It’s no secret that the CBD industry is inundated with options, from the types of products available on the market to who is supplying them. This means that there can be just as many considerations as to what product you may actually want to take the plunge and purchase. 

One thing is for sure: if you’ve landed here, you’re likely looking for something of good value. You want the best of the best in quality without breaking the bank: an impactful product with a price that’s less impactful on your wallet. 

Because hemp-derived CBD has relatively little oversight compared with its more-regulated marijuana counterpart, it’s largely up to the customer to educate themself. The guide below gives you tips not on what to buy but rather how to get the information you need to decide for yourself. And we encourage you to use this guide to apply this same research to investigating Bluebird’s own products.

Thankfully, sorting through the slew of CBD products is actually relatively easy, once you’ve got the expert eye to read labels and evaluate company claims. Here are key points to remember when looking for the best value CBD product.

Value CBD: What to Look For

1. Third-party lab tests.

Not all CBD products are created equal - even if they may be making identical claims. 

That’s why it’s so important to look for not only quality control and batch-testing reports on a given CBD product but also to verify that they are conducted by a third-party lab to ensure a lack of bias and transparency in the results.

What should labs be testing for?

To ensure your product is both delivering the amount of CBD advertised, as well as is free from contaminants, you should be looking for reports on both the potency or amount of CBD in your product, as well as contaminant reports. 

• POTENCY reports ensure that the amount of CBD found in your specific product batch matches the claims the company is making.
• PESTICIDES, MICROBIOLOGY, RESIDUAL SOLVENTS, HEAVY METALS, and MYCOTOXINS are categories you should see testing for, but should not see the presence of in your batch reports.
• TERPENES are another cannabis component often included in CBD product testing; you can read more about what they do in our blog, but they’re good for in a “breath of fresh air in the woods” sort of way.

In order to confirm the batch reports themselves are quality, you’ll want to also confirm the lab doing the testing is accredited. One of the easiest ways to do this is to check if the lab is accredited with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).  

While all that in-depth testing review may seem like a strange primer for finding the best value CBD product, it’s really important - and is ultimately the best way to determine whether the product you want to get is worth paying for at any price point.

2. Carefully selected or no-frills ingredients.

Another way to ensure the products you’re getting a great value CBD product? Make sure it is intended to do exactly what you need it to - and nothing more. Think about it: the more premium ingredients included in a CBD product, the more likely the product will also be carrying a premium price tag.

Ingredients should be easy to find (if they aren’t, that’s a big uh-oh), recognizable, and relatively easy to pronounce. If you have other supplements included in your current wellness routine that you think could be combined with a multi-purpose CBD product, like our Dynamic Immune CBD Soft Gels, that can be a way to consolidate your supplement spending. But, for the most part, keeping your chosen CBD product simple is the best bet to scoring a high-quality product at a value price.

3. Concentration Per Serving.

When shopping for CBD, this is one of the most important considerations in determining how to make your dollars go further. When determining the true cost of a CBD product, cost per milligram the go-to way for determining your total spend.

Like it sounds, it’s relatively simple - but some CBD providers marketing materials or label design may make it seem like a hidden treasure. Here’s what you’re looking for:

• Total cost per bottle
• Number of servings per bottle

Then, just divide the total cost of the bottle by the number of servings it contains and voila! That is your cost per serving. The price per serving is generally the best way to know how much you’re actually paying for your CBD.

4. Sales and Promotions.

Sounds like a no-brainer, right? But taking advantage of sales and promotions can actually be a huge help in getting you high-quality CBD for a super-affordable price. Depending on your CBD usage patterns and needs, you have the power to stock up on CBD at sale prices that can go a long way in your wellness routine as long as you’re also being cognizant of the expiration date of your product. Most Bluebird Botanicals products, for instance, have a shelf life of 500 days when stored properly.

Following social accounts subscribing to your chosen CBD providers email list can be the easiest way to stay in the loop about current promotions, and ensure you’re getting the best price for your product - but even happening by their website from time to time may provide some surprise savings!