No need to take a chill pill with these CBD oils for relaxing and boosting your mood (2023)

Best: Overall

Rating: 10/10

This brand has a wide range of products to choose from, and every single one tested exceptionally well. But this oil was consistently voted the winner for sleep, anxiety, depression, PTSD, arthritis and menopausal symptoms. The Amber 42 (available with and without a very low, legal limit of THC) was a great pick overall, vastly improving sleep quality, hot flashes and arthritis pain in a matter of days. And we also like that there are a variety of formulations to choose from that have been made to suit different needs.

Best: For anxiety

Rating: 10/10

This is a truly amazing CBD oil. We had a miriad of testers trial this oil and each found that the gentle, patchouli-like flavour dramatically reduced stress, anxiety and migraines in a wonderfully uplifting way. More specifically, one tester, who suffers from dementia after an ischemic stroke, even found that a large dose of the 2,000mg oil helped them to stand up, walk across the room and have a semi-lucid conversation within 10 minutes of taking it. While we can’t claim that everyone who uses this oil will get the same results, our range of testers really reaped the benefits.

Best: For sleep

Rating: 9/10

We tested a number of CBD oils that were great for sleep, but testers came back time and again reporting that this one “knocked them out” – not only helping them fall asleep faster, but stay asleep too. Even one tester with PTSD-induced sleep disturbances found this to be effective. The lovely, delicate earthy mint flavour makes it a pleasure to take too. It loses a point for price, because it’s undoubtedly an expensive option but it does work very well.

Best: For budget

Rating: 9/10

Although this oil is low in price it is incredibly high in quality. As a whole plant oil, you’re getting cannabis as nature intended (but with naturally legal limits of THC, which won’t get you high). It is slightly harsh to take, but this is usually the way with this type of top-level oil and it’s definitely worth it – our testers found it was great for a wide range of needs, from anxiety to sleep. Furthermore, by purchasing this oil you’re directly supporting the founder’s daughter’s life-saving medical cannabis prescription.

Best: For stress

Rating: 9/10

This raw, full spectrum CBD oil is a great example of a CBD product that enables you to take advantage of the entourage effect – all parts of the hemp plant working together in synergy to deliver the very best therapeutic benefit. It’s organic and contains CBDa, which is the molecule shown in recent studies to potentially prevent the transmission of Covid.

This isn’t a fluffy wellbeing product though – it’s quite strong in flavour and harsh to take, but the results are worth it. Our testers found this oil to be particularly effective for combatting stress, both acute and chronic. A couple of testers found this oil was so good it actually managed to stop a panic attack in its tracks.

Unfortunately this CBD oil is out of stock at the moment, but you can sign up for the brand’s newsletter or follow its social media channels for any updates. And, its 5 per cent CBD oil is still available (£36, Cbdiablo.co.uk) if you prefer to give that one a go instead.

Best: For arthritis

Rating: 9/10

This is a CBD oil you can use with absolute confidence, thanks to the incredibly thorough lab reports it has made available. All CBD products must have been third party tested, but usually, go for the very basic cannabinoid content – some only check for CBD and THC. This brand on the other hand has tested for a wide range of cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids, as well as heavy metals and mycotoxins. It’s made the reports available for all customers to see, which can help you make a more informed decision. The reports show this has a nice level of CBG, as well as CBD, which might be why our testers found this to be so great for reducing the pain and inflammation of arthritis, which improved the longer they used it.

Best: For long covid

Rating: 9/10

A fantastic oil made by a company with a cause. This brand really understands the hemp plant and spearheads campaigns to promote sustainable, authentic, ethical production of both hemp and CBD products in the UK. And it shows.

As an organic, cold-pressed, raw oil, this is another product that showcases the brilliance of the whole plant, with a wide range of cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids present. Our testers found this to be very effective for promoting better sleep, feeling less anxious and depressed and for managing the symptoms of long covid.

Best: For energy

Rating: 9/10

Did you know that CBD oil can help promote higher energy levels, as well as relax you? One study in fact dubbed it a “wake-promoting agent”, making it potentially very useful for people who are after a pick-me-up. This sweet, citrusy blend looks, feels and tastes like a luxury option. But it has also been chosen by the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society as a product it suggests prescribing doctors should recommend as an over the counter alternative to a cannabis (or cannabinoid) prescription. Our testers found the oil helped them wake up and stay focused throughout the day, with one even finding they could forgo their morning coffee after using the oil capsules.

Best: For PTSD

Rating: 9/10

Our testers with PTSD felt as though this oil “stopped the cascade in its tracks and provided much-needed respite from symptoms”. While a few others on this list also had this effect, the Amma Life boost oil did so in a way that was described as extremely comforting and warm. It may seem unusual to speak about a supplement that can be so different in this quite emotional way, but the effects of this high level of CBD product can be very nuanced, as our testers noticed throughout.

Best: For menstruation

Rating: 10/10

Cramps, depression, mood swings, breakouts… periods can come with all sorts of unpleasantness. But CBD oil can help keep your hormones on a more even keel. When taken throughout the month (not just during menstruation, it’s key to have CBD accumulated in your system before you start your period) Potyque reduced all nasty symptoms. Two testers, who usually get very bad PMT and pains, found that after taking the oil for a month they were barely noticeable.

Best: For wellbeing

Rating: 9/10

Wellbeing scores for all testers dramatically improved with daily use of this oil, with all noting that they felt far happier in general, less easily stressed and wer able to handle stress better when it did occur. As with all CBD oils, the benefits became more and more noticeable the longer the oil was used. The only downside to this oil is the flavour, as it is a very strong hemp taste. But that’s the price you pay for a great whole plant product.

Best: For menopause

Rating: 9/10

For a change, this CBD product uses olive oil as a carrier oil, rather than the usual hemp or MCT. As for the benefits, they were found to be widespread by our testers. One found this actually relieved some mild symptoms of Omicron, another felt it was very helpful for stress and PTSD, while a number of others reported that it helped tremendously with challenging menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, mood disturbances and brain fog. Perhaps welcome news for many now that there’s an HRT shortage in the UK.

Best: For taste

Rating: 8/10

As well as being a very decent CBD oil, which tested well for general stress and wellbeing, this one also has the most incredible chocolate-hazelnut flavour. If you fancy a novel way of using your CBD, it makes a delicious addition to hot chocolate (although, it’s not water soluble so it doesn’t mix in!). As an extra perk, our testers found they craved sugary treats much less when taking this oil, as their sweet tooth felt satisfied after taking their dose, despite being sugar free and naturally flavoured.

Best: For mood

Rating: 10/10

This brand famously created the first medical CBD oil for a young girl, Charlotte Figi, whose plight famously brought the life-saving benefits of cannabis to the world. Today, it supplies a range of over the counter products which are, as you might imagine, very, very good. Our testers found this one was amazing for anxiety, depression and focus, and noticed that with ongoing use, their mood was vastly improved.

Best: For feeling calm

Rating: 9/10

This high strength whole plant oil has been blended with apricot kernel, turmeric, black pepper, lemon, lime, and strawberry seed oils. And these extra ingredients not only make for a very pleasant taste, but also offer enhanced bioavailability (the amount that actually gets to work in your body) and additional antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Our testers found that after using this oil they felt calmer within 10 minutes, even when they had been feeling very upset or worked up beforehand.