National CBD Day is August 8th, so we talked with Jessica Assaf (Founder & CEO, Prima), Colin Phelan and Tyler Morss (Founders, Breeze), Rachel Weber (Founder, Groovy Butter), and Alex Valley (CEO, Unity Wellness Co.) to learn about their brand inspiration and the CBD industry, as well as debunk some myths about the supplement.
For those who don’t know, tell us about yourself and Prima?
JA: I’m the Co-Founder and Chief Education Officer at Prima, a B Corp and purpose-driven brand based in Santa Monica, California, making whole body care (skincare, bodycare and supplements) with CBD and other functional botanicals. Our goal is to help you combat the biggest epidemic of our time: stress. Our products are meticulously formulated with meaningful levels of plant actives to do just that, and we have solutions for the skin, body and mind. We now proudly have 15 products and they’re truly transformative.
What inspired you to create Prima?
JA: My two co-founders and I have spent our careers pioneering the clean products industry, as activists, educators and entrepreneurs. When we met a few years ago, we knew we wanted to contribute to the emerging cannabinoid space. We decided to build a brand that is the deepest expression of our values (health over all else), and act as a leader in the CBD industry using all that we’ve learned from our work in beauty and wellness. Prima is our legacy and highest vision for the future. We believe wholeheartedly in the positive impacts of our products on health, wellbeing and the planet. It’s incredibly powerful to be able to create products that people can easily order online (or on FastAF!) that instantly transforms their lives.
Tell us more about the brand’s decision to use CBD in your products (benefits, personal story, etc.)?
JA: CBD and cannabinoids are some of the strongest botanicals available to combat stress, as cannabinoids support the body’s own Endocannabinoid System and natural stress response. CBD and cannabinoids help the body maintain homeostasis, or balance, and this is true of both the internal environment, as well as the skin. Essentially, the CBD in our products works synergistically with the body to support balance in the face of stress. When we’re hit with a stressor of any kind, whether it’s environmental pollution or emotional distress, the body’s Endocannabinoid System is activated to maintain homeostasis. When you use CBD products that are bioavailable like Prima’s, the body is further supported to deal with stress. At a time where stress is considered the social toxin of today, we need all of the support we can get!
I’ve personally been using cannabis for the past ten years to treat my own stress and anxiety. I started my career at the age of fifteen as a teen activist advocating for transparency, accountability and safety in the beauty industry. As a young entrepreneur, I experienced the highest highs and lowest lows as I navigated the world of business through trial and error, and I always turned to cannabis as a stress reliever and a medicine. Now I rely on cannabis and Prima’s products for daily stress management and many other things, including menstrual support and emotional healing. I take our Daily softgels every day like a vitamin, and I also use our No Worries softgels for mood, focus and energy. I take Sleep Tight every night before I go to sleep and I use our skincare power trio (Enlightenment Serum, The Afterglow and Night Magic) twice a day and my skin has never looked or felt better. We believe everyone will benefit in so many ways from cannabinoids, and our products.
What’s a new product you discovered on FastAF that you’re obsessed with or you think is an everyday essential?
I’m obsessed with kitchen essentials! Activist Raw Manuka Honey, Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp and Momofuku Tingly Seasoned Salt are my new absolute favorites.
For those who don’t know, tell us about yourself and Breeze?
Hey world! Colin and Tyler here, Co-founders of Breeze. We’ve been friends since our college days in Ohio, and found ourselves moving to California at the same time a few years back. We are so lucky to have gotten the opportunity to work together and build breeze, working with your best friend has its highs and lows, and we have learned that THE most successful part of our relationship is our constant communication and honesty with one another, which you can see in breeze. Our goal is to empower our community to always know what’s in the breeze products they know and love.
What inspired you to create Breeze?
TM: Colin and I started breeze after growing frustrated with our inability to find a cbd/canna brand built for 2020 and not 1990…It sounds so cliche, but we STRUGGLED to find a brand that wanted to market the quality of their ingredients and was inclusive to everyone. Our goal was to build something that we could be proud of and that our customers could feel safe and comfortable with.
What’s a new product you discovered on FastAF that you’re obsessed with or you think is an everyday essential?
CP: This one is easy for me, the BEHAVE sugar free gummies. As someone with a major sweet tooth, these hit the spot without being bad for me.
TM: The Truff white truffle hot sauce is special.
For those who don’t know, tell us about yourself and Groovy Butter?
RW: Groovy Butter makes decadently creamy CBD-infused organic nut butters using pure, radiant ingredients, designed to uplift your mood and relax you.
Tell us more about Groovy Butter’s decision to use CBD in your products.
RW: I was an early adopter for CBD back in 2016 when someone I met on Phish tour sent me a CBD tincture in an unmarked container — touting the benefits for stress relief and sleep. It completely changed my life. I saw quickly that when I was consistent with CBD, the panic attacks that have challenged me since I was in grade school evaporated.
What is something you want to clear up or educate consumers about when it comes to CBD?
RW: One of the most common misconceptions is that if someone doesn’t “feel” anything the first time they take CBD, then it won’t work for them at all. Although CBD had profound effects for me the first time I used it, for many people, CBD takes repeat usage to activate the endocannabinoid system.
I encourage people to treat CBD like any dietary supplement, and to give it about 2 months of daily usage, checking in with themselves once a week to see how they feel. Keep a journal to log general feelings while beginning CBD use, and then take notes specifically on anxiety levels, pain levels, daily focus, and sleep quality and quantity to see how they change over time.
What’s a new product you discovered on FastAF that you’re obsessed with or you think is an everyday essential?
RW: I‘m in love with Taika’s adaptogen-infused Macadamia Latte, and the Forever eye mask by Dieux has become a staple in my morning skincare routine.
What inspired you to create Unity?
AV: Coming from a tech background, I had no business being in this space, but it’s crazy how much you can achieve through sheer willpower and hard work! In 2018 I went into my local Erewhon in LA and saw CBD popping up, but there weren’t any consumables that focused equally on effect, design, and flavor. I decided to do just that. I wanted something beautifully designed that worked AND tasted good.
Tell us more about the brand’s decision to use CBD in your products (benefits, personal story, etc.)?
When I saw CBD in my first store, I remember thinking, “there is no way this works.” But, after I tried it and was proven so drastically wrong, I knew I had to bring it to the masses. If it could help me with stress and anxiety, maybe it would help others. Perhaps making it more commonplace would allow for more research into the other seriously debilitating diseases out there.
As a company, we are all-in on CBD. I see some of our competitors shying away from CBD as things get more complex, and it begs the question, “what were they doing it all for in the first place?” We believe in CBD and will continue to champion it for those that need it most.
What is something you want to clear up or educate consumers about when it comes to CBD (i.e. it’s not reefer madness)?
CBD is not THC. CBD is one of many cannabinoids. CBD is not all created equally — look into bioavailability, extraction methods, and emulsion ingredients. The industry still needs a lot more research. The industry also needs federal guidelines (please not written by an old white guy with no understanding of cannabis) to legitimize the space and provide a fair competition landscape.
Shop Prima, Breeze, Groovy Butter, UNITY and other CBD essentials on FastAF for delivery in 2 hours or less.
