Talking about chronic pain sends people scrambling to the medicine cabinet to grab what relieves them of their pain as fast as possible.
Chronic pain is no fun at all.
You know, that nagging, ever-present pain that gets triggered at the slightest touch or sensation. Sometimes even a gentle breeze is enough to send you down to all fours.
Chronic pain affects millions of people. Some choose to get brave and live with it. Some go through secret family recipes to seek relief. Still, others decide to go down the path of science and research what medication, ailment, or medical procedures can help.
And some go for CBD creams.
These people find potent, soothing relief using creams, salves, and balms.
What is CBD?
CBD, short for cannabidiol, is one of the many chemicals present in the Cannabis Sativa plant.
Many studies have found that CBD has high anti-inflammatory properties and may help alleviate joint pains.
Manufacturers often add CBD to carrier oils like hemp seed oil or coconut oil, which is then added to creams used for topical applications.
Although associated with the Cannabis plant, CBD products usually contain little or no tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the plant’s psychoactive compound that makes a person feel high.
With CBD’s astonishing popularity in the market, there are now more CBD creams than ever available, each coming in different strengths, pack sizes, and claims.
To the first-timer, this can be incredibly confusing. It can be pretty hard to decide which brand you should go for. Rightfully so, as not all creams are alike.
The Best Topical CBD Pain Relief Salves and Balms in 2024
Each CBD company makes its claims on how its product can help relieve ailments and sores. They will also claim that their products contain high-quality CBD.
To make the best recommendations, our team has gone to great lengths to compile this review. We also tested each recommended product personally. We have also contacted the manufacturers to verify some of their claims and check the certification process to ensure validity and accuracy.
This exercise created a great debate, discussions, and even arguments among our editorial team as we determined which brands should be on this list.
Here are our results for the best CBD creams, salves, and balms of 2024, based on the views of our panel of experts.
- Charlotte’s Web Topical Formulas
- Joy Organics CBD Creams
- Sabaidee Relief Rub
- CBD American Shaman CBD Topicals
- cbdMD Recover
- PureKana Topical CBD Cream
- CBDFx Muscle and Joint Cream
- Receptra Naturals CBD Topicals
- EirTree Skin Spray
- SolCBD Creams and Balms
- CBDistillery CBDefine Skin Cream
- Kats Botanicals CBD Cream
- Medterra Relief + Recovery Cream
- Elixinol CBD Cream
- Endoca CBD Cream
- Mana Artisan Botanics
- RE Botanicals Relief Body Oils
- Green Roads CBD Skin Creams
- Bloom Hemp Topicals
- CBDPure Muscle & Joint Formula
First, let’s go through the list of recommended brands and their creams, and if you’re interested in finding out our selection criteria, that will follow the reviews.
Charlotte’s Web Topical Formulas
Are you looking for CBD creams to relieve chronic pains?
Charlotte’s Web offers unique formulations that address back and neck pain, arthritis-induced aches, and so much more.
All Charlotte’s Web products come with 300mg of CBD per ounce and are free of allergens, parabens, artificial fragrances and colors, and other harmful compounds.
Charlotte’s Web range of CBD creams comes in the form of sticks and cream, so it’s easy to find the one that best suits your needs.
Joy Organics CBD Creams
Joy Organics’ topical range includes salves and creams. In each bottle, you will find between 250mg and 400mg of CBD.
According to Joy Organics, their creams are great for relieving aches and pains and being suitable for nourishing dry and cracked skin.
We want to give a special shoutout to Joy Organics’ CBD Sports cream. It’s been specially formulated for fast results in soothing muscle aches after workouts.
Sabaidee Relief Rub
They take pride in their offering and never use any artificial scents or ingredients in the rub, although you do get a very subtle hint of mint for added pleasure.
Despite being reasonably priced at between $36 and $49 per jar, Sabaidee ensures that their products are triple tested for purity and potency by multiple independent labs.
Each jar of Sabaidee Relief rub contains 250mg of CBD, with other natural ingredients such as camphor oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil added to make it a pretty soothing pain relief.
CBD American Shaman CBD Topicals
Using proprietary nanotechnology, CBD American Shaman CBD Topicals are positioned for maximum absorption.
