What to know about importing CBD into Portugal?

Updated December 7, 2023

Written by

The information provided in our articles has undergone a thorough research process by a team of writers, editors, legal advisors, and medical experts to guarantee accuracy. Only reputable sources have been cited.

Furthermore, to ensure the most recent and relevant data, the content is consistently evaluated against current scientific literature and expert recommendations.

Portugal is one of the most lenient countries when it comes to penalizing someone caught with drugs. In fact, it decriminalized all drugs, including marijuana and cannabis. So instead, a person is just fined or sent to treatment for possessing small amounts of drugs.

The Portugal government took these steps due to the increasing rate of opioid overdose and HIV among drug users. Thus, they thought that it would be better if individuals could use legal drugs. It means that getting hold of recreational drugs is relatively easy in Portugal.

Is CBD oil legal in Portugal?

However, this does not essentially mean that CBD or CBD oil is legal in Portugal. It simply means that possession of it would not be regarded as a criminal act. Instead, a person can get off by paying a fine.

Overview of Portuguese CBD Regulations and Laws

Since Portugal is among the few countries to decriminalize all kinds of drugs, it would seem logical that CBD oil must be legal and readily available. However, that is not the case. Things are still much more complex.

Regretfully, Portugal tightened specific laws after 2018, when the EU categorized CBD as a novel food. Since then, only products authorized as a novel food by European Commission can be sold in Portugal. However, even worst, Portugal made it necessary to have a doctor’s prescription even for CBD oil.

It means that a person cannot buy CBD oil just like that. Instead, one should have specific health concerns and doctors’ prescriptions justifying the use of CBD oil. It also means that doctors would generally prescribe CBD oil in conditions like spasticity, nausea, appetite loss, chronic pain, epilepsy, and resistant glaucoma.

Thus, these laws have considerably limited the scope of the CBD oil business in the country. Moreover, it means that one cannot just sell it via online platforms or special shops. Thus, there is no significant role of online advertising, too. Instead, much depend on the doctors.

Criteria & Policies for Importing CBD into Portugal

Since 2018, it has been essential to have EU approval as a novel food for importing any CBD product into Portugal. However, that is not all. As it is only allowed to be prescribed by the doctors, it means that there is a more significant role for the health ministry in controlling its sales and imports into the nation.

Thus, anyone can only import the product by getting import permission from the National Authority for Medicines and Health Products (Infarmed).

It means that importing CBD into Portugal is complex. Exporter or producer of the product should get novel food approval from European Commission. Whereas, importer or buyer must obtain a certificate from Infarmed.

Regretfully, despite the countries, relaxed attitude towards most street drugs, starting a CBD business, on the contrary, is quite complicated.

Importing CBD into Portugal within the EU

Importing CBD into Portugal is not complex from the EU manufacturer’s point of view. Since selling CBD or CBD oil in any EU nation requires novel food approval, it means that many would already be having such an approval.

In theory, it means that one can just ship to Portugal with all the relevant documents. However, a greater issue could be finding the importer, a company that is ready to get an import certificate from Infarmed.

Once imported, there won’t be any custom duties on the product, and the product is ready to be commercialized.

Importing CBD into Portugal from other Countries

Whether the product is made in the EU or outside it, there are not many differences in the documents needed to import CBD. However, even manufacturers from outside the EU would still need novel food authorization from the European Commission.

However, there are some minor other differences. Like the certificate of non-EU nations may not be acceptable to Portugal authorities. It means that each batch would be analyzed and certified locally.

Needless to say, that importer would need permission from Infarmed before importing any CBD products.

Unlike EU CBD products, CBD oil from other nations will also be subject to local duties like customs and VAT.

Novel food approval would be only given to products with THC below 0.2%.

Importing CBD into Portugal to Sell

Importing CBD into Portugal maybe not be very difficult. However, selling it is pretty challenging. It is a bit strange that in Portugal, even recreational use of marijuana is legalized, and that would not need a doctor’s prescription. It means that recreational products, like oil with THC as high as 20%, are legal if used for recreational purposes.

But regretfully, if one needs to use CBD oil for health benefits, then THC cannot be above 0.2%. Even worst, it cannot be readily sold. There is a strict requirement for doctors’ prescriptions for every CBD product sold in the country. These regulations have severely limited the market of CBD products in the nation.

Moreover, if Infarmed regulates any products, it means that the health ministry would keep a close eye on the sale of the product. They would also ensure that CBD products are not abused. It is odd considering that marijuana resin with high THC can be used for recreational purposes. Still, low THC and highly safe CBD products sales are controlled through so many complex regulations.

