Managing pain is one of the most common reasons people use CBD, and topicals are the perfect choice for joint and muscle pains. With a CBD lotion or roll-on, you can easily and quickly apply your CBD, without leaving greasy spots or residue. But their quality can vary, with many companies not performing safety testing on their products or overstating the amount of CBD they contain.
Our cannabinoid product quality evaluation framework is our solution to this problem, helping us sort the best companies from the ones to avoid. Here’s what we learned about the best CBD lotions for pain relief.
What makes a CBD lotion effective for pain?
Full spectrum is best
Products including THC and other cannabiniods are likely more effective than CBD alone due to the “entourage effect.” However, broad spectrum or isolates can still be viable options.
Permeation enhancers
Without a chemical permeation enhancer or an emulsified formula, it’s unlikely that any CBD from a topical makes it below your skin. This is why most CBD topicals include something like vitamin E or menthol to boost absorption.
The right terpenes
Beta-caryophyllene, linalool and myrcene are three common hemp terpenes that either have an anti-inflammatory or pain-relieving effect.
Camphor or other pain relievers
Many topical lotions also include other pain-relieving ingredients like camphor. This is a good thing, provided that (like camphor) the ingredient is effective for pain relief and doesn’t interact with CBD.
From 98 CBD lotions, gels and roll-ons we considered, only these five options were high enough quality to earn our recommendation. Here’s why.
Cornbread Hemp CBD Lotion + Menthol
- CBD type: Full spectrum
- Potency: 750 mg CBD, 30 mg THC
- CBD/THC Ratio: 28:1 CBD:THC ratio
- Terpenes: Eucalyptol, geraniol, alpha-pinene and gamma-terpinene
- Price: $49.99 ($0.06/mg)
Cornbread Hemp is one of the best companies in the industry right now.
They make their extracts from the flowers of USDA organic certified hemp grown in Kentucky’s Bluegrass Basin, and they oversee the whole process from seed to sale.
In other words: you can be absolutely sure you’re getting some of the highest-quality hemp out there.
Cornbread’s CBD Lotion + Menthol combines this high-end hemp with a water and alcohol-based lotion mix, with added vitamin E and menthol to ensure good absorption through the skin.
It’s true full spectrum, with THC, CBDV and CBC in addition to the 750 mg of CBD in the bottle, as well as a range of terpenes.
It’s a little on the expensive side, but it’s well worth it.
Cornbread’s CBD Lotion + Menthol was a stand-out option for our tester, who commented:
“I’ve tried a lot of creams that look almost identical on the label (CBD, menthol, botanicals, etc.) and most of them never did much beyond a little bit of cooling. Cornbread’s lotion was different. The first morning I used it, I was actually able to get out of bed without complaining from the stiffness in my lower back and hips. The pain wasn’t gone, but it was cut down enough that I could move more freely and look forward to starting the day. After a few days of applying it twice a day, the lingering pain was basically gone.”
He also pointed out that the menthol smell wasn’t overpowering, so you don’t walk around “reeking of medicine,” noting that it was almost pleasant.
He did note that you’ll need to use it consistently, and that it likely won’t completely remove pain that’s deep in the joint.
- USDA certified organic hemp
- True full spectrum: rich in terpenes and cannabinoids
- Flower-only extract
- Very effective with regular application
- Menthol and vitamin E to improve absorption
- Subtle aroma - no “medicine” smell
- GMP-certified, allergen-free manufacturing facility
- A little expensive
- There are terpenes, but they aren’t pain relieving or anti-inflammatory
R&R CBD Pain Roll-On
- CBD Type: Full spectrum
- Potency: 2,500 mg CBD and 500 mg CBG
- CBD/THC Ratio: ~84:1 CBD:THC ratio
- Terpenes: Menthol, linalool, eucalyptol and beta-caryophyllene
- Price: $85 ($0.03/mg)
R&R is one of the best CBD brands out there, putting care and effort into every step of the process from seed to sale.
They start with US-grown, certified organic hemp and use supercritical CO2 extraction to ensure they keep as many of the beneficial plant compounds as possible.
Because of this, their CBD Pain Roll-On contains 9 cannabinoids and a massive 25 terpenes, as confirmed by third-party lab testing.
Everything in the blend is tailored to pain relief, from the full spectrum formulation to the menthol and camphor in the mix and right through to the linalool, beta-caryophyllene and myrcene among the terpenes.
