Updated October 2026
“Hemp oil” is one of the most confusing phrases on a store shelf. Depending on the label, it can mean an oil pressed from hemp seeds, an extract made from the hemp plant’s flowers and leaves, or a finished product that blends one of those with other ingredients.
These are different things. This post explains how they differ, what’s in our CBD Salve, and how to check its lab report yourself.
Hemp seed oil: a food and skincare oil
Hemp seed oil is pressed from the seeds of the hemp plant. According to the FDA, hemp seeds don’t naturally contain THC or CBD.[1] Hemp seed ingredients can pick up trace amounts during harvesting and processing, but hemp seed oil isn’t a source of CBD.[1]
What hemp seed oil does have is fat. In one lab analysis of hempseed from eight regions of China, unsaturated fatty acids made up more than 90% of the oil.[2] Those were mainly linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid, in a ratio close to 3:1.[2] That fatty-acid profile is why hemp seed oil shows up in lotions, balms and soaps as a moisturizing ingredient.
You may have seen claims that “hemp oil is 25% protein.” That number describes the seed, not the oil. The same study measured protein in the dehulled seed kernel (more than 30% in some varieties), separately from the oil.[2] Pressed oil is fat, so don’t count on it as a source of protein or vitamins for your skin or hair.
CBD extract: from the flower, not the seed
CBD (cannabidiol) comes mainly from the hemp plant’s flowers and leaves. It’s extracted into a concentrated oil, then measured into finished products such as tinctures, softgels and salves.
So a “hemp oil” with no CBD amount on the label is most likely hemp seed oil. A CBD product should tell you how many milligrams of CBD are in the container, and it should have a lab report to back that up.
Where a CBD salve fits
A salve is a finished product made to go on the skin. It combines a CBD extract with butters, waxes or oils that give it its texture and feel.
Under federal law, a product applied to the body to cleanse it, beautify it or change its appearance is a cosmetic.[1] Cosmetics don’t need FDA approval before they’re sold.[1] A product meant to treat a disease or change how the body functions is legally a drug, even if it’s applied to the skin.[1] That’s why we describe what our salve contains and how to use it, not what it will cure or fix.
What’s in OnlyPure CBD Salve
Our CBD Salve contains 750 mg of CBD in a 2 oz jar. The product page lists these ingredients alongside the CBD:
- Mango butter
- Shea butter
- Organic beeswax
- A blend of oils including rosehip, geranium, lavender and eucalyptus
The mango and shea butters give the salve its rich, moisturizing texture. The essential oils give it a scent. The CBD comes from a Colorado-grown hemp extract, and the product page describes it as full-spectrum.
What its lab report shows
The salve’s current certificate of analysis (COA) comes from the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food laboratory. It covers lot C20241932, issued October 22, 2025.[4] You can open it from the product page or from our Product COAs page.
Here’s what it reports, and what it doesn’t:
- CBD: 11.70 mg per gram (1.17% by weight) in the sample tested.[4]
- THC: Δ9-THC was “<LOQ,” meaning below the level the lab can measure precisely. Total THC was reported as ND, not detected.[4] Neither result is a promise of zero THC in every jar.
- Other cannabinoids: the rest of the cannabinoids on the panel were ND in this sample.[4]
- What it doesn’t cover: this report is a cannabinoid test only. It doesn’t include pesticide, heavy-metal, solvent or microbial panels, so it can’t be used to say the salve is free of those.
A COA describes the specific sample that was tested, so compare the lot number with your jar. Testing tells you what’s in a product. It isn’t FDA approval, and it doesn’t prove the product will do anything for a health condition.
How to use a salve
- Read the jar first and follow its directions.
- Apply to clean, dry, unbroken skin. Rub a small amount in.
- Try a small area first. Apply a little to the inside of your arm and wait a day. A patch test is a quick check for an obvious reaction. It doesn’t guarantee you’ll never react, especially to fragrance and essential oils.
- Stop using it if you notice redness, itching, swelling or a rash.
- Keep it away from your eyes, and wash your hands after applying.
- Keep the lid closed and store the jar out of reach of children and pets.
Our salve is made for your skin. Our CBD Tincture is made to be taken by mouth, and the two aren’t interchangeable. Don’t eat the salve, and don’t use an oral oil on your skin in place of a product made for it.
Skip the kitchen-counter recipes. You’ll find advice online to stir essential oils into hemp oil and apply it straight to your skin or scalp. Undiluted or homemade essential-oil blends can irritate the skin. A formulated product with a listed ingredient panel is a more predictable choice.
Before you start
- Medications: the FDA warns that CBD can cause liver injury and can affect how other drugs you’re taking work.[3] How much CBD the body absorbs through the skin is still an open question in FDA’s research list.[3] If you take medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any CBD product.
- Pregnancy and nursing: the FDA strongly advises against using CBD in any form during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.[5]
Questions?
If something about your jar or its lab report doesn’t add up, contact us. You’ll find the salve on its product page, and everything we carry in the OnlyPure shop.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
For external use only. Talk to your doctor before using CBD if you take any medication, have a medical condition, or are pregnant or nursing. Not for use by anyone under 18.
Sources
- FDA — FDA Regulation of Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Products, Including Cannabidiol (CBD), Q&A #12 (hemp seed ingredients) and #13 (cosmetics) — www.fda.gov
- Chen T, He J, Zhang J et al. “Analytical characterization of Hempseed (seed of Cannabis sativa L.) oil from eight regions in China.” J Diet Suppl 2010;7(2):117-129, doi:10.3109/19390211003781669 — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22435611/ — HTTP 203/403 to automated requests (NCBI bot wall; opens normally in a browser). Title, journal and abstract confirmed through the Europe PMC API (HTTP 200).
- FDA — What You Need to Know (And What We’re Working to Find Out) About Products Containing Cannabis or Cannabis-derived Compounds, Including CBD — www.fda.gov
- OnlyPure CBD Salve COA, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, lab # HP25293-6, lot C20241932, issued 10/22/2025 (cannabinoids only) — onlypure.com
- FDA — What You Should Know About Using Cannabis, Including CBD, When Pregnant or Breastfeeding — www.fda.gov
