go-to product.

Benefits of Using CBD Creams (for Arthritis, Muscle and Joint Pain, Back Pain, etc.)

When you use CBD oil, it takes time, patience, and consistency to figure out the best dose for your body and your needs. Conversely, you won’t have to figure out your right dose with CBD cream, as you simply use it whenever you need to by massaging it into any painful area on the body. The cream is extremely easy to use. In fact, typically a fingertip-sized amount will go a long way to calm down irritated muscles and joints. Once massaged into the skin, the CBD that’s been infused into the cream absorbs into the skin tissue to enter into the affected muscles and joints. People who routinely use CBD cream report feeling relief within a few minutes to an hour of applying it. The benefit of using CBD cream is that you can use it whenever you need it and it can be applied to almost anywhere on the body where you feel pain and discomfort.

How to Use CBD Cream for Pain

Pain can take on many different forms. Some people feel short-term (acute) muscle aches and joint pain, while others suffer from regular (chronic) pain that is caused by health issues like fibromyalgia, arthritis, and other inflammatory medical conditions. As stated earlier, CBD oil works internally to help calm different pain issues. CBD creams are an excellent way to help isolate and calm external pain. If you’re looking for an effective CBD cream for pain, then you should look for ones that contain 400mg or more of CBD per jar, as these will be the most potent and will greatly help with pain management.

CBD creams are an easy and effective way to reduce pain and help calm down tough inflammation. Research shows that CBD can be extremely effective in reducing inflammation because of the way that it interacts with the human endocannabinoid system to soothe irritated pain receptors. Moreover, CBD also has many healing and calming properties. So, massaging CBD cream into painful, angry areas of the body enables the CBD to sink into the skin so that it can reduce swelling and alleviate aches and pains.

Are There Any Potential Side Effects?

CBD creams, like most other CBD products, are generally well tolerated and considered safe and effective by consumers, scientists, and industry experts. In fact, it’s safer to use CBD cream than it is to use dangerous and potentially addictive prescription painkillers. Sadly, regular use of opioids can lead to addiction, while steady usage of NSAIDs can also be problematic for the body. Scientists discovered that routine use of NSAIDs can cause high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, and elevated risk of heart attacks.

There are really no major adverse effects linked to CBD cream use. Some possible minor side effects from using CBD oils, however, can be:

• Low blood pressure
• Nausea
• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Dry mouth
• Changes in weight
• Changes in appetite

Is CBD Legal to Buy?

After many years of guessing among CBD consumers, the 2018 Farm Bill made all hemp-based CBD products legal to purchase throughout the United States, providing that the products contain 0.3% or less THC. For all reputable brands, legality isn’t an issue because the hemp plant is bred to naturally contain 0.3% or less THC. When it comes to purchasing CBD products, while it may be quicker and easier to take a trip to the brick and mortar store down the road, it won’t afford you the time you need to thoroughly research CBD, the products, and the brand. When you purchase CBD online from brands like FAB CBD, not only will you have time to answer all of your questions through researching, but you’ll also be able to deeply look into the brand, the CBD cream, and the third-party lab reports, as well as read through verified customer reviews so that you can be sure you’re buying the very best product for your own unique wellness needs.

What You Need to Know When Buying CBD Cream

CBD products are skyrocketing in popularity these days. A direct effect of this is an influx of new brands and products into an already saturated market. When you are looking for a CBD product, you need to keep in mind that not all brands are created equal. While there are many reputable brands out there like the seven we’ve profiled above, there are also many that are not that reputable and that cut corners to sell cheap products that are loaded with harmful ingredients, herbicides, pesticides, solvents, and other dangerous chemicals.

If you’ve decided to purchase a CBD cream for pain, you need to do some research. Here are some things you should look into:

• Where the Brands Source Their Hemp. Hemp that’s grown overseas is not held up to the same standards and regulations as hemp that’s grown in the United States
• Levels of THC in a Product. By law, all hemp-derived CBD products must contain 0.3% or less THC. Go with brands that strictly comply with this law.
• Understand the Difference Between Full-Spectrum, Broad Spectrum, and CBD Isolate Products. Full-spectrum products contain all of the beneficial cannabinoids, terpenes, and phytonutrients of the hemp plant. They also contain 0.3% or less THC. However, they can still cause a false positive to pop up on a drug test. Broad-spectrum products contain the same phytonutrients, cannabinoids, and terpenes as full-spectrum products, but don’t contain any THC. Lastly, CBD isolates are 99% pure CBD, as all of the other plant components have been filtered out using a special process.
• Read Any and All Product Ingredients. Less reputable brands sometimes use subpar and unnatural ingredients in their products, which can be unhealthy for you. Look for reputable brands that use high-quality, organic ingredients and natural scents and flavorings in their products. It’s an added bonus if you purchase products that are certified organic and that are made from chemical-free ingredients.
• Read All Third-Party Lab Reports. All reputable brands use an independent third-party lab to routinely test all of their products for potency, purity, quality, and effectiveness. These brands will then publish those lab reports on their websites where customers can easily find them and/or offer other ways for customers to obtain them. Third-party lab reports are important because they tell customers exactly what it is that they will be potentially putting into their bodies.

Final Thoughts: Buying CBD Cream for Pain

CBD creams are a fantastic way to help tackle difficult pain that stems from overworked and irritated muscles and joints, and from health issues like multiple sclerosis, arthritis, migraines and headaches, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and many others. These days, more people are looking towards CBD as a natural and safe way to help alleviate both chronic and acute pain over harmful and addictive prescription painkillers and NSAIDs. CBD cream is a wonderful alternative because it doesn’t come with any intoxicating effects, and has very few side effects associated with it. Before purchasing any CBD products, however, it’s important that you take the time to do some research into CBD, the brand(s) you’re interested in, and the CBD creams themselves.

If you’ve been wanting to try a CBD cream but don’t quite know where to start, then our guide to the best CBD cream for pain is the best place to begin. While all of our top brands are highly reputable and craft some of the best products on the market, countless positive verified customer reviews and the fact that FAB CBD stood up against our strict guidelines made the brand the clear choice for our number one pick. Additionally, FAB CBD Full-Spectrum Body Salve also ranked tops among the products we profiled. Any of our top seven brands, however, are fantastic choices for CBD cream for pain.

Lastly, the most important thing to remember before purchasing a CBD cream is to make sure that you’re buying from a reputable brand that crafts clean, high-quality products. Next, you might want to decide if you’re going to go with a CBD cream or a CBD salve, as they both have unique pros and cons of their own. If you have questions or concerns about using CBD cream, then don’t hesitate to reach out to your primary care doctor or medical specialist. Not only will he or she be able to help you decide if CBD cream is the best option for pain, but your doctor can also answer most of your questions about CBD in general.