The company offers a wide range of alternatives targeting different body parts, with product strength ranging from 30mg – 500mg of CBD per ounce of product.
Whether it’s for dark circles under the eyes or relieving aches and pains around the body, you will be able to find a product that suits your needs at CBD American Shaman.
cbdMD Recover
Looking for different strengths?
cbdMD Recover comes in various strengths ranging from 300mg to 3000mg of CBD per ounce.
Boosting its soothing capabilities, Recover comes with arnica, aloe vera, MSM, and a complete profile of essential oils. That makes it a creamy, moisturizing base to provide you pain relief when you need it the most!
PureKana Topical CBD Cream
PureKana’s Topical CBD Cream boasts the highest concentration of CBD available – 600mg of CBD per bottle.
This unique formulation can be absorbed into the skin using natural ingredients like Arnica Montana flower, shea butter, capsicum, and olive fruit oil, leaving a cooling sensation and relief from discomfort.
PureKana takes pride in their highly smooth texture cream and the clean feel after application.
It is bound to provide you with the results you are looking for.
PureKana also comes with one of the easiest-to-use application bottles, making it easy to use anywhere on your body.
CBDFx Muscle and Joint Cream
CBDFx’s Muscle and Joint Cream is a cooling formula infused with menthol and white willow bark and one more ingredient that you do not often see in CBD products- caffeine.
Using broad-spectrum CBD and being completely free of THC, the hemp used in CBDFx is organically sourced. The cream comes in different strengths, starting at 500mg CBD and up to 3,000mg CBD to suit the individual needs.
This lotion is claimed to work perfectly to calm overworked muscles and sore joints, thanks to menthol combined with other premium plant-based ingredients.
The added caffeine is used as a natural remedy for soothing. At the same time, the white willow bark can lower levels of certain compounds that contribute to causing aches and inflammation in the body.
Receptra Naturals CBD Topicals
Among Receptra Naturals’ range of CBD, their leading product range is known as the Serious Relief Lineup – Serious Relief + Arnica Topical Sticks, Cream, and Body Oil. There are also three unique formulations dedicated to Fitness, Yoga, and Ski Boarding.
Receptra Natural CBD topicals offer localized and targeted relief from discomfort, soreness, and skin irritation using a unique blend of full-spectrum CBD, Arnica, and camphor.
Arnica and camphor aid absorption, especially in bruising and swelling, while jojoba oil helps moisturize rough and irritated skins.
EirTree Skin Spray
Uniquely different from the other products on this list, EirTree is the first to offer CBD in the form of a spray. EirTree delivers up to 30mg of CBD in just two sprays, making it the highest concentration of CBD delivery on this list. Each bottle of EirTree skin spray has a volume of 12ml, offering up to 30 applications.
Endorsed by medical doctors, chemists, and health experts, EirTree uses CBD isolates in its formulation and claims to provide less than a 1-minute absorption rate.
You can spray it on any part of your body and follow with a light rub for maximum effect. The EirTree HYPO CBD spray is offered at $90 per bottle. It is not the cheapest, but it avoids that greasy feeling usually associated with creams and balms.
SolCBD Creams and Balms
SolCBD offers two topical CBD Creams and Balms – The CBD Infused Herbal Balm and the Nourish Formula.
The CBD Infused Herbal balm uses 12 herbal extracts like grapeseed oil, virgin ucuuba butter, virgin andiroba oil, and nerolidol and comes with 250mg of CBD per jar. That enables quick-acting relief for the muscles and joints it’s applied to. You can get the CBD Infused Herbal Balm at $41 per jar.
SolCBD Nourish Formula is marketed under the SolCBD organic skincare range, and it uses 22 different ingredients to bring your skin back to that healthy, youthful glow.
Priced at $55 per bottle, this organic formulation is meticulously produced in small batches to ensure a high level of quality and integrity is preserved.
CBDistillery CBDefine Skin Cream
Although producing a wide range of CBD oils, gummies, and other CBD-infused products, CBDistillery’s CBDefine Skin Cream is the company’s signature product.
