Dr. Bronner's: Pure Castille Magic Soaps

There are so many great hemp products out there, I wish I had time to review more. I began using vegetable soaps several years ago because I kept getting red, itchy bumps after using body wash. Dr. Bronner's was one of the first I tried.

Look/First Impressions: The packaging is pretty interesting. The labels are color-coded to the scent, and contain all types of witty quotes and nonsense. Fun to read while standing around in the personal hygiene aisle at Whole Foods.

Smell: There are eight smells to choose from. My favorites are Tea Tree, Peppermint (of course!), and Almond. There will surely be a scent that pleases you. The liquid version seems a bit stronger than the bar.

Feel: This soap makes an incredible amount of lather. It feels refreshing to smooth it all over my skin. Peppermint is tingly! The website says you can use it for skin, teeth and hair. I don't recommend this as a shampoo, unless your hair is really short. Otherwise, you will never get the tangles out! It does make my skin feel squeaky clean, though. I sometimes feel a little dry afterward, but I'm a habitual lotion/balm user anyway.

Overall: If you love lather and good smells, give this a try! One of my favorite soap brands. 4.5 out of 5 Stars! (website)

Eco Lips: Vanilla Hemp

The adventures with hemp-based products continues with Eco Lips (one of my favorite companies!) I was using this as a cuticle moisturizer in December, and it made my nails grow thick and strong. I couldn't find it anywhere when I got home from Florida, and it turned out that I had left it at my Dad's house! I begged my sister to look for it, and Dad actually shipped it back to me along with some other things I left behind.

Look/First Impressions: This tube has a twist on the normal Eco Lips packaging. It comes in a silver tube, and the usual Eco leaf is replaced with a hemp leaf. I work for the government, and enjoy leaving this out on my desk for people to wonder at. You'd be surprised at how many misconceptions the average person has about hemp.

Smell/Taste: I was surprised when I sniffed this and smelled Vanilla. I didn't pay much attention when I ordered it, and didn't realize it would be scented. It smells strongly of vanilla, like when you open a bottle of vanilla extract. I love it though, because it reminds me of cookies! Taste, however, is negligible.

Feel: A little thin feeling, but still nice to press between my lips. According to the description, hemp oil is very thin and absorbs easily into the skin. When my lips are dry and peely, this takes the dead skin off almost instantly. I can really notice how fast it sinks in when I use it on my hands. I like to apply this balm frequently, just because I love the smell so much.

Overall: If I'd have known prior to ordering how great this would be, I'd have ordered a few tubes. 4.75 out of 5 Stars! (website)

Azida: Hemp Oil Lip Balm

The Azida Hemp Balm was another great find at Vegan Essentials. The balm is less than three dollars a tube and comes in four flavors. Azida makes a whole line of Hemp Oil body care products and is based in Sierra Vista, Arizona. I used to live there, but had never heard of this brand until recently.

Look/First Impressions: Its a regular ol' tube, color coded to match the flavor. I find the label very visually appealing. At the time of purchase I was specifically seeking hemp oil products, and this fit the bill perfectly. It also has sunscreen, which is important for me since I spend at least an hour outside everyday. The balm is white in color, but will not leave your lips looking pastey.

Smell/Taste: Passion Fruit smells incredible! I'd sit around and sniff this all day if I could. It makes me mighty curious about Mango and Strawberry. There is a slight taste to match, and no sign of planty-ness. I'm assuming this is made with a more refined hemp oil than Merry Hempsters brand.

Feel: This balm goes on a little thick and waxy for my taste, but lasts forever! I took this on my Colorado ski trip in January, but the balm got a little too hard in the cold. I prefered to keep it in my condo, and use it when I came in for the day and before bed. The condo was very dry from the heat, and this balm kept me from getting chapped overnight.

Overall: A great vegan and hemp based balm, with uncommon flavor options. A bit waxy, but I think the great smell makes up for it. 4.25 out of 5 Stars. (website)

Merry Hempsters: Vegan Hemp Balm

I always pass by these when I visit Whole Foods, but finally decided to take the plunge when I was ordering some stuff from Vegan Essentials. At $2.50, I didn't think I had much to loose. Plus, the customer reviews were pretty good.

Look/First Impressions: Brightly colored labels with a smiling sun! I thought they were pretty cute, until I opened the tube. The balm has a greenish tinge, that's not even remotely appealing.

Smell/Taste: I ordered cinnamon because I don't have any balms of that flavor, and it smells exactly as it should. The taste is slightly earthy. I was also given a free sample of the peppermint flavor with my order, but that one smelled like wet dirt. I was disappointed, since mint is my favorite flavor. I kinda wish I tried Mandarin or Vanilla instead.

Feel: The cinnamon had a wonderful feeling going over my lips, and I felt adequately coated after one swipe. However, my lips started going numb after a few minutes and it was really burning! I tried to be tough, but the burning wouldn't stop. It also began getting clumpy, and I had to wipe it off. The peppermint one was so darn waxy, I couldn't even apply it to my lips. It felt like rubbing a smooth stone over my mouth. After reading all the good reviews, I think I may have just gotten one from a bad batch.

Overall: Vegans beware! There are better balms out there for you. My experience was terrible, and I won't try this brand again. To top everything off, the wheel was broken and I couldn't roll it down after use. Kinda cool that its made from hemp, but its the worst balm I've ever tried. 1 out of 5 stars. (website)

Hemp Seed Oil

I'm not talking about marijuana, I'm talking about hemp! There are several different species of this plant, which contain cannabinoids. Marijuana contains THC, which can alter the state of mind, but industrial hemp contains CBD, which is non-psychoactive. (source)

A wide variety of items can be made from industrial hemp, which include clothing, paper, fuel, and beauty products. The seeds are pressed for oil and contain essential fatty acids (EFAs) that are necessary in the human diet, but not produced naturally by the body. Hemp seed oil contains these EFAs in the same proportions needed by our system.

This month, I'll be sharing some of my favorite (and least favorite) hemp oil based products.