The late great Jamaican reggae superstar Bob Marley had an effortless natural beauty about him. His enviable head of sun-bleached dreads fell just so; his high-wattage smile gleamed; his taut, athletic frame appeared full of soul. It was the type of vibrancy you wish you could bottle—and on the eve of what would have been his 71st birthday, Marley’s family is attempting to do just that with a new hemp seed oil–based apothecary line that bears his name.
As part of Marley Natural, the new lifestyle brand created in collaboration with the singer’s estate, a collection of transformative body washes, lotions, soaps, and salves debuts tomorrow, telling an ingredient story that’s true to its Jamaican roots. Arriving in clean graphic bottles with crisp accents of Rastafari green, yellow, and red, they seem destined to elevate the conversation around the herb. Each product is spiked with seven botanicals and essential oils native to Jamaica—including lemongrass, turmeric, cerasse, and coconut oil—but it’s the hemp seed oil that stands out as the star ingredient. The derivative of Marley’s beloved cannabis has intensive hydrating qualities that will change the texture of your skin.
Whether you’re 420-friendly or not, it’s a pleasant discovery to learn that cold-pressed hemp seed oil contains the most essential fatty acids of any botanical, making it nature’s perfect moisturizer. The body lotion leaves a thick coat on limbs that defends against brutal winter winds without remaining sticky; the lemongrass-infused body wash not only provides a transportive morning pick-me-up, but also doubles as shampoo. If the light, botanical fragrance proves truly addictive, there’s also a stress-dissolving essential oil blend that combines nourishing marula, baobab, and cannabis sativa oils with bergamot, geranium, and chamomile to leave a lingering scent on the skin.
With their holistic hemp-centric focus, the products’ debut feels especially timely, what with the legalization of marijuana becoming a national debate; major initiatives having passed in Alaska, Washington, Colorado, and Oregon to legalize usage and growth; and vaping in public becoming increasingly common. Fittingly, the skincare range is launching in tandem with four strains of Marley Natural’s own cannabis, which is sun grown by local farmers in each state where it will be sold. While it will debut exclusively in California, that line is poised to expand its distribution throughout the US this year as legalization grows and—from a look at its smart packaging, careful cultivation, and powerful legacy—could someday be the Stumptown (or Starbucks) of smoking.
That seems all the more likely when one takes a peek at Marley Natural’s new chic, black walnut smoking accessories such as a spoon pipe, steamroller, and hand-blown glass bubbler. The set resembles a piece of mid-century furniture in a well-appointed home in Brooklyn—a distinct departure from the crafty stoner gear of yore. Will cannabis soon be everywhere, from your beauty counter to your living room mantel? We have high expectations.
Marley Natural body care and accessories will be available nationally online at MarleyNaturalShop.com beginning Saturday, February 6; Marley Natural Cannabis will launch in Los Angeles on February 6 and expand to other cities throughout California later this month, as well as Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Nevada later in 2016.