The CBDefine Skin cream comes with a concentration strength of 500mg of CBD. Additionally, it contains other beneficial active ingredients like extra virgin organic coconut oil, organic olive oil, sunflower oil, and more.
Specially scented with tea tree, frankincense, lavender, and rosemary, you can experience fragrant, soothing pain relief in any desired area of your body.
Kats Botanicals CBD Cream
Kats Botanicals offers multiple CBD creams, roll-on products, lotions, and more.
Popular Kats Distillery topicals include the CHILL Relief CBD Roll-on, the RENEW CBD Lotion, and the CBD Salve.
The CBD Salve contains 500mg to 1,000mg of full-spectrum CBD per jar. There are also essential oils, beeswax, butters, and other ingredients mixed in. Overall, it’s a moisturizing salve that aims to leave your skin feeling rejuvenated while helping to restore calm.
Meanwhile, the RENEW CBD Lotion contains 150mg of CBD per bottle and an amber scent, providing targeted relief anywhere on your body.
The third topical from Kats Botanicals is the CHILL Relief CBD Roll-on, available in 100mg or 1,000mg dosages.
Medterra Relief + Recovery Cream
Are you looking for an immediate cooling effect while relieving muscle aches and joint pains?
The Medterra’s Relief + Recovery cream combines CBD with organic ingredients such as sunflower seed oil, aloe vera leaf juice, safflower seed oil, ginger, and lemon peel.
Coming in 3 different product strengths, you can find the Medterra’s Relief + Recovery cream in 250mg – 750mg per bottle.
Elixinol CBD Cream
Elixinol topicals are made using 100% organic hemp, and they take pride in being plant-based, cruelty-free, non-GMO, and vegan in their product line development.
On top of using both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum hemp extract in their topicals, you can find other active ingredients like capsaicin, copaiba, and many types of essential oils.
There are three flagship CBD creams from Elixinol: the Hemp Balm, the Sports Gel, and the Lip Balm.
The Hemp Balm uses full-spectrum CBD and can be used throughout the body, whereas the Sports Gel uses broad-spectrum CBD extract.
Endoca CBD Cream
Offering CBD cream, salves, balms, and more, Endoca has a full lineup of CBD skincare products. Using full-spectrum hemp extracts, you can also find critical ingredients like vitamins C, D, and E, shea butter, coconut oil, and vanilla extract in their product range,
All CBD Creams and balms from Endoca use only organic food-grade ingredients, are crafted without harmful chemicals, and are 100% natural!
There are five flagship CBD creams offered by Endoca – The CBD Face and Body Oil, the Hemp Whipped Body Butter, the Hemp Salve, The Hemp Deodorant, and the hemp Lip & Skin Balm.
Each of the products offers varying strengths of CBD for different applications.
Mana Artisan Botanics
Mana Artisan Botanics’ oils are made with organic ingredients sourced from their farm or other farms in Hawaii when possible. All these efforts make for a unique experience you won’t find at any other company on this list.
Mana Artisan Botanics come in various forms – oils, balms, and creams.
There are two flagship CBD Topicals, which are the Hawaiian Hemp Massage Oils and Hawaiian Hemp Balm.
With a product strength of 150mg to 300mg of CBD per bottle, you can expect relief for your aches and joint pains.
Are you looking for something more?
Mana Artisan Botanics’ topical range also has testimonials for soothing dry skin, calming sunburn, and even starving off wrinkles.
RE Botanicals Relief Body Oils
Sourcing hemp from their USDA Organic certified farms, RE Botanicals offers a wide range of CBD products – tinctures, relief body oils, capsules, and even can be used for pets.
RE Botanicals produces some of the best CBD creams and balms available.
Their Relief Body Oils come in roll-on muscle rubs in different product strengths – from 200mg to 500mg of CBD.
Product prices start from $9.99. Whether you want to relax or rejuvenate your body, you can roll away your discomforts with RE Botanicals Relief Body Oils.
Green Roads CBD Skin Creams
One of the largest CBD Companies in the United States, Green Roads offers a broad lineup of CBD topicals like roll-ons, ointments, and muscle and joint creams in varying CBD strengths.
