Honest Pharmstrong Review: Pros & Cons (September 2021)

By | last updated February 1, 2023

Evidence Based 3

I thoroughly review CBD products and may earn a commission if you shop through the links on this page. Learn more.

Pharmstrong is a Colorado-based CBD brand selling CBD oil, capsules, gummies, and topicals. Unfortunately, the company doesn’t reveal many details about its hemp source and overall production process. It’s also missing some consistency in its third-party test results.

Bottom line: Pharmstrong needs to do more to stand out from other CBD companies.

Pros

  • Some USDA-certified organic products
  • THC-free and some full-spectrum products
  • Discounts on multi-product kits
  • Good customer reviews
  • Comprehensive third-party testing
  • Runs a CBD store

Cons

  • Limited product variety
  • Latest third-party test results not posted
  • Some products contain the wrong type of CBD
  • Lacking details about production process

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Products 3.5/5
Pharmstrong’s product lineup has many categories but lacks product variety within each. In particular, I want to see more potencies and full-spectrum product options.
Price & Value 3/5
Most of the products are averagely priced.
Hemp Quality 3.5/5
The company doesn’t state where its hemp is grown. But the hemp is certified organic by the USDA, which is a good sign.
Third-Party Testing 3.5/5
Pharmstrong provides full third-party test reports but the latest results haven’t been uploaded to the website yet. Also, some tests show CBD isolate instead of broad-spectrum CBD as claimed.
Customer Service & Reputation 4/5
The positive customer reviews and a 100% satisfaction guarantee get Pharmstrong good scores here. I also like the CEO’s backstory but the brand lacks an established reputation.

Pharmstrong Overview

Pharmstrong is a CBD company based in Breckenridge, Colorado. It was founded in 2018 by Melissa Dugan to make high-quality CBD products for herself, her family, and customers.

Pharmstrong’s product lineup includes THC-free and full-spectrum CBD oral drops, gummies, capsules topicals, and pet products.

Where Pharmstrong sets itself apart from other CBD companies is its exclusive CBD Kits. These kits include multiple CBD products paired together for specific purposes, like joint or sleep support.

Pharmstrong also operates a flagship storefront on Main Street in Breckenridge, Colorado. As the only CBD Sample Bar in Colorado, people and pets alike are invited to visit and sample a variety of their CBD products.

Unfortunately, the company doesn’t provide much detail about its production process, like where the hemp is grown or which extraction process is used.

CBD Terminology

  • Hemp: cannabis variety with high CBD and low THC levels (no more than 0.3%).
  • Terpenes: aromatic plant compounds with a wide variety of beneficial properties (1).
  • Minor cannabinoids: CBN, CBG, CBC, and other beneficial cannabinoids found in smaller amounts in hemp. They may work in synergy with CBD.
  • Full-spectrum: whole-plant hemp extract containing multiple cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. This form of CBD may be about 4 times more potent than pure CBD (2).
  • Broad-spectrum: whole-plant hemp extract similar to full-spectrum CBD, but with THC removed (may contain trace amounts).
  • CBD isolate: pure CBD with all other hemp compounds removed.

Pharmstrong Product Lineup

Pharmstrong sells a wide range of product types that includes CBD oil, topicals, capsules, gummies, and pet products. Their products come in a variety of flavors, and some include other active ingredients like melatonin and curcumin.

Most products are free of THC. All of the tinctures are USDA-certified organic, while the rest of their products are not because they may contain non-certified ingredients.

CBD Oil

Pharmstrong sells two kinds of CBD oil: pure CBD and full-spectrum. They’re available in multiple sizes and flavors.

Natural CBD Oral Drops

pharmstrong cbd oil drops

4.5/5

CBD Potency15-45 mg/ml
Volume30 ml
Total CBD450–1350 mg
Cost per mg CBD$0.10–0.13
TypeIsolate
FlavorsOrange, Mint
Third-Party TestView report

The CBD Oral Drops from Pharmstrong provide 450-1350 mg of pure CBD in a 30 ml bottle. They’re certified organic by USDA and flavored with orange or mint. With servings that range from 15 to 45 mg CBD, these tinctures are suitable for people with a variety of dosage preferences.

Full-Spectrum CBD Oral Drops

pharmstrong full spectrum cbd drops

3/5

CBD Potency15-45 mg/ml
Volume30 ml
Total CBD900–1350 mg
Cost per mg CBD$0.10–0.11
TypeFull-spectrum
FlavorsLime
Third-Party TestNot provided

This is a full-spectrum version of the company’s regular CBD oil. It’s flavored with lime and comes in 900 mg (30 mg/ml) and 1350 mg (45 mg/ml) strengths.

