CBD oil, or cannabidiol, is one of several hundred active compounds in cannabis; unlike THC, it has no psychoactive effects (so no giggling and "this is great stuff, man"), but it does seem to promote good health when it’s absorbed through the skin or swallowed in tiny doses.*

I recently had a full-body massage with a CBD-infused oil and it changed the way I care for my muscles, joints, and other pains. It felt like normal deep-tissue massage, but I was loose and limber for a full 24 hours afterward, which never happens. (Normally I start tensing up again within an hour of any massage sans cannabis.) I took home a tub of CBD cream to try to keep the good vibes going, and these are five of my favorite rituals for using it topically: