The best CBD oils for vegans you can buy in the UK

In the last few years, CBD has soared into the public consciousness and gained immense popularity. CBD products and brands of all varieties are now available, both online and in high street shops. While the choice this gives us is incredible, it can make it harder to find a high-quality, vegan CBD oil.

To help you successfully navigate the impressive yet confusing array of oils, tinctures and sprays, we have compiled this list. It will introduce you to this remarkable plant extract, inform you of what to look out for, and provide our pick of the best UK CBD oils suitable for vegans.

Products to Avoid

CBD is a cannabinoid found in hemp plants and is extracted to provide a beneficial, non-intoxicating food-supplement. It is obtained directly from cannabis varieties that have less than 0.2% THC and won’t get you high.

While the extract itself is plant-based, the versatility of CBD allows manufacturers to make it into hundreds of other products. Some of these may not be suitable for vegans, to prevent you from making an accidental non-vegan purchase, here are some things to look out for:

CBD Oils – CBD extract is entirely vegan, but different companies combine it with their preferred blend of oils, colours and flavourings. Most trustworthy brands will only include a high-quality carrier oil like olive oil, hemp seed oil or MCT oil. Still, you should always carefully check the label to ensure there are no hidden animal products.

CBD Gummies – These are chewy, flavoured treats that deliver a measured amount of CBD. Because of their jelly-like structure, they may contain bovine gelatine. Look out for gummies clearly labelled as vegan; these are made using vegan gelatine alternatives such as pectin, seaweed extract or agar agar.

CBD Capsules – These are made with an edible shell and hold a precise amount of CBD oil; they are ideal if you want a discreet way to take CBD or want to carry it without fearing spills or leaks. With some capsules, the shell or soft-gel is made using gelatine. The vegan versions are made using plant-based gelatin alternatives.

CBD Edibles – CBD can be added to most foods and many shops, coffee-shops and online stores carry a range of sweets, chocolates, drinks and even pastries. What is included in these items is entirely down to the manufacturer, so they should be treated just like any other food; look carefully through the ingredients and check for labels or certificates that indicate it is suitable for vegans.

CBD Skincare – There are some incredible vegan skincare ranges out there, but not all companies follow the same standards. Look carefully at the ingredients and check that they are animal product and cruelty-free.

How We’ve Chosen the Oils on Our List

To be sure that we only recommend the best vegan CBD oils, we have created rigorous criteria to measure them against:

• Free from cruelty and animal products – All items on the list must be vegan and cruelty-free.
• Organic certified – Products with official organic certifications are made without the risk of chemicals or contamination. We have checked for certification backed up by official organic authorities or other assurances that chemical and pesticide-free methods are used.
• Full-spectrum – These are oils that contain all the cannabinoids naturally present in the hemp plant. The presence of other cannabinoids can alter and enhance the effect of the CBD, making them more useful than pure CBD products.
• 3rd party lab-tested – To guarantee that each product contains what it says on the label, many trustworthy retailers send a sample from a batch to an independent lab. There they can be tested for quality, contamination and cannabinoid profile. Products where test results are readily available, rank higher on this list because they support customers to make informed decisions.
• CO2 Extracted – This is the gold standard method to extract cannabinoids from hemp. It allows a quality product to be produced from the raw materials and avoids the chemical contamination that can occur with less sophisticated methods.

The Benefits of CBD Oil

CBD oil is used throughout the world for a wide variety of reasons including for an improvement in general health and to treat specific conditions. While there have not been enough scientific studies conducted to provide conclusive evidence of its therapeutic properties, efforts are underway to change this.

In 2019, members of the European Parliament tabled a resolution that called for a coordinated effort to build a solid base of evidence. In many countries, these studies are now underway or in the planning stages.

The World Health Organization  stated in 2018 that: “There is also preliminary evidence that CBD may be a useful treatment for a number of other medical conditions.” These include anxiety, seizures, insomnia, pain, chronic pain and neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

One of the studies already conducted found that daily amounts helped anxiety sufferers prepare to deliver a speech successfully.

Another linked it to a reduction in the symptoms of some patients with previously untreatable forms of epilepsy. As well as chronic conditions, it is also used to support healthy sleep patterns and to increase focus and alertness during the day.

Best Vegan CBD Oils in the UK

1. 5% Biopurus CBD Oil

This is a high-quality product from organic oil producers Biopurus. It is a thick, dark-coloured oil made with CO2 extracted, whole-plant hemp extract. This means that it contains a full range of the cannabinoids found in the hemp plant along with aromatic terpenes and plant nutrients. This is the best you can get for true plant-based goodness.

The extract is suspended in hemp seed oil, so you are getting a double helping of hemp making it entirely suitable for vegetarians and vegans. The lab results are readily available and back up the amounts stated on the label. It is certified as fully organic, and each 10ml bottle contains 200 hemp drops.