However, I weren’t able to find a posted third-party test result for this tincture, which is why I gave it a lower score. It’s also odd that the company claims to only offer THC-free products yet sells a full-spectrum oil.

CBD Topicals

Pharmstrong carries two kinds of topical products: balms and a roller.

CBD Body Balm

pharmstrong cbd balm

3.5/5

CBD Potency17-35 mg/g
Volume1-2 oz
Total CBD500–1000 mg
Cost per mg CBD$0.09–0.12
TypeIsolate
Third-Party TestView report

The CBD Body Balm by Pharmstrong comes in one and two-ounce sizes, providing 500 mg (1 oz) or 1000 mg (2 oz) of CBD, and contains zero THC.

This balm is USDA-certified organic and infused with lavender and eucalyptus.

Pharmstrong claims this balm contains broad-spectrum hemp extract. However, their third-party test results only show CBD and a small amount of the cannabinoid CBDV. This looks more like CBD isolate than a proper broad-spectrum extract.

CBD HD2000 Hemp Roller

pharmstrong cbd hemp gel roller

4.5/5

CBD Potency22 mg/ml
Volume90 ml
Total CBD2000 mg
Cost per mg CBD$0.05
TypeBroad-spectrum
FormulaPain relief
Third-Party TestView report

The HD2000 Hemp Roller from Pharmstrong is a CBD gel roller with 2000 mg of broad-spectrum CBD, infused with menthol to provide additional pain relief.

The price per mg of CBD for this is one of the most affordable from Pharmstrong, and the gel roller applicator makes it easy to apply. The portable design makes it perfect for keeping it with you on the go, especially at the gym.

CBD Gummies

pharmstrong cbd gummies

4.5/5

CBD Potency25 mg
Gummy Count12
Total CBD300 mg
Cost per mg CBD$0.10
TypeFull-spectrum
FlavorsMixed
Third-Party TestView report

The gummies from Pharmstrong use a full-spectrum hemp extract blend and vegan ingredients. Each gummy contains 25 mg of full-spectrum CBD with 12 per pack in a variety of fruit flavors.

Proper full-spectrum gummies are hard to find, so this product deserves a good score.

CBD Soft Gels

pharmstrong cbd softgels

4/5

CBD Potency25 mg
Soft Gel Count30
Total CBD750 mg
Cost per mg CBD$0.11–0.12
TypeIsolate
FormulasNatural, Curcumin, Melatonin
Third-Party TestView report

Pharmstrong carries CBD capsules in three different formulas, but with the same amount of CBD in each.

All three options have 750 mg total CBD in each bottle, with 25 mg of CBD per soft gel.  

There’s a natural formula for all-around health and wellness, one with curcumin for joint health, and another with melatonin to help with sleep. The capsules with added ingredients cost a little more per mg of CBD.

CBD Pet Products

Pharmstrong also has a line of CBD pet products for your fur family.

CBD Dog Chews

pharmstrong cbd dog chews

3.5/5

CBD Potency2 mg
Chews Count30
Total CBD60 mg
Cost per mg CBD$0.54
TypeIsolate
FlavorBacon Beef
Third-Party TestView report

The CBD Dog Chews from Pharmstrong are veterinarian-formulated and come with bacon beef flavor. Each chew contains 2 mg of CBD, with 30 per bottle.

Although the company claims they’re made with broad-spectrum hemp, the third-party tests only show CBD. This means the product is made with pure CBD isolate.

CBD Oral Drops for Pets

pharmstrong cbd pet drops

3/5

CBD Potency16.7 mg/ml
Volume30 ml
Total CBD500 mg
Cost per mg CBD$0.12
TypeBroad-spectrum?
FlavorsNatural
Third-Party TestNot provided

The CBD Oral Drops for Pets from Pharmstrong provide 16.67mg of CBD per serving. Every bottle comes with 500 mg of CBD in total. As before, Pharmstrong claims to use broad-spectrum hemp extract. However, there are no third-party tests provided to prove this, so I lowered the score.

Price

The easiest way to compare the value of CBD products is to divide the total cost by the amount of CBD. For example, if you have a 1000 mg CBD oil that costs $100, its price per milligram (mg) of CBD would be 100/1000 = $0.10.

The price per mg of CBD is going to vary between products because of different manufacturing costs.

When comparing what Pharmstrong is charging to the CBD market, most of their products are in the average price range:

  • $0.10–0.13 per mg for CBD oral drops
  • $0.05–0.12 for topicals
  • $0.10 for gummies
  • $0.11–0.12 for capsules
  • $0.12-0.54 for pet products

Almost every category of CBD products from Pharmstrong is fairly priced. Their CBD Oral Drops are at the expensive end of the average scale, but that’s because they use USDA-certified organic ingredients.

