That was the question everyone asked throughout high school and college whenever a classmate or co-worker suggested or did something outrageous. Flash forward a few decades and I’m scratching my head and asking the same question about the proliferation of cannabidiol-based products in our industry.

The market is awash with so much CBD that a lot of us old-timers are asking WTH? Yes, there are rumors that the stuff has anti-inflammatory effects, but they haven’t been verified. Meanwhile, the race to the bottom in the CBD category continues. We chronicle some of these launches in our article on skin care in this issue.

Still, cosmetics company executives can hold their heads, well, high, since they’re not the worst offenders of over-hyped CBD. That title has to go to the tandem of Evo Hemp and Forest Coffee Trading Co., which rolled out CBD Cold Brew Coffee last month. Never mind that consumers turn to joe for a quick jolt, not to be calmer, less anxious and a little sleepy, as CBD brews are purported to do. As one CBD-laced coffee reviewer wrote, “I have no idea if I felt anything at all. Mostly, I felt like I just spent $9 on coffee.”

Bummer. But the question for our industry is: “will shoppers who spend their hard earned cash on CBD lotions come away with same sense of a letdown?”

Everyone knows about Estée Lauder’s proclamation that she offered “hope in a jar” to women everywhere who bought her face creams. We’re not so callous as to suggest that CBD marketers are peddling “dope in a jar,” but there should be at least a bit of science behind all of these launches.

This month, we report on another so-called “fuzzy science” category, beauty nutritional supplements. The market has been hyped for years, but whenever it shows signs of taking off, sales seem to fizzle. Finally, be sure to read our update on the salon and mass hair color market. The science is sound, the colors often outrageous, but the mood is subdued as growth has slowed.

We hope that you enjoy this edition of Happi. As always, we invite comments and suggestions from everyone in the beauty industry, whether you work for a multinational, indie or somewhere in between!

Tom Branna
Editorial Director
[email protected]