I’m not sure exactly when I started using CBD oil, it was sometime last year. We had bought some from our local farmer’s market and found that a few drops under the tongue were quite calming and soothing when feeling anxious…

The more I used it – on one occasion treating a rare case of insomnia quite successfully with it – the more I started thinking about it!  There are different strengths and qualities, and getting used to understanding different qualities (as well as Kloris, I love Disciple’s Miracle Drops) – I even bought a knock-off by mistake! – I started to become a bit more discerning and interested in it all…

This post contains a product gifted for review and affiliate links.

Kloris, which I’m using at the moment, takes its manufacturing very seriously and only uses organically derived ingredients. They use a method of extraction called Supercritical CO2 which uses lower pressure, so the essential oils separate less.

It’s worth mentioning that CBD oil doesn’t get you high – as it doesn’t contain TCH, which is the psychoactive part of cannabis. It works with the receptors we have in our endocannabinoid system which runs through our entire body, which explains why CBD oil can help with the smooth running of so much in our systems! Including anxiety, stress, depression, psoriasis, eczema among others. (See more on this on the Kloris website here.)

For me, I’ve been using the Kloris 500mg CBD oil (pictured, this is my second bottle which I bought after my review bottle – my husband and I share it!) when I feel my anxiety levels start to peak, or if I’m feeling really nervous about something! When taking it, I hold a few drops under my tongue and absorb it that way. I feel a subtle, calming effect, nothing intense at all. I feel that it has to tie in with you intention to want to be calm, rather that something that can override how you’re feeling regardless, if that makes sense.

To learn more, I asked Kloris’s founder, Kim Smith, some questions… I totally relate to her generalised feelings of anxiety after becoming a mum, and I love the sound of the CBD bath bombs!

How did you start your CBD oil journey?
As with so many CBD brands the start of the journey was a personal one. Somewhere along the way of changing careers and teaching myself new skills, moving house (too many times), the little matter of creating a brand new life and having some pretty serious physical injuries, I became anxious. For instance, every day. I would lose sleep thinking about all the kids in the world who need help (motherhood is great for switching on that involuntary tap of compassion you can’t turn off even if you want to).

So I wanted to find ways to help myself, I started to look at nature, (quite easy as we were living in the countryside!) learn and study plants, I discovered CBD with the help and knowledge from my partner and Kloris Co-founder Pedram and his super smart plant scientist relatives. Over the course of a couple of years working together, with lots and lots of research we launched our own CBD line.

What do you use it for? And what have been the benefits to you?
Before CBD I was an artist and before that I worked in the music industry, so through the lens of a creative it frees my mind to make what I want to make, and through the eyes as a parent it takes the edge off things. I also really use it to help with painful periods, I used to have to take loads of pain killers every period but I haven’t had to do that for over a year now, I just use CBD.

How do you use CBD oil in your routine? How often?
I use it everyday; I use the drops every morning and night and occasionally in the middle of day if I need a little extra (e.g. having a stressful day or on my period), I also use our balm as I get a lot of repetitive strain injury so using CBD transdermal for that is really effective for me and sublingual for everything else… and for a treat I use our bath bombs that have CBD inside, but that’s just a treat as I rarely get time to lounge in the bath at the moment!

Why are we seeing such a focus on CBD oil in current wellbeing at the moment in your opinion?
I think us humans have always known what to do with these compounds – it’s intrinsic to our nature and was used for thousands of years to great effect, it’s only in recent history and due to prohibition that this changed. With so many high profile positive stories about how people use CBD in their lives coming to light it can’t be ignored, and stigma is changing. Also people just want to be more in charge and control of what they put in their bodies.

How/where is your CBD oil manufactured? There’s a lot of CBD on the market, how do you choose a good quality one?
We use super critical co2 pressure so no solvents or chemicals are used in the extraction process, and we extract in the UK and grow elsewhere in Europe. The plant is what is known as a bio-accumulator, meaning it will absorb whatever is in its immediate environment so it’s also really important herbicides and pesticides aren’t used during growing.

I think if people learn one thing about CBD, it’s knowing the difference between good and bad as there can be a lot of variation on the market. Labelling and transparency really is everything. If you don’t know exactly what is in it and there aren’t certificates for that particular batch detailing just that then don’t take it. We publish all of ours online (Ed’s note: You can read more here!)

Thanks so much Kim for your brilliantly informative answers! See more at kloriscbd.com