If you want to make your own CBD oil, you can do so by using high-CBD hemp flower and coconut oil.

Coconut oil is a versatile plant-based oil that you can eat directly, use in cooking, or apply to the skin. You can also make homemade CBD-infused oil with it that you can use internally and externally.

To create your own CBD-infused coconut oil, you’ll need the following:

It’s important to ensure that your hemp is decarboxylated (also known as “decarbed” or “cured”), not raw. Decarboxylation is a natural process that enables CBDA — the acidic form of CBD — to convert to CBD.

While CBDA might potentially have medical benefits, it’s CBD that you want — so you need to ensure that your hemp is decarboxylated, especially if you grow it yourself.

You could get decarboxylated hemp from a dispensary, CBD shop, or a local grower. Ready-to-use CBD hemp is typically already decarboxylated.

When it comes to purchasing hemp flower, keep potency in mind. The higher the percentage of CBD in your hemp, the stronger your homemade CBD coconut oil will be.

It’s best to store your CBD oil in a cool, dark place. You can put it in the fridge or a cupboard.

Coconut oil doesn’t expire or turn sour over time. However, CBD might degrade. Many people who make CBD at home suggest using coconut-based CBD oil within a year.

Try to avoid contaminating your CBD oil. This means ensuring that you close the jar tightly and only use a clean, dry spoon to retrieve your CBD oil — no double-dipping!

People often combine CBD and coconut oil because CBD is a fat-soluble chemical. This means it binds with fat molecules during the infusion process. Infusing CBD hemp flower with water won’t work, as it needs to bind with fat to be effective.

Why coconut oil, specifically? Coconut oil has a number of reported benefits, as it has antimicrobial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties. It’s edible, but you can also use it for cooking and moisturizing your skin and hair.

If you’re not a fan of coconut oil, you can get other carrier oils for CBD, including olive oil and hemp seed oil. You can use olive oil and hemp seed oil topically and internally (in other words, you can put it on your skin or eat it).

CBD coconut oil is versatile. You can use it in the following ways:

There are many potential benefits of CBD. People can use it to help treat the symptoms of:

However, experts need more research to confirm all the benefits of CBD.

If you plan to use CBD for medical reasons, it’s a good idea to speak with a knowledgeable doctor or another healthcare professional beforehand.

CBD is safe and well-tolerated by humans, according to a 2017 research review. However, the review stated, it’s possible to experience side effects.

The possible side effects of CBD can include:

Most of these side effects are temporary and mild. If you experience them, discontinue use.

It’s also important to note that CBD can interact with certain medications. This is because it might change the way your liver enzymes break down certain drugs. For this reason, experts highly recommend that you discuss using CBD with a doctor or another healthcare professional before you try it.

Before you make your own homemade CBD coconut oil, you might want to learn more about it.

Yes, CBD is legal in the United States.

The 2018 Farm Bill changed the legal definition of “marijuana” so that hemp was no longer considered illegal. It defined hemp as a cannabis plant that contains less than 0.3% THC.

Because of the Farm Bill, CBD products are legal as long as they’re derived from hemp and contain less than 0.3% THC.

The legality of cannabis is slightly more complex, as it changes from state to state. It’s important to check your state’s laws on cannabis, especially if you’re traveling with cannabis or hemp products.

Yes. Experts consider CBD and coconut oil safe to consume.

The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t regulate CBD products. This means that any manufacturer can make products and claim they contain CBD, as long as they comply with their state’s laws on CBD.

Because of this, the responsibility falls on the consumer to ensure that they purchase legitimate products.

Some CBD products contain harmful contaminants. The FDA even sends warning letters to companies that mislabel their CBD products — in some cases, companies label their products as containing CBD when they contain no CBD at all.

When purchasing CBD products, it’s best to do the following:

Lastly, it’s a good idea to test products out. It might be beneficial to purchase a smaller sample before buying CBD products in bulk.

Remember to give the CBD time to work — you might not experience immediate relief, but that doesn’t mean the product isn’t legitimate. Read about why CBD might not be working for you.

If it’s put into a sterilized jar and is free of contaminants, it could last up to a year.

Yes! If making homemade CBD coconut oil seems too time consuming, you can purchase premade CBD coconut oil from many reputable companies.

Many CBD oils are coconut-based. You can also buy larger pots of premade CBD coconut oil.

You can make your own CBD coconut oil at home using CBD-rich hemp flower and coconut oil. You can eat CBD-infused coconut oil, add it to food, or apply it to your skin and hair.

Before you use CBD products, it’s important to educate yourself on the potential risks and side effects. It’s always best to speak with a doctor or another healthcare professional before you start using CBD.

Sian Ferguson is a freelance health and cannabis writer based in Cape Town, South Africa. She’s passionate about empowering readers to take care of their mental and physical health through science-based, empathetically delivered information.

Last medically reviewed on October 12, 2022

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Dominique Fontaine, BSN, RN, HNB-BC, HWNC-BC

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