Highlights
Total CBD : | 150 – 1000 mg |
Potency Range: | 2.5 – 16.6 mg/g |
Cost per mg CBD : | $0.04 – $0.20 |
Extract Type : | Full-spectrum |
Total CBD : | 150 – 1000 mg |
Potency Range: | 2.5 – 16.6 mg/g |
Cost per mg CBD : | $0.04 – $0.20 |
Extract Type : | Full-spectrum |
The HumanoFlow™ Infused Salve claims to help with muscle and joint pain. However, we’re skeptical of the gel’s ability to provide the benefits promised with such a low CBD potency. Is this another overpriced gel claiming the benefits of CBD with very little to show for it?
This 60 g (2 oz.) container of gel is $29.99 for 150 mg of CBD and $39.99 for 1000 mg of CBD. The potency is far too low to produce the effects promised — joint and muscle pain relief. The other ingredients make this an excellent moisturizer — however, you’re paying way too much for a gel that offers minimal CBD benefits.
Topical CBD has a generally low bioavailability; effective potencies begin at least 8 mg of CBD per g of cream/gel/salve. For its intended purpose, the 150 mg HumanoFlow™ CBD Infused gel doesn’t have a high enough potency. With only 150 mg of CBD per jar, you’re looking at 2.5 mg of CBD per g of cream. However, the 1000 mg variation will work best for skin irritation and local pain.
Green Garden Gold sources its USDA certified organic hemp from Colorado, a state known for its high-quality agricultural standards. This is probably the best aspect of this product — however, we’re docking points for out-dated and incomplete third-party lab results. We value transparency. It doesn’t seem like GGG feels the same way.
Green Garden Gold provides very little information on how to get the most of this product. This gel is part of the muscle and joint rubs product range to help relieve aches and pain. Unfortunately, its low potency doesn’t add up to its intended purpose.
There are only two sizes, two potencies, and one scent available for the HumanoFlow™ CBD Infused Salve. GGG does offer other topical products in different strengths and variants (creams, salves, and patches). While topical CBD lotions don’t necessarily need a lot of variety, sizing options are always a welcome addition.
This is made with a full-spectrum extract. The formula includes skin-nourishing ingredients and is better suited as a skin moisturizer rather than an effective pain-relieving gel due to its weak CBD potency.
The HumanoFlow™ CBD Infused Salve is intended for joint and muscle pain relief. However, one variation only contains 150 mg of full-spectrum CBD per 60 g jar.
Applying CBD to the skin bypasses its breakdown in the digestive tract (if ingested) and liver processing, for an application that provides localized relief to problem areas. The downside to using topical CBD is a high potency is required for skin absorption.
This review examines the quality of the HumanoFlow™ CBD Infused Salve by Green Garden Gold to help you make an informed decision before purchasing your next CBD product.
The formula includes certified organic Colorado-farmed hemp extract, aloe vera, lemongrass essential oil, and jojoba oil to nourish and protect the skin.
According to the product description, the HumanoFlow™ CBD Salve is said to help sore muscles and joints.
CBD topical products need a high potency for effective pain relief. Products with at least 8 mg of CBD/mL are ideal for pain and inflammation. The HumanoFlow™ only contains 150 mg per 60 g or 2.5 mg of CBD per g of product — we’re skeptical of its promises.
Pros | Cons |
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As a moisturizer, this salve is excellent. Several ingredients help nourish and protect the skin, including aloe vera, sweet almond oil, and jojoba oil. We’ll get into more detail about the ingredients later in this article.
Full-spectrum extracts are generally preferred over isolates because of the range of cannabinoids it contains.
CBD isn’t the only therapeutic compound found in hemp. In fact, CBD is shown to be more effective when it’s balanced with the hemp plant’s natural profile of cannabinoids and terpenes.
The Certificate of Analysis shows 10 cannabinoids detected for a diverse range of compounds in this topical.
Founded in 2014, Green Garden Gold (GGG) started with the mission to provide the finest hemp oil and CBD products to its customers.
In 2016, GGG ran into trouble with the FDA for making fraudulent promises. It claimed its products were used to cure and treat diseases in its product descriptions, fake testimonials, and blog posts.
The FDA issued a warning letter to GGG to clean up its website. Since then, GGG tends to tiptoe around the effects of its products. The brand still has a long way to go to redeem itself in our books. It can start by making topical formulas with effective CBD doses and provide complete and up-to-date third-party lab tests.