To provide effective results in soothing sore muscles and joints, Green Roads infuses avocado oil, rosemary oil, menthol, and other ingredients for the synergy effect.
One of their most popular products is the Green Roads Pain Relief Muscle & Joint cream. It comes with a product strength of 50mg to 750mg of CBD per bottle.
Not a fan of cream?
Green Roads also offer roll-ons for their different formulations too.
Bloom Hemp Topicals
Bloom Hemp Topicals has a 5 product range.
Essential Morning Roll-On, Essential Evening Role-On, Zero THC Relief Balm, Full Spectrum Restorative Lotion, and Zero THC Restorative Lotion.
Bloom Hemp’s formulation uses broad-spectrum Hemp Oil to provide soothing and moisturizing effects to the skin, coupled with fantastic scents and a wide range of ingredients like jojoba oil, evening primrose, and argan oil.
Take The Zero THC Relief Balm, for example. It offers different strengths from 100mg to 500mg of CBD per bottle, and you can get the full benefits of the cannabinoids and terpenes from the Cannabis plant.
CBDPure Muscle & Joint Formula
CBDPure’s Muscle & Joint formula uses full-spectrum CBD and boasts a product strength of 250mg per tube. Their formula aims to provide a cooling soothe to the applied area and relief to sore joints and muscles.
The CBDPure’s Muscle & Joint formula menthol and white willow bark were added to boost its effectiveness further. You also can find jojoba seed oil, eucalyptus, apricot extracts, and more to
CBDPure claims that the formula can deliver targeted and focused action on providing fast-acting relief with just a pea-sized amount.
The CBDPure Muscle & Joint Formula price starts at $39.99, and they offer discounts for bulk purchases.
What Were Our Review Criteria For The Creams?
There were so many different CBD creams that we had to go through. They all claim to provide similar benefits – soothing aching muscles, relieving joint paints, natural and organic ingredients sourced from exotic locations.
To make sure we only recommend the legit products, we have purchased and tested each of the creams reviewed here and then charted the results based on these categories.
Pain Relief
Let’s be real here. No one uses CBD creams to smell better (even though some do offer good scents). We use CBD creams because we are in pain, and we want relief as fast as possible.
Hence pain relief was the most significant consideration factor, and it was measured by how effective it was to relieve the pain experienced.
Muscle Relaxation
A good CBD cream should help calm, relax and loosen tight muscles in the body. After exercise, some people use it for specific muscle areas or groups to support their recovery and relieve muscle tension.
There are also people using CBD creams for specific joints too.
Regardless of their usage preferences, we reviewed each cream based on its ability to help with muscle relaxation and how the users felt after applying the creams.
Hydration, Inflammation, and Other Effects
Although people go for CBD creams for pain relief and muscle relaxation, CBD creams are adequate to help with skin complexion, skin hydration, etc.
This is because CBD is potentially beneficial to the surface of the skin and reaches below the dermis.
When CBD is applied to the skin, it can penetrate both the dermal and subdermal layers, bringing good benefits and even help in reducing inflammation.
We consider all these benefits too when ranking the CBD creams reviewed.
Ingredients Used In The Creams
The ingredient selection plays a big part in the CBD cream’s effectiveness and product cost too. We generally prefer creams that use safe and naturally sourced ingredients. However, some manufacturers are using synthetic materials in their products.
There is no right or wrong here; we give higher rankings to manufacturers using naturally sourced ingredients.
CBD Dosage
How you use cream also depends on the strength of the CBD dosage in the cream itself. While some people prefer to use CBD creams with high strength, not everyone can take them.
Our preference? Companies that offer their CBD creams with different strengths can choose the best one that suits them.
There is no one-size-fits-all for CBD creams, and we should always try out different product strengths to minimize unwanted adverse reactions while reaping the best benefits from the product.
Analysis and Lab Testing
As consumers, we rely heavily on lab test results and product ingredient listings to know what we get in our CBD creams, especially if the labs are independent with suitable certifications and accreditations.
There are many CBD products available online that contain less CBD than advertised, and we need to be cautious when choosing the product to make sure we can get our money’s worth.
Apart from CBD, there are also other chemical derivatives that we need to watch out for, like the levels of THC (For a CBD product to be legal, it should contain less than 0.3% of THC).
