I Didn't Believe in CBD Skincare—Until I Had My 71-Year-Old Parents Try It

Don't get me wrong. I love CBD—aka cannabidiol. I have a bottle of CBD supplements sitting beside me on my nightstand as I write this. I adore it in my morning coffee since it transforms the caffeine kick into jitter-less velvet. I relish it in the form of a gumdrop-shaped midafternoon chill pill (Lord Jones is the sh*t) and even appreciate a high-quality massage oil spiked with the stuff. But CBD on my face? In my serums? In my moisturizer? Mmmm, hard pass.

To me, the CBD skincare trend reads aggressively gimmicky, and as with other buzzy things like probiotics, adaptogens, crystals, the like, the CBD skincare craze has felt like the next big wellness movement the beauty industry has glommed onto and worked (and worked and worked) to its advantage. I'm not trying to sound like a stick in the mud, and I do truly value and believe the steadfast health benefits CBD has been proven to have. It's helped me manage my own anxiety, after all! But when you're a beauty editor and you receive, say, 15 different emails per day touting the latest and greatest CBD skincare launch in the subject line, you become jaded. Fast. Plus, the research regarding this type of CBD product is still fairly limited. As of right now, its most promising topical benefits come from its natural anti-inflammatory and pain-killing properties.

Because I've been having major CBD beauty fatigue and because so many of the products involve oils, which clog the crap out of my pores, I've ignored the majority of CBD-infused skincare products that have come my way, even the most enticing and buzziest of the group like the latest launch from industry cool kids Beboe Therapies—a sleek line of cannabis products aptly dubbed the Hermès of marijuana. Founded in 2017, the brand was originally built on alluring launches like glossy vape pens and high-quality edibles, but in March 2019, the brand has also side-stepped into the skincare realm, with a $148 serum and complementary set of CBD-enriched sheet masks.

Of course, both products, which are available at both Barneys New York and Neiman Marcus, feature other skin-boosting ingredients like vegan plant actives, exfoliating acids, and vitamins, but despite the allure, I still couldn't shake the feeling I was being duped—lured by the current frenzy surrounding CBD and then hoodwinked with additional smoke and mirrors in the form of fancy design, claims, and packaging. Again, not trying to be a stick in the mud—just being transparent.

I went home to Arizona recently, and there's nothing I love more than making my parents play guinea pig when it comes to new and intriguing beauty products. And, bless them, they're always ready and willing. I've made them try a best-selling Korean mask that made our faces look mummified (and then glass-perfect), and I even convinced my dad to try a new skincare routine.

Even though I most definitely have skin issues like acne and dullness, I don't suffer from many of the skin concerns so many popular products claim to target and cure this day and age—wrinkles, loss of elasticity, pigmentation, etc. My 70-plus-year-old parents, though? They most certainly do have these issues. So yes, I love to test hyped-up skincare products on their actually aged skin to see how they fare. It's the ultimate beauty experiment, and I think it's important.

So into my suitcase went the Beboe Therapies High-Potency CBD Sheet Masks, and out they came the following Sunday at my parents' place in Arizona. We all washed our faces prior to application (per the instructions) and used absolutely no filters or editing manipulation when I snapped photos of our faces before and after. Obviously, the results and differences aren't going to be insanely drastic, but all three of us were pretty darn astonished by how great our skin looked after using the masks. Keep scrolling for the before and after photos in addition to our thoughts and reviews.

My Mom, Elise

Age: 71

Skin type: Combination

Main skin concerns: some redness, age spots along jawline area and on the outside of cheeks, nasolabial folds, fine lines, and wrinkles

Main skin goals: "I wish I had fewer lines and bags, a firmer feel and appearance, and brighter with fewer dull spots."

Thoughts: "Even though I'm a little bit of a skincare fanatic, I hadn't really heard of CBD as a skincare ingredient until Erin told me she packed these masks for us to try. I've heard of CBD and its popularity in the wellness world but was a bit unsure and skeptical as far as putting it all over my face.

