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Can Beauty Products Make You Fail a Drug Test?

Drug testing is a common practice for many employers, and with the increasing popularity of CBD and hemp-derived products, questions have arisen regarding the potential for these products to trigger false positives on drug tests. In this article, we'll explore whether beauty products, such as skincare and makeup items, can make you fail a drug test and what you need to know to avoid any potential pitfalls.


Table of Contents

cannabis beauty products

Do Beauty Products Actually Contain Drugs?

Many beauty products are absorbed through the skin and even through the nose. It goes without saying, then, that if a beauty product contains some kind of drug then the body can absorb that drug. But do some of these products contain drugs?

Marijuana (say the scaremongers) is a drug and it is widely used in many beauty products, such as cannabis topicals. This is certainly true. The beauty industry has enthusiastically embraced the many positive properties of cannabis to make their products more effective. The chances that you are using products that contain cannabis are actually very high.

But that is not the whole truth. What beauty product manufacturers use is cannabidiol (CBD for short). CBD is a compound derived from the cannabis plant with the psychoactive elements removed. It is a perfectly legal substance. Taken in pure form, CBD will not make you high or mellow. It is the more controversial cousin of CBD, tetrahydrocannabinol, (THC for short) which causes the side effects prized by recreational users. It is illegal to use THC in any beauty product.

The use of CBD oil in beauty products remains a very controversial subject, however. Detractors say that studies on the benefits of CBD are inconclusive and that there is no proof that it does not have harmful side effects. Even the DEA has taken no official stance on the matter. So, it seems as if the jury is still out on that one.

CBD has been legalized in many countries and states, but keep in mind that there are still countries and areas where it is an illegal substance. You may want to check the labels of your favorite beauty products. Look out for CBD or cannabidiol in the list of ingredients.

Do CBD Derivatives Actually Offer Real Benefits?

Experts generally agree that there is no known downside to using CBD-infused beauty products. Research on this topic is inconclusive but there are many positive findings. Here are a few:

  1. CBD is known to have anti-inflammatory properties.
  2. It has been used very successfully in the treatment of acne.
  3. There is strong evidence that CBD helps prevent psoriasis.
  4. It is a strong anti-oxidant, much stronger than vitamin E and vitamin C.
  5. It is definitely effective in protecting the skin against the harmful effects of the sun.
  6. CBD provides effective relief for eczema patients.

Will Beauty Products Produce a Positive Outcome?

When it comes to drug tests for marijuana, CBD will not show up, because labs check only for THC, the ingredient that makes you feel “high.” Unfortunately, that does not mean that you will pass such a drug test if you use products that contain CBD. Why? Most CBD products contain small quantities of THC, legally up to 0.3%.

Thankfully, you have to consume a lot of CBD before the THC levels will exceed the legal limit. Studies have shown that most users of CBD oil consume between 100 – 800mg per day. You will have to consume more than 2000mg of CBD to test positive for THC. There cannot be many people that use that much each day!

There is always a but, isn’t there? Even if you use CBD only as an ingredient in some of your beauty products, you can still test positive for THC. This is because, in reality, many CBD products contain much more THC than the legal limit of 0.3%. Independent studies have shown that some products (beauty products included) contain up to a staggering 6.4% of THC, enough to make you fail a drug test.

So, can beauty products make you fail a drug test? Yes, they can.

Can I Prevent a Positive Drug Test?

If you know that you are scheduled for a drug test, you may wish to make sure that you will pass. So, can you take steps to make sure that your THC levels are within the legal limit? To a degree, yes. Here are a few tips:

  1. Abstain from using any product that contains CBD because they all contain small quantities of THC. This will have to be done in good time, however, because THC will show up in your urine for weeks after you stopped using it. Your hair follicles will contain traces of THC up to three months later.
  2. Embark on a marijuana detox regime. There are several ways in which you can speed up the process whereby the body expels toxins, especially THC.
  3. Be aware of other products that may cause you to fail a drug test. These examples may surprise you!
    • Poppy seeds, used in many types of food, may cause you to test positive for opium.
    • Durian (that prickly Asian fruit) will almost certainly cause you to fail an alcohol test.
    • Quinine, found in tonic water, may show up positive for heroin and opium.
    • Many types of medication may also result in false-positive test results for a variety of drugs.

A Final Word…

There are a lot of grey areas in the field of drug testing and those administering these tests are aware of this fact. Even when it is legal to consume cannabis or use products containing CBD you may just lose an important opportunity or even lose your job. Your best course of action may be to be proactive. If you use beauty products containing CBD or if you use CBD oil for medicinal purposes, be upfront and honest about this fact. Reasonable employers will take that into account if you test positive.