CBD’s uses have exponentially grown since it was legalized for medicinal use. Now, CBD products are marketed across the country as nutritional supplements to reinforce our overall health. As a result, we now have a wide selection of CBD intake options with their respective niches across the consumer base. Among these options are CBD drops and CBD oil tinctures.
While these two products are extremely popular amongst CBD consumers, there has been a little confusion about their relationship. Specifically, many people use the terms interchangeably, making some wonder if they really are the same product. With this article, we hope to help clarify the difference between these two CBD products, if one exists.
What Are CBD Drops?
The term “CBD drops” is a little ambiguous compared to the other CBD products available in the industry. However, they are a fairly straightforward product that consists of CBD oil being dropped into your mouth. CBD oil is very simple and only has a few ingredients to make it palatable for humans. CBD oil uses only two ingredients, CBD itself and a carrier oil. The carrier oil gives the drops their texture and makes them potable for humans. Common carrier oils for the production of CBD oil include:
- Coconut oil
- MCT oil
- Vegetable glycerin base
- Hemp seed oil
As you can see, CBD oil is not exactly complicated to make and is not demanding when it comes to ingredients. To make use of CBD oil drops, you need to take a dropper and place one or two drops under your tongue for about 30 to 60 seconds. CBD drops are one of the most common products used for CBD intake and are immensely popular with many enthusiasts.
And before you ask, this is an excellent time to point out that CBD drops will not leave you intoxicated as the psychoactive compound of cannabis plants is not prevalent enough. More on that later, though, since the question remains whether they are distinct from CBD tinctures.
What Are CBD Oil Tinctures?
CBD oil tinctures are somewhat similar to CBD oil drops but have an alcohol base. High-proof alcohol is a crucial ingredient to ensure the cannabis plant’s compounds are properly dissolved into the tincture. The average CBD oil tincture will contain between 60% to 70% alcohol. However, this alcoholic concentration brings a particularly bitter and altogether unpleasant taste, making downing the concoctions unappetizing.
As a result of the bitter tastes associated with CBD oil tinctures, other ingredients are added to balance out the flavor and make them a little more palatable. These can include sweeteners, glycerin, and flavoring to help make it go down a little easier. Additionally, tinctures can be further enhanced by adding additional supplements, vitamins, and extracts. For example, some CBD oil tinctures have melatonin added to help with insomnia.
While the knowledge of CBD tinctures is worth knowing if you are in the market for a CBD supplement, there is still an important question. So now we need to discuss the question that brought you to this article.
Are They the Same?
Now, we answer whether or not CBD oil drops and CBD oil tinctures are the same or different products altogether. As you might have gathered from their descriptions, the answer is that they are different. Granted, their difference is relatively minimal and relates solely to the product’s base. However, while CBD oil is simply CBD mixed with an oil base, CBD tinctures are alcoholic compounds with additional ingredients.
The bigger question, of course, is whether or not the differences extend to practical use. Or, simply put, whether or not one is better than the other for your CBD needs. The answer to that is relatively simple. Neither CBD drops nor CBD tinctures are necessarily superior to one another, and both can be used for the same purposes with a minimal overall difference in effectiveness. Ultimately, the only thing that factors into deciding between the two is personal preference or health.
Some people simply dislike the texture of oil or even have difficulties ingesting it at all. In these situations, a tincture might be in your best interest since there is no oily texture or residue. Conversely, some people dislike the taste of alcohol or are even allergic to it, making CBD oil drops the better option for your needs. Either way, both CBD oil drops and CBD tinctures can provide the same benefits and are highly effective for doing so.
Now that we know that CBD oil drops and CBD oil tinctures are distinct from one another, you might be thinking you are ready to move on to searching for a product. So what should you be on the lookout for when it comes to your CBD oil or tincture?
What to Look For in a CBD Product
There is more to using CBD than finding the ideal medium for introducing it to your system. The background on the actual CBD is an essential detail before committing to a purchase, as poor manufacturing practices can lead to the CBD doing more harm than good regardless of form. Before buying, the most important step is to check the vendor’s certificate of analysis (COA) for the product.
The COA provides the results of laboratory analysis of the product before it is put on the market. From the COA, you can ascertain the traits and details surrounding the product being marketed and figure out if it is safe for use. The COA should cover a few factors that you must assess before buying. The first of which is the potency of the CBD.
The potency of the CBD you are buying should be listed on the label but should be verified by glancing over the COA from the vendor’s website. Specific batches might not match up exactly, but so long as the margin of error does not exceed 10%, the product is still safe for purchase and consumption. If it exceeds a 10% margin of error, you would be better off seeking out an alternative vendor.
