Starting a few years ago,  CBD became the “it” ingredient to incorporate into personal care products, including shampoos, skincare, nutritional supplements, and pain relief products. But well before this CBD creep started to happen in the beauty space, California-basedEarthly Body, under the direction of Founder Kevin Wachs, had been incorporating high-quality hemp seed oil-based CBD into Earthly Body CBD Skincare and Emera CBD Haircare. The brand has also, from its beginnings, emphasized a green stream of production, keeping their carbon footprint small and their ingredients clean. 

Green Team

Earthly Body VP of Sales and Marketing, Paula Malloy, will be overseeing more leaps forward, as Earthly Body introduces new line extensions and products, including mks eco and its WOW Collection, a hemp and argan oil enriched haircare brand that is 100% vegan and 100% sustainably sourced. The line features a vegetable-based, plant-derived silicone alternative.

Malloy says there will also be a renewed emphasis on the power of CBD to nourish skin and scalp, while soothing the body. “We’re the leader in CBD beauty products, we truly are,” Malloy shared. While there is still a lot of confusion around the use of hemp and CBD, the thing to know is that only marijuana contains THC (the compound that causes the sensation of getting “high”). "Our products use a proprietary and botanical blend that helps bring the CBD into the body.”

“I have a really bad shoulder but I rub Earthly Body CBD Daily cream on and within a couple minutes it stops aching," she continues. "It’s wonderful for hairdressers who are on their feet and working with their bodies all day.  Having something that works is so important, and now more are looking for something that is also naturally-derived and sustainable."

Malloy has a real life understanding of what salon professionals need from their products; she was a hairdresser for years, before she moved into sales, marketing and product development at some of the industry's biggest players.  It informs everything she does at Earthly Body.

"Right now, I’m working on scalp treatments for two of our lines,” she says. “I know that hairdressers need to have something that is quick, easy, and can add to their average ticket without a big backbar investment. Because I’m a hairdresser, I so appreciate what they go through and am so grateful to them.  Everything I do, it comes from thinking about them and what they need!”

Wachs, an early adopter of CBD, was also an enthusiastic advocate for clean manufacturing practices and while his company has grown, Wachs has held fast to some guiding principles. One of those is continuing to be a good steward of the earth, always moving Earthly Body in a sustainable direction. 

Photo: Kevin Wachs with his wife and co-founder of Earthly Body, Mare Wachs

“There’s no such thing as 100% natural but we want to be better than everyone else," Wachs says. "We continue to make choices that line up with that and that increase people’s trust in us as manufacturers. Our ingredients have always been a non-issue, in that we have made sure to be as pure and natural as possible, with all the ‘no's—no sulfates, no parabens, no mineral oils. Our fragrances are 100% naturally derived. They are all either essential oils or are fruit, plant or vegetable-derived."

And the ink used in packaging production is soy, which is recyclable. The packing peanuts used in shipping are made from cornstarch, which is biodegradable. And a recent update is that any product that goes into the shower—shampoos, conditioners—is going into aluminum; if it doesn’t go in the shower, it will be in glass because it’s more easily recycled.

"We don’t claim that everything is 100% recyclable but we are making the best choices."

 But, Wachs points out, being this intentional in their production isn't easy or inexpensive. “It will be interesting to see who else will follow our lead.”

About Earthly Body

Earthly Body is a respected, family-owned company that has been creating high-quality, natural skin and hair care products since 1994. Earthly Body is one of the pre-eminent manufacturers of hemp-based natural body and skin care products. Earthly Body brands, such as Marrakesh, Emera CBD Hair Care, Hemp Seed Body Care, ColorPhlex and CBD Daily products can be found in beauty stores, salons, spas, and boutiques. These natural & cruelty-free products use natural ingredients – no mineral oil, dyes, sulfates, propylene glycol, phthalates or parabens. Earthly Body’s products are 100% Vegan, drug-free and cruelty-free.