There has been a huge boom in the CBD market over the last few years, accompanied by a plethora of new CBD products.

Buying CBD online may be easy and convenient but finding the right product for you can also be tricky.  From ensuring your CBD oil contains the correct amount of CBD vs THC to knowing what ingredients and processes are used to create it, it’s vital that as a consumer you stay vigilant on what to look out for, so that you know exactly what you’re going to get.

Here are a few of our top tips for buying your CBD oil online.  

1. Does the product have a Certificate of Analysis? 
The Cannabis Trades Association is working hard to regulate the CBD market, and a stipulation of their terms is for all products to be thoroughly tested and verified by a third party. A Certificate of Analysis should be linked to on a CBD company's website, so that you can clearly see what has been tested and the results.

Having a valid Certificate of Analysis is essential to making sure the products have been carefully tested, enabling full transparency about what you will be putting into your body.  

2. How much CBD are you getting for your money? 
It’s important to understand CBD dosage and strengths so you know exactly how much CBD is contained in your oil. All CBD containing products should clearly state how many mg of CBD is in each bottle, so you can make sure you’re not buying an oil that is too weak or too strong for what you need.

As a reference, our starter 5% CBD oil contains 500mg of CBD in a 10ml bottle, with our strongest 30% oil containing 3000mg of CBD in a 10ml bottle

3. Have you set your daily reminder?
Just as you would take prescribed medicine or food supplements, CBD works over a period of time to get the full effect. It’s important to understand that taking CBD oil for one day doesn’t mean immediate change, and one dose won’t make you feel completely different.

 This is why we speak about titration so regularly. Titration is simply building up through the dosages as you take your CBD oil, taking 2-3 drops, 2-3 times a day, every day. This process means you ca adjust your dose for maximum benefit, without any unwanted side effects.

When you do find your right strength, it’s easy to use any remaining strengths by simply adjusting the number of drops to achieve the same dose; for example, 10% is twice the strength of 5% and would simply require half the number of drops to achieve the same dose as the lower strength. Whatever your reasons for taking CBD, this method means you’re affording any peaks and troughs – and effects are levelled and consistent. 

4. Are you journal ready?
Making a note of your reasons for wanting to use CBD oil can be a great reminder to keep you motivated and on schedule, but it can also be a great way to track your progress.

Keeping track of any improvements in how you feel, any new emotions or physical feelings can be especially helpful when it comes to figuring out your CBD oil dosage. We recommend journaling on a weekly basis for a minimum of 3-months, making sure you get a well-rounded idea of how your current dosage is affecting you.

5. What are the ingredients of the CBD oil? 
You’ll want to make sure that there are no surprise ingredients in your CBD oil, which is why you should always check the ingredients list and chemical profile, which will be listed in the product’s Certificate of Analysis. You want to aim for the purest level of CBD oil possible, so if the bottle says that it is 5% CBD, then this needs to be reflected in the chemical profile. It is no good thinking you are buying a 5% or 10% oil which actually only contains 3% or 7% CBD for example. CBD oil bought in the UK should not contain THC, but the UK guidance allows a marginal tolerance of licencing CBD that does not contain more than 0.02%.

Alternatively, buying straight from a CBD oil brand such as Potyque, which has already been certified for sale in the UK, as we meet all the required regulations, is also a great way to ensure you get all the information you need to make a confident purchase.

Being awarded INDY BEST BUY for our 10% CBD oil should also provide CBD users that Potyque ‘does what it says on the tin’. If you’d like to have a look at our very own Certificate of Analysis, you can do so here. You can also browse all our CBD oils in our online shop.

If you’d like to read more around CBD before you go any further, we’re cleared up some of the key myths and confusions around CBD to answer some of the most burning questions. Take a read of ‘Clearing Up The Confusion Around CBD’ here.

Want to get started with a CBD journal, and document the progress as you go? Visit ‘Journaling Your Journey with CBD’, to find out best practice and download your very own FREE template.