Aside from the CBD’s potency, you also need to check the product’s profile. Recent studies have found that it is impossible to isolate CBD from THC fully, but mainstream products have a THC allowance that will not risk intoxication. The COA results will allow you to check not only how much THC can be found in the product, usually not even 0.3%, but what concentration of each cannabinoid is found in the product. For example, the concentration of cannabinoids in a batch of our 1,000mg CBD oil is as follows:
- 99.63% CBD
- 0.37% other cannabinoids
And in keeping with the above, the total THC concentration is .08%, well under the maximum margin. However, the profile of the CBD still is not the extent of what should be checked.
A COA will also provide the results of the contaminant screening for the product. More than a few CBD products out there were not properly cultivated and contain compounds that are toxic to the human body. Generally, CBD products are screened for pesticides, microbes, mycotoxins, heavy metals, solvents, and general foreign matter. If a product contains a concentration of any that exceeds the safe limit, the product is deemed unsafe and not allowed to be sold.
When checking the COA, verify the date to ensure it is no more than a year old. The best thing to do is look for vendors who provide COAs by the batch to know which COA applies to the batch available for sale. Some unsavory retailers might attempt to pull a fast one and post an old COA for a lesser batch regardless of the potential risk.
COAs are public and cannot legally be manipulated or hidden. This regulation should not present an issue since legitimate businesses should have no reason to hide the COA. Checking the COA of the CBD for each vendor before committing to purchase could make all the difference between getting a worthwhile product or something low quality.
Other Alternatives
CBD oil and tinctures are extremely popular for getting CBD into your system. However, they are not the only options available to you. If you are not interested in downing CBD oil or tinctures, you can take advantage of personal vaping devices or even edibles that can provide your daily dose in a quicker or tastier manner. In addition, there are differences in the efficiency between CBD oil or tinctures and the other intake mediums in this instance.
Edibles are the closest to the CBD oil drops and tinctures while allowing you a wider assortment of tastes to make the experience more enjoyable. There are cookies, brownies, gummies, and even recipes you can cook with CBD in them. Like CBD oil drops and tinctures, the CBD you ingest lasts the longest amount of time. Edibles last the longest, with the drops and tinctures in second place. While you do enjoy the effects of the CBD longer, there is a downside. It takes longer for the edibles to take effect because they have to go through the digestion process before your body can absorb them.
Vaping CBD allows you to inhale the CBD into your lungs, allowing you to feel the effects more rapidly. This time saving does come with a drawback, however. While you do not have to down a cocktail of ingredients or factor your CBD consumption into your meal schedule, you are still forced to take hits from your vaping device more frequently. The speed at which the CBD disperses through the lungs also means it cycles out of your system faster.
At the end of the day, CBD edibles, drops, and tinctures are a little more cost-effective but not necessarily what you need for your specific situations. Vapes can be more effective when speed is vital to using CBD to treat your issue. Honestly, the best CBD intake is entirely dependent on you and your immediate needs. But if oils and tinctures are not cutting it for you, these alternatives could be just what you need.
X-perience CBD
CBD drops and tinctures are not the same product, but the overall difference is relatively minor since CBD oil is still the primary ingredient. Both products will accomplish the same result, providing you with health benefits. Both might have different bases, but they are the same product at their core. The main difference to be concerned with is dependent on the product’s vendor. If you cannot find a reputable CBD vendor that lists the necessary information about their CBD, then you run the risk of acquiring a less effective or even dangerous product.
Thankfully, that is a concern you can put to rest. We at Neuro XPF offer an assortment of CBD products with a range of dosages that can allow you to maximize the effects. Our products include CBD oil, gummies, and vape fluid if you have decided that neither drops nor tinctures are ideal for you. The best part is that we offer COAs by the batch. So, please stop by our website and x-perience the best CBD has to offer.
If you ever have any questions or concerns for us about CBD, our products, or which solution might be the best fit for you, please drop us a line! Both new and old users of CBD alike may at times have trouble figuring out what products would work best for them, and we would be more than happy to assist you in your search and help find just what you need. You can reach us by phone or email by visiting our contact page, which you can find here. We’d love to hear from you and look forward to assisting you however we can!
Do you have a preference between CBD drops or CBD oil tinctures for your CBD use? Or do you instead use another form of CBD for your intake, such as edibles or vaping? We’d love to understand if you have any preferences for CBD products and why you have those preferences, so be sure to let us know your thoughts!