CBD in Austin: Oils, Teas, Edibles and More Products Driving the CBD Boom

CBD is arguably one of the top wellness trends of the last year, and its popularity continues to grow. With the introduction of SXSW’s Cannabusiness track to the cleverly named little green shops that have popped up throughout town, for anyone interested in improving their health CBD is a great place to start. While laws very throughout the U.S. and are constantly changing, t’s fully legal to consume CBD in Texas, whether it’s in oil form, vaping, topicals, edible or in tea. 

What is CBD? 

CBD is a cannabinoid, a chemical compound found in cannabis that is similar to chemicals made by the body that influence appetite, memory, pain and movement. It’s one of hundreds of phytocannanoinoids found in hemp. But unlike another cannabinoid, THC, it won’t get you high. Instead, research suggests it may be helpful in relieving inflammation, anxiety, chronic pain, depression, gut conditions and other health issues. CBD may also be neuroprotective and have anti-cancer properties. Across the country, there’s been an explosion of CBD products of all kinds to boost wellness. Here’s a look at some of the brands making the most of the CBD boom in Austin:

Restart CBD

The “CBD Sisters” Shayda and Sydney Torabi are the founders of Restart CBD, a family-run, education-first business selling a variety of smokables, edibles, oils and pet products through their North Austin brick-and-mortar shop and an e-commerce site. Both users of CBD themselves (Shayda found relief from CBD after shattering her pelvis in a car accident), they decided to start their business after growing uncomfortable with the products that were on the market. “The industry is unregulated and there are a lot of variables,” Shayda says. The sisters thought if they were having questions and concerns, so were other people. Plus, they were excited to teach the community about the benefits of CBD and destigmatize the act of entering smoke shops with an airy, bright and plant-filled store. For the most bioavailable and fastest acting effects, Shayda suggests smokables like their pre-rolls. But for non-smokers they suggest CBD-infused caramels or Pure CBD no THC oil made with MCT oil, an organic coconut oil that provides energy and promotes brain health.

Mineral Health

Named one of GQ’s Best Products of 2019, Mineral Health’s hemp oils, which come in Balance, Sleep, Recovery and Focus, utilize the entire hemp plant for optimal results. Its products contain a number of terpenes like Limonene, which reduces anxiety, Linalool and CBG. Then there’s the Maison 300 mg hemp salve with sage, sandalwood, CBG and CBD to relieve sore muscles and Sousa, a 1,000 mg formula that smells like berries and citrus, a rich, hydrating oil meant for dry, inflamed skin.

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Dosed by Addy

Dosed by Addy founder Addy Riley started her business in January of 2019 but has been interested in the industry for nearly a decade. The former Oregon resident found relief through CBD after aiming to take a more natural approach to her health, and now helps others with five numbered tea formulas that are meant to be consumed throughout the day. No. 1 Black Tea contains 10 mg of THC-free hemp-derived CBD sourced from Colorado. No. 5 Nightly Herbal is a blend meant to be taken just before bedtime. For Addy, not only is consuming CBD in tea easy to incorporate as a daily ritual, but the additional ingredients in the teas, such as peppermint, ginger and chamomile, calm the digestive system.

AMMA

AMMA Founder Ted Moskovitz thinks of his products as the “cold-pressed juice version of hemp oil.” Selling oil, capsules and salve, the Austnite grew to love CBD during a trip to Colorado. Instead of using fractional distillation, a high-heat and solvent-intensive process that can damage cannabinoids, AMMA’s approach keeps all of the plant’s benefits intact. The oil, the “flagship product,” allows people to be precise with their dosage, and is great to calm nerves before a work event or as a daily supplement. The salve, which contains 1,000 mg CBD in one ounce (most on the market only contain 500 mg CBD in two or three ounces) is ideal for athletes. Plus, all of AMMA’s products are ISO-certified. “We go above-and-beyond standard testing and test for mycotoxins and heavy metals,” says co-founder and former attorney Danielle Sunberg. “If we’re consuming it, shouldn’t it meet the same FDA standards?”

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Sovereignty

Sovereignty founders Jason and Amanda Crawford are on a mission to change the trajectory of people’s lives with their bioenhanced powders. “It’s really exciting because we are only starting to scratch the surface on the miracles that can come from this plant,” Amanda says. For years, they had been trying to improve their own health, from having more energy to getting better quality sleep, and knew they could get real results from hemp. Utilizing CBG, a cannabinoid which reduces inflammation, supports energy and focus, and CBN for enhanced recovery and healthier sleep cycles, they decided to put out a powdered product. While Jason thinks that cannabis oil is great, having a powder allows them to add therapeutic herbs and puts less stress on the liver. Their three powders, which contain broad-spectrum extract from Oregon and Colorado hemp, also take a cue from Eastern medicine, using plant-based remedies to support the body’s major systems.