Ease of Application
Depending on the formulation, some CBD creams can be thick like lather and an absolute pain to apply. Some are light and get absorbed into your skin quickly.
Though a matter of personal preference, the ease of application is one of our ranking criteria, too – and we like ours with the proper viscosity and texture.
Price and Value For Money
Depending on the budget, some people are willing to pay up to $150 for a bottle of CBD cream. Others who are more budget-conscious may opt for something priced lower.
We have included CBD creams with various prices and dosages so that everyone is well-taken care of.
Reputation and Transparency
Different companies are founded with different origins and missions. Some companies will have medical advisors on their boards, and some have affiliations to research organizations and even pharmaceutical accreditation.
When it comes to online reputation, some are rated five stars and have raving customer reviews.
We consider these elements too so that you won’t need to go through the sieve yourself.
CBD – Where Is It Sourced?
The source of hemp will impact the quality of CBD extracted from it. We found that most companies will source their hemp and CBD from local farms in the US through our research. Others may choose to source from other regions such as Europe.
Some will also have organic certifications and non-GMO labels.
CBD cream manufacturers that are transparent with their hemp source will get better rankings.
Product Scent
While having a fragrance-free claim is encouraging, let’s be honest here. No one likes a bottle of CBD cream that smells obnoxious.
There are also CBD creams that smell so heavily of menthol that you might think it must be effective in offering pain relief, only to be deceived later.
This became an essential selection for ranking, and yes, we have tested the smell for each CBD cream listed here.
Who Should Use CBD Pain Creams?
CBD creams have been helping many people with chronic pains, sore joints, and aching muscles for a long time. Some even swear that nothing else comes close in terms of its effectiveness and speed.
Based on research conducted, CBD creams are best suited for:
- Pain relief
- Inflammation
- Muscle soreness
- Joint pain and inflammation
- Body recovery
- Skin hydration and moisturization
There are CBD creams that are specially formulated to help with specific pains or places on the body. For example, lip balms claim to be good for sensitive skin around your lips area.
Others are targeted for different joints or different muscle groups.
Does Science Back Up CBD Creams?
Scientific research has proven that CBD does indeed help with pain relief and how it can assist the body to get soothing from aches and joint pains.
Many companies have added other ingredients like menthol, jojoba, and other active ingredients to create a synergetic effect in targeted locations in the body.
There have been several studies published in medical journals on these claims, and for the different conditions like:
Arthritis
A 2017 study published in the journal Pain found that acute joint inflammation in arthritic rats was reduced by local CBD treatment. Researchers applied topical CBD to rats, then observed the response in immunity in inflammation.
Researchers found the CBD gel significantly improved joint swelling, limb mobility, and inflammation. Researchers found the cream worked at doses of both 6.2mg and 62mg per day.
Researchers concluded that topical CBD has therapeutic potential for relieving arthritis pain-related behaviors and inflammation without side effects based on these results.
Inflammation
An in vitro study published in Neurology showed that CBD binds to and desensitizes ECS receptors in the skin, mediating pain perception and inflammation.
Wound care
A case report published in 2017 in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management showed that CBD and THC applied topically could offer effective pain and symptom management for malignant wounds.
Overall, there is evidence that CBD oils and their products can help relieve pain caused by inflammation like that in arthritis, pain in mobility, discomfort, and more.
Researchers acknowledged that some studies indicated positive results for skin disorders like eczema, psoriasis, pruritus, and inflammatory conditions.
Researchers also acknowledged that endocannabinoid receptors, including the receptors targeted by CBD, can be found in the skin.
Overall, studies show that CBD pain creams can help with pain, inflammation, and mobility. Although researchers don’t fully understand how CBD pain relief creams work, the combination of CBD, menthol and other active ingredients appears to help in multiple ways.
How Much CBD Cream Should You Use?
A typical CBD cream contains anywhere from 100mg to 3000mg of CBD, depending on the product size and price.
While some people claim that they can experience relief using a small dosage, some say that you need to use a product with high strength to reap its benefits.
There is no right or wrong dosage that one should use, as everyone’s body responds differently to CBD creams.
