CBD oil

CBD oil is a natural product extracted from hemp. It has just two ingredients: hemp oil and cannabidiol (CBD) extract, both obtained from hemp grown without pesticides.

At Cannactiva we make quality CBD oil to look after you naturally, with different types of extract and several concentrations so you can find the one that suits you.

Here you have all five, from 2.5% to 30%, all full spectrum and from CHF 14.90. And if it's your first time buying CBD oil, read on: further down we explain, without jargon, what each percentage means, how the types differ and how much each one costs.

What is CBD oil?

It's hemp extract rich in cannabidiol (CBD) mixed with an oil that carries it, usually hemp seed or coconut (MCT) oil. CBD is one of the plant's main compounds and, unlike THC, it won't get you high. If you'd like to know more, we explain what CBD is and where it comes from. And here, what CBD oil is for and its benefits.

So why is it mixed with another oil? Because CBD doesn't dissolve in water: it needs a fat to carry it. The oil that acts as the vehicle is called a carrier oil, and it isn't there as filler, but so you can dose it easily, drop by drop. What changes from one product to another is how much extract it contains, and that's exactly what the percentage on the label tells you.

So to choose well, you only need to look at two things: how much CBD it contains (the percentage) and what type of extract it is. We explain both in the sections below.

Cannabis oil, hemp oil or CBD oil?

Many people search for “cannabis oil” or “weed oil” when what they want is exactly this: CBD oil. And that's understandable, because the names get mixed up. Let's sort them out.

Cannabis and hemp are the same plant, Cannabis sativa. What changes is the variety. Hemp means the varieties with very little THC – below the limit set by law – and plenty of CBD, and it's where everything we sell here comes from. When people say “weed”, they usually mean the THC-rich varieties, the ones that get you high.

So when you see “cannabis oil” in a shop like ours, it's almost always CBD oil from hemp: the same product, called by the name of the plant it comes from. It won't get you high, you don't need a prescription and you can simply buy it. THC cannabis preparations for medical use are a different matter: they are psychoactive and require a medical prescription. That's not what you'll find here or in any CBD shop.

Then there's hemp seed oil, the kind sold in health food shops and supermarkets for cooking. That one contains no CBD: it's pressed from the seeds, which have no cannabinoids. It's a food, not a wellbeing product. We explain it in detail in the differences between hemp oil and CBD oil.

In short, so you don't get confused when comparing:

• CBD oil (or cannabidiol oil, cannabis oil, or hemp oil with CBD): extract from the flower, rich in CBD, won't get you high. This is what we sell.
• Hemp seed oil: a food, no CBD.
• Medical cannabis with THC: psychoactive, prescription only.

Which CBD oil concentration to choose

The percentage doesn't tell you whether an oil is better or worse, but how much CBD it contains. A 30% isn't “better” than a 5%: it simply concentrates more CBD into fewer drops. So it's not about looking for the strongest, but for the one that suits you.

2.5% full spectrum CBD oil

From CHF 14.90. The mildest in the range. Perfect if you've never tried CBD and want to start gradually, because you can adjust it drop by drop. Rated 4.9 out of 5. See the 2.5% CBD oil.

5% full spectrum CBD oil

From CHF 21.90. The natural next step once you've tried the 2.5%. It's the second highest rated in the range: 4.9 out of 5 from 26 reviews. See the 5% CBD oil.

10% full spectrum CBD oil

From CHF 39.90. The most balanced and our customers' favourite: it has 37 reviews, more than any other. You need half as many drops as with the 5% for the same amount of CBD, and the price starts to work out better. See the 10% CBD oil.

20% full spectrum CBD oil

From CHF 71.90. For when CBD is already part of your routine and you'd rather concentrate it into fewer drops. It contains four times as much cannabidiol as the 5% in the same bottle. See the 20% CBD oil.

30% RAW full spectrum CBD oil

From CHF 98.90. The most concentrated oil we have and the only RAW (raw extract) oil in the range: it isn't filtered or heated, so it also retains the plant's CBDA. See the 30% RAW CBD oil.

And when should you move up to the next one? Going from 5% to 10% doesn't mean taking twice as much, but needing half as many drops for the same amount. The usual approach is to start with 2.5% or 5%, see how it suits you and, once you're clear about your sweet spot, move up a step. From 10% upwards, the bottle goes further and the CBD works out cheaper.

Looking for 25% or 40%? Our high concentrations are 20% and 30% RAW, which cover that range just below and just above. We make five instead of ten because that way we can guarantee that every batch is lab tested.

If you have any questions, here we explain which CBD dose to use. And if you want to know how many milligrams are in each drop, you'll find it in the guide to CBD oil percentages.

Types of CBD oil: full spectrum, broad spectrum, isolate and RAW

Full spectrum CBD oil

The most complete, and the one considered the highest quality. It retains everything the plant contains – CBD, other cannabinoids, terpenes and less than 0.3% THC; in Switzerland, hemp with less than 1% total THC is not classed as a narcotic – and it's this mix that gives rise to the so-called entourage effect: the idea that the compounds in hemp work better together than separately.

Broad spectrum CBD oil

The same as the previous one, but with no THC at all.

Pure CBD oil or CBD isolate

Just CBD, nothing else. It's the purest, but because it's on its own, the entourage effect is lost.

Raw or RAW CBD oil

It's an unfiltered, unheated full spectrum oil, so as well as CBD it retains CBDA, which is cannabidiol as it occurs in the living plant. You can see it at a glance: a darker colour and a more herbal flavour. Our 30% is the only RAW oil in the range.

