Balms, salves, roll-ons and lotions

Topicals come in four common forms. The difference is mostly texture: how firm it is, how it spreads, and how it feels on the skin.

Balms and salves

Balms and salves are wax-based, usually beeswax or a plant wax with oils like olive, coconut or jojoba. They're firm in the tin and soften as your hand warms them. Balms run a little firmer, though brands use the two words loosely. Both take a while to absorb, and both travel well.

Roll-ons and gels

A roll-on is a liquid or gel with a ball applicator, so your hands stay clean. Many add menthol or camphor for a cooling sensation. Gels are water-based and dry fast with little residue.

Lotions and creams

Lotions are water-based, spread thin over a large area and absorb fast. Creams are thicker. Both moisturize, and both come in bigger sizes than balms, often 4 to 8 oz.

1. CBD Cream, 1,500 mgSoul CBD$0.027/mg
2. THC-Free CBD Sports CreamJoy Organics$0.030/mg
3. CBD Bath BombsCBDfx$0.050/mg
4. CBD Cream, 1,000 mgMedterra$0.060/mg
5. CBD BalmNuLeaf Naturals$0.098/mg
6. CBD Cream for Muscle & JointCBDfx$0.050/mg

What to compare

• Total CBD. It ranges from a few hundred mg to several thousand. The label states it.
• Size. A 2 oz tin and an 8 oz bottle are hard to compare on price. Cost per mg puts them on one scale.
• Scent. Mint, eucalyptus, lavender and unscented versions of the same product are common.
• Other ingredients. The ingredient list shows the base and any added botanicals, like arnica.

How we describe topicals

We stick to what a topical is and what's in it: form, size, CBD and cost per mg. When a brand says how its product feels or what it's for, we quote the brand by name on the product page.