"I was prepared to be underwhelmed and disappointed (sheet masks, in general, don't excite me too much), but was honestly surprised by how happy I was with the way my skin looked and felt after removing the mask. As I said, I'm not a huge sheet mask fan even though I've liked a few Erin has recommended, but instantly, my face looked and felt significantly more hydrated. My dullness was gone and the overall effect was glowy, bright, and healthy.

"Also, maybe I'm crazy, but I swear this mask helped plump my skin. The fine lines that usually bother me on my forehead looked less noticeable, and in addition to feeling softer, my complexion had a tighter, tauter feel that made it feel like I had gotten a mini face-lift or something. I also appreciated that this sheet mask wasn't drippy and overly wet and messy like some are."

My Dad, Steve

Age: 72

Skin type: oily, prone to sensitivity

Main skin concerns: some redness, uneven skin tone, wrinkles, sun damage, age spots

Main skin goals: "I feel like my skin looks pretty old and droopy. I'd like to look more youthful—fewer wrinkles and tighter appearance—but nothing drastic or overly noticeable."

Thoughts: "I've just had to accept the fact that whenever Erin comes home to visit us, she's going to make us her skincare guinea pigs. At first, I was pretty resistant. I'm a soap-and-water-in-the-shower kind of guy, but I've slowly given up and just agree to whatever.

"At this point, I've tried pretty much every skin of skincare product, and masks are never my favorite. They're always messy and drip and are just never a pleasant or relaxing experience. However, this one was totally different. I like the obvious, mess-free convenience of the sheet mask and that it stayed put after Erin placed it on my face. It was easy to wear and had a nice scent that wasn't too strong. I very incorrectly assumed it would smell like pot when she said it was filled with high-potency CBD, but it definitely didn't!

"It felt cool and soothing on my skin, and it really did make my skin look less wrinkly, especially the fine lines around my eyes and on top of my 'cheekbones.' (Erin's words—I would never reference my own cheekbones.) It made my skin look and feel a little tighter like Elise said and definitely brighter and more 'glowy and radiant' (again, Erin's words!). My redness was gone, and my skin felt way more moisturized after I took it off."

My Review

Age: 26

Skin type: combination, acne-prone

Main skin concerns: redness, dullness, dark circles, acne, uneven skin tone

Main skin goals: clearer and brighter skin that doesn't get as congested and dull; increased elasticity; and overall tone and texture that's more even

Thoughts: Kind of like my parents, I'm not a huge sheet mask person. I love face masks, but I definitely prefer the old-fashioned kind that I can smear on my face. For whatever reason, I find almost all sheet masks I try (except a select few I'm sharing below) to be overly saturated in serum so that they slide, drip, and create an overall mess and non-relaxing experience. I just want to put something on my face and not have to think about it while I watch Netflix, ya know?

Before I put this one from Beboe Therapies on my face, I had washed with an exfoliating cleanser, so my complexion was slightly splotchier and redder than it might normally be. That said, the mask claims to be soothing and to make the skin look more even thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, so I was interested to see what would happen.

The serum the mask is saturated with does have a unique texture I'm not really a fan of—thick and kind of filmy, less slippery and serum-y. But it had a nice smell and didn't feel like it was clogging my pores, so I tried to stay open-minded. After leaving the mask on for about 20 minutes—the directions stipulate 15 to 30—my redness was virtually gone, my pores looked smaller, and my skin was surprisingly dewy and glowy. I also appreciated that the serum quickly absorbed right into my skin, and I didn't have a thick layer leftover that I had to work and lather into my skin. These masks are perfectly portioned with product.

My skin felts hydrated enough that I actually skipped adding moisturizer after removal and the hydrating effect even lasted through my evening flight back to L.A.—impressive. Best of all, the mask and its ingredients didn't cause any issues like congestion or breakouts in the days after I tried it. If anything, my skin continued to look more even, smooth, and radiant, even though I hadn't changed anything else in my skincare routine. In all honesty, I didn't want to be impressed by this mask, but I am. I rarely see such instantaneous results with sheet masks or even regular masks, but this formula is special.

Curious to shop the other (non-CBD) sheet masks my mom and I love? Keep scrolling!