All of this comes in a convenient, roll-on format and with a great price per mg of CBD.
- USDA certified organic hemp
- True full spectrum, including 9 cannabinoids
- Huge terpene selection, including linalool, myrcene and beta-caryophyllene
- Solid price: just over 3 cents per mg CBD
- Menthol included as a permeation enhancer
- Also includes unregulated supplements
- Quite low in THC
Medterra Pain Relief Roll-On
- CBD Type: CBD isolate
- Potency: 1,000 mg CBD
- CBD/THC Ratio: THC-free
- Terpenes: Menthol, eucalyptol, alpha-terpineol, beta-caryophyllene
- Price: $64.99 ($0.06/mg)
Medterra’s Pain Relief Roll-On is the best THC-free CBD roll-on out there, offering a powerful, terpene-rich solution that’s lab-confirmed 0.01% THC or lower.
Even though it doesn’t include other cannabinoids, the roll-on contains an impressive 12 terpenes. This includes two known to have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving qualities.
This means that even with no THC, you still get the benefits of the entourage effect thanks to this rich spectrum of plant compounds.
Medterra’s hemp isn’t USDA certified organic like R&R and Cornbread’s. However, it’s grown in the US under natural sunlight using organic practices, so it’s still exceptional quality.
The blend is boosted with pain-relieving camphor and permeation-enhancing menthol, giving the CBD plenty of opportunity to work its magic.
- THC-free – drug test safe!
- High-quality, US-grown hemp
- Impressive selection of 12 terpenes
- Menthol to boost absorption through the skin
- Only an isolate – other cannabinoids would improve things
- On the expensive side
- Contains Arnica Montana, an unregulated supplement
cbdMD Broad Spectrum CBD Freeze Roller
- CBD Type: Broad spectrum CBD
- Potency: 750 mg, 1,500 mg or 3,000 mg CBD
- CBD/THC Ratio: THC-free
- Terpenes: Menthol, camphor, isopulegol, terpineol
- Price: $39.99 to $79.99 ($0.02 to $0.05 per mg)
Industry veteran cbdMD’s Broad Spectrum CBD Freeze Roller is the only broad spectrum option that made this list.
Its biggest strength is that it’s so fast-acting. This comes down to a combination of the ingredients and the roll-on format.
The menthol and camphor in the formula start to take effect right away, offering quick relief while the cannabinoid blend – CBD, CBN, CBG and CBDV – starts working its way into your muscles.
cbdMD’s hemp is grown in the US in a single location, and the product is made in a GMP-certified manufacturing facility, with only vegan ingredients.
The quality is hard to fault, and the roll-on application makes it a convenient solution when you’re on-the-go.
Our tester noted that the roll-on format made the lotion mess-free and ideal for use out of the house. However, he also pointed out that if you’re covering a large area, it could easily get expensive.
When it comes to effects, he was pretty positive:
“The first thing I noticed about this roller is how quick it kicks in. Within minutes of applying it, the pain in my knee and sore muscles calmed down enough that I could move more easily.”
However, he noted that the pain from his knee injury was reduced but not completely removed:
“I used it on my knee and shoulders, and it took the edge off. I wouldn’t say it completely got rid of the pain, but compared to popping ibuprofen or using a basic menthol cream, this felt like a healthier and more effective option.”
- True broad-spectrum – Entourage effect with no THC
- Three options for strength
- Contains camphor and menthol
- Excellent price per mg for high-strength version
- Fast-acting – relief within minutes
- Mess-free application
- Isopulegol and terpineol aren’t pain relievers
- Low-strength option could get expensive
- Pain still persists, but it’s reduced
PlusCBD Roll On Cooling Topical
- CBD Type: CBD isolate
- Potency: 2,000 mg CBD
- CBD/THC Ratio: THC-free
- Terpenes: No terpene test
- Price: $59.99 ($0.03/mg)
PlusCBD’s Roll On Cooling Topical combines a substantial dose of CBD isolate with camphor and menthol to offer a complete solution for aches and pains.
The 2,000 mg of CO2-extracted, flower-derived CBD forms the backbone, with anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving qualities. The added camphor also boosts this with its heating-and-cooling effect.
Menthol is mainly there to improve the absorption of CBD through the skin, but it also adds to the cooling sensation.