Topical CBD may have low bioavailability, but what it lacks in absorption it makes up for in specificity.
By applying CBD directly to the problem area, the compound can concentrate on relieving pain or irritation in one spot rather than being absorbed and distributed throughout the body.
The HumanoFlow™ CBD Infused Salve is marketed as beneficial for achy joints and muscles. However, the potency is so low, we doubt the CBD will manage to do much for muscles and joints.
That being said, the salve is well formulated to moisturize and protect the skin, which may aid in relieving irritations such as:
We need high concentrations of CBD to penetrate the layers of skin to get into the muscles and joints. Our skin isn’t the most efficient at absorbing compounds — which is a good thing because it’s our first line of defense against pollutants in our environment.
Green Garden Gold includes other skin-loving ingredients, but this product is better suited as a moisturizer and doesn’t offer any additional benefits for relieving pain.
GGG sources its hemp from USDA-certified organic hemp farms in Colorado. Colorado is at the forefront of hemp and cannabis production. The state is known for its high agricultural standards and is one of the leading states for cannabis culture.
Lab results are a significant part of determining the quality and safety of CBD products. Each batch of products can vary. Transparent brands will provide test results for each of their products, updating them about every year.
Some of Green Garden Gold’s lab results are a few years old. The results for the HumanoFlow™ infused Salve was from 2018 and are missing a few critical elements for a complete lab test.
Green Garden Gold includes a Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the HumanoFlow™ Salve in the product description. These tests include a cannabinoid profile but nothing else!
We like to see the following tests included in a Certificate of Analysis:
We find it odd that GGG doesn’t provide the full CoA. If its products are as good as it claims, there isn’t anything to hide, right?
That being said, GGG is USDA-certified organic. It’s unlikely that the hemp would ever come into contact with pesticides or heavy metals, but it’s always nice to have confirmation.
What we do get from the CoA is a verification that the HumanoFlow™ CBD Salve uses a full-spectrum extract with 9 different cannabinoids including CBD.
We’ve discussed the potency, additional ingredients, and incomplete lab results so far, so how do these factors equate to value and price?
We don’t see much value in this product. The average price for a bottle of CBD oil with the same potency as the HumanoFlow™ Infused Salve is $25 or $0.17 per mg of CBD.
Of course, comparing a CBD oil to a topical salve is not directly applicable, but it will provide an idea of where the prices start.
Product Image | Product Name | Total Price | Total CBD Content | Cost per mg CBD |
HumanoFlow™ CBD Infused Salve — 60 g (2 oz.) | $29.99 | 150 mg | $0.20 | |
HumanoFlow™ CBD Infused Salve — 60 g (2 oz.) | $39.99 | 1000 mg | $0.04 |
At $0.20 per mg of CBD, Green Garden Gold’s price for the 150 mg HumanoFlow™ is a bit steep. This is typical of topical CBD products because of the necessary high potency and additional ingredients.
However, the 1000 mg variation has a very good price at $0.04 per mg of CBD. The HumanoFlow™ CBD Salve is purchased to help relieve dryness and minor skin irritation, the price of the 1000 mg variation is very affordable.
The variation with only 150 mg of CBD per jar of salve, has a quite low CBD potency, especially for a topical CBD treatment.
Because the skin is not as efficient at absorption as other organs inside of the body, a high potency is required for an effective CBD topical product for pain management.
However, Green Garden Gold’s CBD Salve with 1000 mg has a mid-range potency of 16.6 mg/g.
The company holds true to its promise of using a full-spectrum extract. We’ve come across several products on its website that advertise full-spectrum but turns out only to be a CBD isolate. It’s always best to double-check the CoA to verify the cannabinoid profile.
With different cannabinoids present in the salve, the efficacy of CBD is enhanced with the entourage effect.
Product Image | Product Name | Total CBD Content | CBD Concentration(mg/g) | Potency Level |
HumanoFlow™ CBD Gel — 60mL (2 oz.) | 150 mg | 2.50 mg/g | Low | |
HumanoFlow™ CBD Gel — 60mL (2 oz.) | 1000 mg | 16.6 mg/g | Mid |
This cream is intended to provide topical, localized pain relief from joint pain or muscle aches.
The directions in the product description are to “simply apply to the desired area of the body and let the magic happen.”