You should test different creams at different dosages to find the one that works best for you.
How does the cream work? Our body has an endocannabinoid system (also known as ECS) that helps regulate our mood, appetite, pain, and sensory pleasure. CBD can activate the ECS by binding to cell receptors in the skin, nervous system, and muscles, thus helping with chronic aches and inflammation.
While the CBD dosage plays a role, the other ingredients in the cream also affect the absorption to our body.
Thus, the best way is to start with a dosage preferred, then work your way up or down the ladder to find the best one for you.
Are there any side effects when using CBD Creams?
There have been no reports on CBD cream causing severe adverse reactions. Most people can use it without experiencing any inconvenience or discomfort.
In terms of how safe CBD is, studies have shown that adults can be exposed to high quantities of CBD daily (up to 1,500mg/day) without experiencing any significant adverse reactions.
However, as CBD creams do contain other ingredients like essential oils and fruit extracts, there have been cases of people experiencing redness, irritation, even allergy reactions.
It is imperative to make sure that you know your body condition and allergy responses before using any CBD creams.
If you are uncertain, try to apply a small amount of cream to your arm and observe the responses over time before using the cream in larger quantities as recommended by the manufacturer.
FAQs About CBD Pain Creams
Q: What is a CBD pain cream?
A: CBD pain creams are infused with cannabidiol (CBD) and other active ingredients to help soothe sore muscles and joint pains.
The CBD added to the cream can be of 3 different hemp extracts – Full spectrum, Broad Spectrum, and Isolates. Other ingredients added to the cream can include vitamins, herbal and plant extracts.
Q: What’s the difference between full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and isolates?
A: Full spectrum contains the whole plant’s extract from hemp to give you the best benefits from the entire plant. It will contain CBD, THC, and other active ingredients from the hemp plant.
Broad-spectrum is similar to full-spectrum but is either free of or contains only trace quantities of THC.
Isolate contains only CBD extracts.
Q: What’s the difference between CBD cream and hemp cream?
A: CBD cream and hemp cream are often used interchangeably. The main difference is about where the oils are extracted. CBD oils are extracted from different parts of the cannabis plant like the stem, flower, and leaves.
Hemp, on the other hand, is extracted only from the seeds of the cannabis plant.
That said, they are two terms often used to describe CBD and are identical.
Q: What’s the best CBD pain cream?
A: Charlotte’s Web, Joy Organics, and the other companies on our list make some of the best CBD pain relief creams available today.
Q: Will CBD salves or creams get me high?
A: CBD has no psychoactive properties and does not make you high or intoxicated. The ingredient that makes someone goes high is THC, which the final CBD product should contain less than 0.3% of THC.
Q: Will CBD pain creams make me fail a drug test?
A: CBD cream following the legal requirements should have less than 0.3% of THC. Make sure you purchase CBD creams from reputable sources (like from the list we recommended).
Q: Can I take CBD cream through airport security?
A: Like any topical cream and ointments, airport security does not treat CBD creams differently as long as you comply with the regulated quantities and sizes of liquids and creams.
However, you might not be able to get past certain countries’ customs as CBD products are deemed illegal in some countries.
Q: How do I use CBD creams?
A: There will be recommended instructions and guides to using the CBD cream from the manufacturer.
It is best to try a small amount on your hand (about a pea-size) first to know if there are any allergy reactions from the cream.
Q: What are the side effects of CBD pain creams?
A: There have been no significant side effects and adverse reactions from using CBD creams.
However, there are many different ingredients used in the final CBD cream, and you might have an allergy reaction triggered by these other ingredients.
Best Topical CBD Pain Relief Salves and Balms in 2024 Final Word
CBD creams have been proven to help with chronic pains like sore muscles, joint pains, and other medical conditions like arthritis and inflammation.
Many people swear by its effectiveness, which led to many different manufacturers and product types to meet market demands.
We hope that this review here will help you find the best CBD cream that matches your needs, and you can enjoy the benefits of the many topical creams shown above.
It is essential to take note the FDA does not regulate CBD-related products, and you should always consult a doctor or a medical specialist before using CBD creams for treatment.