Full spectrum is what we do, across the whole range. All five Cannactiva oils are full spectrum, and the 30% is RAW as well. We've chosen the extract that keeps the whole plant – cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids – because it's the one that makes the most of the entourage effect. We also explain the other two because they're the ones you'll come across when you compare, and it's good to know how they differ.

And note that it isn't the same as hemp oil: we explain the differences between the two. You'll also find all the types of CBD oil explained one by one, and the comparison between full spectrum, broad spectrum and isolate.

CBD drops: why the oil comes in this form

If you searched for “CBD in drops” or “CBD drops”, you're in the right place: it's the same product. All our oils come with a dropper, and that's precisely why CBD almost always comes as an oil rather than in another format.

Because you can fine-tune the amount. With the dropper you decide drop by drop, and you can change it as you go. With a capsule or a tablet, the amount is already set at the factory. That's why drops are the format for people who are still finding their sweet spot.

Because CBD needs fat. As we explained above, cannabidiol doesn't dissolve in water. The oil isn't the packaging: it's what makes the product work as a product.

And because you know exactly how much you're taking. In our 10%, each drop contains 5 mg of CBD, and a full dropper – about 20 drops – is 100 mg. In the 5%, each drop is 2.5 mg, and in the 20%, 10 mg. That's the real advantage of this format over any other: you're not working blind.

As for storage, there's not much mystery: closed, in a cool place and out of direct sunlight. Light and heat are what degrade the extract most. It's covered in detail in the guide to storing CBD oil.

CBD oil prices

All our oils come in two sizes, 10 ml and 30 ml. The cheapest is the 10 ml 2.5% at CHF 14.90, and the most concentrated is the 30 ml 30% RAW at CHF 186.90. All prices include customs and import duties: there's nothing more to pay when your parcel arrives.

• 2.5% full spectrum CBD oil: CHF 14.90 for 10 ml and CHF 26.90 for 30 ml (250 and 750 mg of CBD).
• 5% full spectrum CBD oil: CHF 21.90 for 10 ml and CHF 43.90 for 30 ml (500 and 1,500 mg).
• 10% full spectrum CBD oil: CHF 39.90 for 10 ml and CHF 78.90 for 30 ml (1,000 and 3,000 mg).
• 20% full spectrum CBD oil: CHF 71.90 for 10 ml and CHF 140.90 for 30 ml (2,000 and 6,000 mg).
• 30% RAW full spectrum CBD oil: CHF 98.90 for 10 ml and CHF 186.90 for 30 ml (3,000 and 9,000 mg).

The 30 ml bottle is much better value. It holds three times as much product and costs much less than three 10 ml bottles: in the 10%, the 10 ml bottle costs CHF 39.90 and the 30 ml bottle CHF 78.90. You save a third, and the same applies across all five concentrations.

And the more concentrated it is, the better value the CBD. Every 100 mg of cannabidiol works out considerably cheaper in the 30 ml 30% than in the 10 ml 2.5%. In the end, what you pay for isn't the bottle, it's the extract inside.

Which one is best value for you? If it's your first time, the 10 ml size in a low concentration is the easiest way to adjust until you find yours. And if you already know which oil is yours, go straight for the 30 ml: the same product, three times the amount and a third less in price.

This comes with all our oils:

• Full spectrum extract from hemp grown without pesticides.
• Lab results, published on our certificates page.
• THC within the legal limit.
• UPS Express home delivery in 1–2 business days, free from CHF 80 (or collect from a UPS Access Point for CHF 6).
• 30-day guarantee: if you're not happy, send it back.

Still torn between a few? Just below, we explain what to look for when you compare.

Quality, origin and lab results

Our oils are made with hemp grown without pesticides, and every batch goes through the lab, where they check how much CBD it really contains and that the THC is within the legal limit. The lab results are published on our certificates (COA) page. And if you need the one for a specific batch, write to us and we'll send it to you.

This matters more than it seems when you compare brands. A percentage on a label only means something if there's a lab report to back it up. Without one, one brand's 10% and another brand's 10% don't necessarily contain the same. So when you compare, ask for the lab results: they're the only data that doesn't have an opinion.

Our oils have 98 verified reviews with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5.

How to choose the best CBD oil

There's no single answer to “the best CBD oil”, because it depends on what you want it for. What there is, though, is a way to compare without getting lost. It comes down to five things, and none of them will take you more than a minute to check.

1. That it's lab tested. This is the first and most important thing. If a brand doesn't publish the COA for its batches, the percentage on the label is a promise with nothing to back it up. Ours are on our certificates page.
2. What type of extract it contains. Full spectrum, broad spectrum or isolate. Full spectrum keeps the whole plant and makes the most of the entourage effect; isolate is just CBD. They don't cost the same to produce, so if two oils cost the same and one of them is isolate, you know where the difference lies.
3. That the concentration suits you. Not the highest, not the cheapest: yours. A 30% in the hands of a beginner is money wasted, and a 2.5% falls short for someone who has been using CBD for a while.
4. The price per milligram, not per bottle. It's the most common mistake when comparing. A cheaper bottle can work out more expensive than one costing nearly twice as much if it contains a quarter of the CBD. Always divide the price by the milligrams, and compare that.
5. That there are real people behind it. Verified reviews, a phone number to call, physical shops where you can go and ask. We have shops in Barcelona and Madrid, and 98 verified reviews for our oil range alone. If you still have any questions, write to us and we'll help you choose.

If you want the in-depth analysis, with brands compared one by one, you'll find it in the guide to buying the best CBD oil.