PlusCBD’s hemp is grown in both Kentucky and the Netherlands. So while it isn’t purely US-grown hemp, the quality is still exceptional.
The only downside is the fact that this is an isolate extract, so you do miss out on the cannabinoids and terpenes with their additional entourage effects.
This lotion worked well overall. However, our tester noted that it wasn’t quite potent enough for his severe knee injury:
“The roll-on had a nice cooling effect that felt good right away. For me, though, the relief didn’t reach the deeper pain in my knee — it’s more suited for surface-level aches or soreness after a workout. Easy to apply and mess-free, but not strong enough for a serious injury.”
CBD Oracle’s independent lab test confirmed the accuracy of the COA provided by PlusCBD. But there was a slight difference in the CBD content.
Oracle’s test showed 68.5 mg of CBD per g of lotion, compared to 63.36 mg/g for the manufacturer COA, while CBDV matched down to the nearest 0.01 mg.
The small difference in CBD isn’t really a cause for concern. The results are within 10% of each other – a reasonable level of agreement – and the independent test shows more CBD, which is arguably better if anything.
- Lab-confirmed THC free
- High CBD – 2,000 mg per bottle
- Contains camphor, a proven pain reliever
- Menthol in the mix to improve absorption
- Pleasant cooling effect
- Great price per mg of CBD
- Independent lab report confirms COA accuracy
- No entourage effect – CBD isolate
- Not entirely US-grown hemp
- Better for surface-level aches and pains than serious injuries
Other Products We Considered
The initial list of CBD lotions, gels and roll-ons contained 98 products, but most of these were not able to qualify for the final list.
As always, this was based on key criteria from our Product Quality Evaluation Framework, including:
- No recent lab report: 34 products had a lab report that was more than 12 months old, and another 16 didn’t have a publicly accessible lab report at all. Lab reports are the main quality control mechanism that customers can feasibly check, and if the report is a year old, it likely doesn’t reflect the product on the shelves anymore. These were discounted.
- No safety testing: 33 products were not full panel safety tested. Without this testing, customers have no guarantee that the lotion is free from pesticides, residual solvents, mycotoxins, heavy metals and microbial contamination. With this in mind, these could not be recommended. 3 additional products were safety tested but the lab found contamination.
- Not tested for terpenes: Without tests for terpenes, it is not possible to confirm that a product is truly broad or full spectrum. 10 products claimed to be either full or broad spectrum but did not have this testing.
- Other issues: Smaller numbers of products failed on other issues, including unverifiable lab reports, fewer than 4 cannabinoids detected (for full or broad spectrum products) and for lacking a permeation enhancing formula.
A few brands made it through the initial checks but didn’t score above 80% on the full evaluation, including Sunmed, Imbue Botanicals and Orca (Hometown Hero). Generally, these would have performed better if they had age verification and gave more information about their hemp sourcing and manufacturing.
Methodology: How We Ranked the Best CBD Roll-Ons and Lotions
Expert-driven criteria: We interviewed experts in cannabinoids, pain and topicals to determine what is important to have in a CBD lotion for pain and what isn’t. These criteria enabled us to finalize qualifying criteria and choose a specific product from a brand’s line-up.
Market research: 98 eligible products were identified through a Google search. We looked at the first 15 pages of results for “CBD topicals” and “CBD topicals for pain” (with additional search terms to remove third-party websites that often publish “best CBD for x” style lists).
Market analysis: All products were checked for qualifiers, based on product pages and COAs (as detailed above). Any qualifying products were scored on our full product evaluation criteria. Products with scores over 80% were moved on to the final stages.
Independent lab testing: We had the remaining products independently lab tested by InfiniteCAL. This was used in the final ranking, based on how well it matched the manufacturer-provided COA.
First-hand testing: This crucial final step involved first-hand testing by expert Oracle staff and less CBD-savvy friends and family. This allowed us to both evaluate it for ourselves and get insights for more “ordinary” users with pain problems.
Our Tester’s Experience with CBD Lotions for Pain
Our tester tried CBD lotions and roll-ons for a meniscus tear in the right knee, as well as previously for shoulder pain and stiffness in the lower back and hips.
While the lotions were all effective for the more minor pain and stiffness in the shoulder, lower back and hips, the meniscus tear was very painful (8/10) and proved harder to manage. He found the lotions he tested better for light relief from general aches and pains, but not great for deeper pain unless paired with a full-spectrum CBD tincture.