Recreational cannabis users have long admired marijuana for its psychoactive effects and health benefits, but certain industries are now starting to realize the beauty in the bud for themselves. 

The beauty industry in America is valued at $50 billion, and with the cannabis industry quickly rising in valuation too, entrepreneurs are looking to combine these huge markets in innovative ways. But don’t worry—you won’t get high off of your skin cream. Hemp, which does not contain the psychoactive components of the drug, is the predominant cannabis-related component in beauty products. More and more hemp-based products are hitting the market, from lotions to lip balms to even weedicures. How can we account for this budding industry?

As of 2014, 13 states allowed for the farming of hemp for research purposes. That number is expected to increase in the coming years, so we can assume that hemp will soon be used as a versatile crop. If the booming cannabis industry tells us one thing, it’s that once an illicit substance begins to be accepted and normalized, sales skyrocket. With these two points considered, it’s in the interest of businesses to begin using hemp in their various products—and soon, in order to get a jump on the boom. While large companies such as Body Shop already use hemp and hemp seed oil cultivated in England (and have for years), the legalization of the crop in America will likely expand this market even further.

Along with Body Shop, companies like Hempz and Apothecanna that specialize in hemp-based products are also holding down a spot on the drugstore shelf. When more hemp-related studies are released and mass media outlets pick them up, there will be a huge jump in interest in products containing these components because of their health and beauty benefits. By having these products already on shelves waiting for public interest to grow, these companies are demonstrating their proactive business savvy.

While hemp has been used in cosmetics for quite some time now, we are even seeing the physical herb itself being used in cosmetics procedures. More specifically, in manicures (aka weedicures). Applying the dried herb to your nails is a new extreme and suggests that marijuana may be adapted in even more unique ways moving forward.

With the rising interest in legalizing hemp crops at government levels, it’s likely that hemp will be aggressively marketed for its many uses, with the cosmetics market being a huge opportunity. The products are already on the market, helping transition to more marijuana-based cosmetics and cosmetic practices. From topical lotions and weedicures, to THC-infused lip balms and tinctures, who knows there this industry will go next.