We’re not sure what “magic” will happen. Aside from providing your skin with excellent moisturizing compounds, you won’t get many other benefits.
The non-CBD ingredients only go skin deep.
There are 18 ingredients in the HumanoFlow™ CBD Infused Salve aside from CBD. Not all ingredients are used to increase the efficacy of the product (i.e., emulsifiers, thickening agents, etc.) We’ll give a quick overview of the four most prevalent beneficial ingredients:
In aromatherapy, lemongrass is used to relieve stress. When applied to the skin, it has anti-inflammatory properties that can help relieve symptoms of arthritis.
This ingredient is used to add scent to the salve but can cause allergic reactions for sensitive skin types.
One of the most famous medicinal plants, aloe soothes skin and reduces inflammation.
While aloe vera is mostly associated with rashes and sunburns, there is some evidence for its use in relieving osteoarthritis pain (only when ingested orally).
A trendy skincare ingredient for a good reason — Jojoba seed oil contains B-complex vitamins and vitamin E, which aids in repairing skin, soothing irritation, and dryness.
This oil is rich in monosaturated fatty acids, vitamins E and A, zinc, protein, and potassium, so it’s fantastic for the skin. Like the other ingredients, sweet almond oil helps the skin stay moisturized and soothes irritations.
These ingredients — and the ones not — are not well suited for relieving intense pain symptoms, but they’re excellent for adding moisture and protecting the skin.
We encourage everyone to look into all of the details of the ingredients used in CBD products to fully understand its potential benefits or harms. One major part of this process is looking at the third-party lab results.
There are no variations in size or quantity for the HumanoFlow™ Salve. Topicals tend to be pretty niche and straightforward, so there isn’t a huge need for variety, except perhaps for size variations.
Something we’d like to see from more companies is several container options for those who have pain that may inhibit them from opening twist-top lids.
If dissatisfied with the product, customers can send it back 30 days after the initial purchase.
Refunds are issued after the product has been examined and approved by a Green Garden Gold employee, but shipping will come at the expense of the customer if returning a product.
Free shipping is offered for orders over $100 in the US. International shipping is reasonable at a flat rate of $12.
With the ineffective potency, lack of dosing information, and incomplete lab results, we don’t recommend the HumanoFlow™ CBD Infused Salve.
The ingredients are wholesome, but the salve is better suited to relieve surface-level irritation. It’s not ideal for joint and muscle pain relief that advertised.
The lab results proved a full-spectrum cannabinoid profile — however, the tests were from 2018 and are still missing information on potential contamination levels.
There are many topical CBD products on the market, so finding the best cream, salve, or lotion can be tricky.
We recommend looking at Fab CBD’s Topical CBD Cream. This product costs a little more than the HumanoFlow™ CBD Infused Salve at $64 a jar, but it contains 600 mg of high-quality CBD. This cream has an excellent reputation, and it’s thoroughly tested for both beneficial and potentially harmful substances.
Number | Product | Total CBD | Potency | Cost per mg CBD | Link |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
cbdMD CBD Freeze Pain Relief |
300 – 1500 mg |
2.5 – 16.9 mg/mL |
$0.07 – $0.12 |
|
2 |
Infinite CBD Freezing Point Cream |
250 – 1000 mg |
4.2 – 16.9 mg/mL |
$0.05 – $0.07 |
|
3 |
Lazarus Naturals CBD Balm |
300 – 1200 mg |
20 mg/mL |
$0.04 – $0.05 |
|
4 |
CBDistillery CBD Topicals |
25 – 500 mg |
16 mg/mL |
$0.12 – $0.36 |
|
5 |
4 Corners Cannabis CBD Salve |
40 – 500 mg |
8.3 – 16.6 mg/mL |
$0.20 – $0.38 |
|
6 |
Ojai Energetics Sports Gel |
100 mg |
3.33 mg/mL |
$0.47 |
|
7 |
Medterra CBD Rapid Recovery Cooling Cream |
250 – 750 mg |
2.5 – 7.5 mg/mL |
$0.10 – $0.20 |
|
8 |
Hemplucid CBD Body Creams |
500 – 1000 mg |
8.3 – 16.7 mg/mL |
$0.13 – $0.15 |
|
9 |
Kat’s Naturals Pain CBD Cream w/ Capsaicin |
350 – 1400 mg |
11.6 mg/mL |
$0.11 – $0.13 |