This is our number 1 choice for this list because there are very few oils that reach this level of quality. The inclusion of whole-plant extract means that it contains beneficial parts of the plant that are often discarded but add to the effect of the CBD. Biopurus has a long history and are experienced in producing their oils to rigorous European organic standards.

Biopurus 5% is available exclusively at for the Ageless.

2. BioBloom 4% Organic CBD Oil

This is a rich, 4% oil with dual organic certification from the UK and European Union. It is made to the highest standards from hand-harvested hemp. This is then cold-pressed and extracted to preserve a full-spectrum of cannabinoids, nutrients and active ingredients. This potent extract is then suspended in hemp seed oil which gives it a fragrant, nutty flavour.

The combination of natural hemp components like cannabinoids, flavonoids and terpenes work together to enhance the effect of the CBD, making this one of the most effective 4% oils available. Third-party lab results are easy to find and give a full cannabinoid profile and analysis of contaminants.

We included this excellent vegan oil, high up, on this list because of the quality, full-spectrum extract and incredible attention to detail. There are no other oils that we could find where the hemp farms had been so thoroughly inspected.

This 4% Oil is available at BioBloom.

3. Bud & Tender CBD Oil 500mg 

Nearly crystal clear this is an oil that contrasts with the top two entries. It has a broad-spectrum (THC free) of cannabinoids and terpenes, but other plant material has been carefully filtered out. The result is an oil with a mild floral taste and thinner consistency. While you don’t get the extra benefits that come with a whole-plant extract, you do get a more palatable flavour.

Bud & Tender make their 5% oil with CO2 extracted hemp and organic MCT oil making it suitable for vegans. It doesn’t have an organic certification, but it is made without pesticides, fertilisers or chemicals and the third-party lab tests verify that it is contaminant free.

This oil is included in this list because the high standards set by Bud & Tender have resulted in a truly impressive product. It also offers a welcome option if you prefer an oil with a lighter flavour and texture.

This 500mg oil is available at Bud & Tender.

4. Cibdol 5% CBD Oil

Made from supercritical CO2 extracted, terpene rich extract, this 5% oil from Cibdol has a mild flavour and stunning clarity. It is entirely vegan and made with olive oil to produce a rich tincture with no additives or chemicals. Cibdol has a reputation for purity and safety, which is reflected in the quality of the oil and in the procedures they follow.

While Cibdol doesn’t have an organic certification, we have included them in this list because of their FSSC22000 food safety standard certification. It assures consumers that their oils are contaminant free and at the best standard for consumption. Like Bud & Tender’s oils, they filter all of their products after the initial extraction to ensure purity and safety. Each batch of oil receives analysis by an independent lab to verify that the cannabinoid content matches that on the label.

This 5% oil is available at Cibdol.

5. Love CBD 1400mg Entourage Oil

With a full-spectrum of cannabinoids, this is a 20ml oil with 1400mg of CBD and CBDa. Love CBD has produced an oil that is rich in terpenes, the natural chemicals that give it a unique scent and additional benefits. It is delivered in a spray bottle which makes it extra easy to place the correct amount under your tongue without having to mess with droppers.

Love CBD oils don’t have an organic certification, but the hemp is grown to organic standards without the use of pesticides, herbicides artificial fertilisers or harmful chemicals. The lab certificates show an impressive range of cannabinoids and verify the amounts shown on the bottle, the blend of CBD and CBDa is about 1300mg CBD and approximately 100mg CBDa.

This completely vegan oil has made the list because it is of a high standard and was produced with the principles of a plant-based diet in mind. Not only is it free from animal products and cruelty, but efforts have been made for it to include the most natural nutrients available.

1400mg Entourage Oil is available at Love CBD.

6. Jacob Hooy 5% CBD Oil

This is a vegan oil readily available in Holland and Barrett stores and produced in Amsterdam by Jacob Hooy. It is made from the leaves and flowers of hemp plants which are carefully processed to produce a full-spectrum extract. This is then mixed with hemp oil and sunflower lecithin to produce the final product

Third-party lab certificates are delivered to Holland & Barratt by Jacob Hooy, but they aren’t made accessible to customers. Despite this, it is included in this list because it is made to a high standard and distributed by trusted brands. Holland and Barratt have decades of experience in selecting vegan products and bringing them to the high street.

Jacob Hooy 5% is available at Holland & Barrett.

Conclusion

While there are many CBD oils available, it isn’t always readily apparent if they are suitable for vegans and if they meet the required standards.

When you are choosing your oil, it is still essential to look carefully at the ingredients, certificates and lab results. If in some cases, one or more of these details is missing you can either contact the brand or dig deeper into their reputation, safety practices and relevant awards or standards.

This article is sponsored by For The Ageless and contains affiliate links to our trusted partners. 

Find more information about living a vegan lifestyle here.