Importing Hemp into Portugal

When it comes to hemp, things are relatively straightforward. Products made up of hemp seeds do not require novel food approval. Moreover, they are naturally free from THC or have it in traces. Thus, these products may be imported as food products. Nevertheless, one may have to provide evidence that the product is derived from hemp seed and not other parts of the hemp plant. Thus, a certificate of analysis and declaration may be needed.

Similarly, hemp seeds are allowed for import from other EU nations. However, only varieties are approved for cultivation in the EU. Therefore, importing seeds from outside the EU could be more complicated.

Hemp fiber is regarded as an industrial product, and thus no issues in importing it. Nevertheless, there might be higher duties on such products.

To conclude, the legal status of CBD in Portugal is complex. Although it has decriminalized the recreational use of marijuana, it strictly controls the sales of CBD oil and other CBD products used for health benefits.

Let us know if you have any additional questions about the Portuguese CBD market. We look forward to being your trusted supplier, just fill the contact form and we will take over the rest.

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What are Natural Cosmetics?

Updated January 15, 2024

Written by

Simon Šfiligoj

CBD Manufacturing

Furthermore, to ensure the most recent and relevant data, the content is consistently evaluated against current scientific literature and expert recommendations.

Beauty is an intuitive feeling that is not limited to humans. Even some animals and birds try to decorate themselves to look attractive. However, humans are much smarter, and they use a range of cosmetics. People used lemon, honey, milk, clay, mud, and even some metals to produce beauty products for ages.

However, things changed drastically with the advent of the industrial age, especially from the 20^th century onwards. It saw a boom in the cosmetics industry, too. Since natural products are often challenging to source and sometimes expensive, the industry increasingly started using synthetic chemicals.

Fortunately, there has been a resurgence of interest in natural beauty products in recent years. It is because people increasingly realize that synthetic chemicals may cause unforeseeable harm. Moreover, people realize the broader damage caused by the chemical industry to the environment.

Just take an example of plastic microbeads in facewash and other cosmetic products. They are minute, almost invisible to the human eye. Yet, millions of tons of these microbeads are released into the environment. Thus, using natural cosmetics is not just about preventing harm to health but also about protecting the environment and much more.

What are Natural Cosmetics?

So, many people are talking about natural cosmetics, and yet amazingly, there is no single definition of natural cosmetics. Even worse, there are many false explanations of natural cosmetics.

For example, some think that natural cosmetics are free from chemicals. That is partially true. Even natural compounds are chemicals. Nevertheless, the term chemical is more commonly used to define compounds made artificially. Moreover, natural cosmetics may still have added synthetic chemicals.

Further, it is wrong to believe that synthetic chemicals do not exist in nature and are human-made. It is again partially true. Humans produce synthetic chemicals, but they also exist in nature.

Additionally, it is wrong to believe that natural things are harmless. Natural compounds may also be toxic, cause allergies.

So, how can one define natural cosmetics? What are natural beauty products?

It would be correct to say that natural cosmetics are “products made from raw materials sourced from nature, like plants and natural minerals. These sources are renewable and do not harm the environment. They are often processed minimally and in a way that is safe for humans, animals, plants, and the earth. They are carefully selected natural extracts that are good for skin, body, and hair – they promote beauty. As a rule, they should not have added preservatives, petroleum products, and other harsh chemicals.”

Further, it would be correct to say that natural compounds are usually organic (though not necessarily, for example, minerals in clay). Organic compounds are pretty complex and difficult to imitate, explaining their unique benefits. Moreover, natural cosmetics may contain hundreds of compounds working in synergy. Often science has little idea about how these compounds work with each other.

How are natural cosmetics made?

Natural cosmetics may use extracts from plants, microorganisms, fungi, and even insects and animals. However, plant extracts are generally preferred, as they form the primary component in most natural cosmetics.

There are two ways of producing natural cosmetics, each having its pros and cons. The first and the more common way is to buy natural and organic extracts, fragrances, antioxidants and then mix them to create cosmetic products.

The second approach is using in-house extraction of natural compounds. Thus, one may buy natural raw materials in wholesale, like plants, flowers, and so on, and then use specific extracting machines to extract these compounds. For example, many would use supercritical CO2 extraction and ethanol to extract natural components.

As one can guess, the pros of the first method are that it is more straightforward.

One does not have to think about extracting natural compounds. Instead, one may simply buy natural cosmetics raw materials and use them. This is a simpler approach. In this approach, manufacturers can focus on creating cosmetics instead of spending time extracting compounds. However, it also means less control over the quality of natural extracts.

The second methods are more complex. Extracting natural compounds is both a science and art. It may mean a bigger initial investment and also requires massive in-house expertise. This can lead to less variety of products. But then it means greater control over the quality of raw materials. It also may help create unique products.

There is a third approach, too. It is the most straightforward, involving finding a white label or private label manufacturer and getting the products produced by a third party. In this case, there is little control over the manufacturing process, but the business can be started with minimal investments and efforts. Thus, finding white label organic cosmetics manufacturers could be an option for many.

Can cosmetic beauty products be natural?

It is pretty challenging to answer. However, it is worth understanding that not every natural product is natural. Most natural products are not 100% natural. Even the certification that the product is natural does not say much. Each certifying agency has its definition of natural product. For example, some certifying agencies may certify the product as natural if it has a content of natural compounds 80% or above. But that is still not a completely natural product, despite the certificate stating otherwise.

Additionally, it is vital to understand that many natural compounds are now widely and cheaply produced using synthetic methods. Just take an example of vitamins. These are natural compounds. But most supplements contain vitamins that are synthesized at an industrial scale. Thus, natural vitamins are rarely used in supplements or cosmetics.

Things are further made complicated by the use of preservatives. They prevent bacterial overgrowth in cosmetics, help stabilize natural compounds. In addition, they help prolong the shelf life of products. However, they are synthetic chemicals and are not essentially suitable for health.

How do you know if your beauty products are natural?

It is pretty challenging, even for experts. Generally, third-party certification is regarded as the most trusted way of knowing if the product is natural or not. However, as already stated, even third-party labs may have different definitions of natural products.

Moreover, it is worth knowing that most labs would certify a product as natural if its content of natural ingredients is above 95%. But, unfortunately, it means that they might contain as many as 5% non-natural substances.

Thus, it would still be essential to know more about the third-party lab and how they define natural products.

Further, one should pay particular attention to seemingly less relevant ingredients. One should pay special attention to the components like E200, or U202, and so on. Such numbers define colors, preservatives, antioxidants, thickeners, acidity regulators, flavor enhancers, antibiotics, glazing agents added to foods and cosmetics. Regretfully, these numbers do not say anything to a consumer or most people. These ingredients may be natural or synthetic. One can use online databases to learn more about these codes used to describe certain compounds.

Are natural cosmetics good for your skin?

It is one more controversial topic. Most people buy natural cosmetics believing that they are safer when compared to synthetic cosmetics. That may be true, but that is not always the case.

It is worth understanding that even natural extracts may be toxic. For example, they might contain heavy metals. In addition, larger organic molecules are more likely to cause allergic reactions than smaller synthetic molecules.

Nonetheless, the natural extract does have some distinct benefits. Many may not be tested by science, but they are well tested by traditions. Moreover, unlike synthetic compounds, natural extracts are less likely to cause unforeseeable side effects like causing worsening of the autoimmune condition.

However, more importantly, natural compounds are usually safer for humans and the environment. They are safer for animals, plants, oceans, and even the air. Thus, when discussing the safety of natural cosmetics, one needs to think in a broader context.

Thus, it is good to understand that natural compounds are generally safer. However, one should still keep in mind that side effects with natural cosmetics are possible.

What are the best natural beauty products?

There are many manufacturers of skincare and cosmetics that are natural. In addition, one may find natural skin care products, natural beauty products, and much more. Below are some of the well-known manufacturers of natural cosmetics.

It’s pure is a company that has herbal hair colors, hair and scalp treatment, hair conditioners, and a range of organic oils. All its products are known to be pure and natural.

Similarly, Odylique, a company in the UK, has a long history of producing natural cosmetics. Many of its products are made by hand. It has a complete range of natural cosmetics like moisturizers, skin care products, cleansers, and many more.

Sante is a natural cosmetics producer from Germany. It is also one of the companies with a complete range of cosmetics, from natural skincare to hair masks. They even have products for men. Their website also provides excellent information about various natural ingredients.

Logona is yet another company from Germany with high manufacturing standards. You name the product, and they have. Thus, they have everything for skincare, facials, body care, teeth, make-up, men, and much more.

Lavera is a company that is especially good at making natural skin care cosmetics. It also has products for babies and children, natural toothpaste, and much more.

To conclude, natural beauty products have some specific benefits. For example, they are generally safer not only for humans but also for the environment. However, finding high-quality natural beauty products could be a challenge. Thus, one would need to do some research to find out if any product is truly natural, organic & safe.

Did natural cosmetic products catch your interest? Our natural white-label skincare line infused with CBD is one click away. Inquiries for non-CBD formulations are welcome!