The best bang for your buck, if you’re just looking at price per mg of CBD, is the Hemp Roller. It came in at $0.05 per mg of CBD, where most topicals are at least $0.14.

Pharmstrong also has several discount opportunities available. There’s a monthly auto-delivery option that comes with a 30% discount. Lastly, they have CBD Kits that bundle some of their products together at a discount.

Ultimately, Pharmstrong’s prices are reasonable, although you can certainly find cheaper options elsewhere.

Hemp Source and Extraction Process

The weakest point of Pharmstrong is its production process. The company provides generic information without any solid details. I don’t know where its hemp is grown and which extraction process is used.

It looks like Pharmstrong doesn’t actually grow the hemp and make its own products. The company’s third-party tests include a page for “Quality Assurance” which looks like it’s prepared by another CBD manufacturer.

In other words, Pharmstrong buys finished CBD products from another company and puts its label on them (what’s known as white or private labeling).

While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I prefer CBD companies that are transparent about their production process.

Third-Party Testing

Pharmstrong provides third-party lab test results on its website. Most of them are done by reputable testing laboratories, such as Pixis Labs and Botanacor.

The products are tested for both potency and purity, verifying that they provide as much CBD as labeled and are free of contaminants. I examined the test results below.

Third-Party Test Results

I always look at third-party lab test results to confirm that CBD companies sell safe, accurate, and effective products. Specifically, I check for:

  • The levels of CBD, which should be within 10% of the label (3)
  • The levels of minor cannabinoids like CBG and CBC
  • The levels of THC
  • Whether the CBD type (full, broad-spectrum, or isolate) is accurate
  • Whether there are any contaminants

I found a test of Pharmstrong’s 1350 mg CBD oil showing 1610 mg, which is almost 20% higher. Nonetheless, most of the company’s products contain as much CBD as advertised (within 10% of the label).

The biggest problem is that some Pharmstrong products are advertised to be broad-spectrum but actually appear to contain pure CBD isolate. For example, the above results for the capsules only show CBD and a small amount of CBDV (which is often left behind with CBD isolate).

Also, most of the posted test CoAs are older than a year. But the company did explain that the latest test results haven’t been uploaded to the site yet, and the actual product QR codes link to up-to-date results.

Shipping & Returns

Pharmstrong ships throughout all cities and states in the U.S., with free shipping on orders over $75.

It also has a 100% satisfaction guarantee, which promises to refund your entire purchase within 30 days of purchase if you are not satisfied.

Customer Service & Reputation

Pharmstrong doesn’t have a strong reputation and isn’t a well-known brand. Having said that, the customer reviews on its website are positive.

With the 169 reviews it’s received on TrustSpot, Pharmstrong has an average 4.8-star rating.

Our Verdict: A Generic CBD Company

Pharmstrong is a decent brand but it doesn’t offer much to make itself stand out.

I do like the USDA-organic products and the CBD kits, which can help you supplement specific areas of your lifestyle and reduce the product cost.

While the product variety is good, there should be more strength options and product types, such as more capsule and gummy strengths, and more full-spectrum products. I also want to see more info on the company’s hemp source and extraction process.

Additionally, Pharmstrong needs to do a better job of labeling its products. Many are advertised to contain broad-spectrum hemp extract but only show CBD and maybe CBDV on third-party tests, which looks more like CBD isolate.

All in all, Pharmstrong has room to improve. If you’re looking for high-quality CBD, I’d recommend brands like Lazarus Naturals instead.

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

2 thoughts on “Honest Pharmstrong Review: Pros & Cons (September 2021)”

  1. Thank you, Gleb. We are taking your comments very seriously, and we appreciate your deep dive into Pharmstrong. We’ve had a lot of growing pains in the last year, and yes, we have not updated our online COAs. However, our products come with a specific batch number, expiration date, and a QR code linking to that product’s most updated COA. We have found this to be an easier way for customers to track their product’s ingredients.

    When you reviewed our new and improved CBD Gel Roller, the actual CBD content is 2000 mg, but since you could only reference an old COA of a less potent version of the Roller, it appeared to have less CBD. Thanks for showing us the importance of needing updated, online COAs for everyone’s reference! We are working on updating and correcting these errors.

    Finally, because of our retail store in Breckenridge, we have the privilege of meeting thousands of customers every year. Since starting Pharmstrong in 2018, we’ve improved many of our products based on customer feedback. We are committed to providing the highest quality hemp products for our customers. There are more popular CBD brands, but not many carry USDA Certified Organic products. Our customers can rest assured knowing that they are getting the highest quality organic hemp products on the market, certified by the USDA.

    Thanks again for helping us see where we need to improve. We value your experience and input! We will be sure to contact you when we’ve made our updates.

    Melissa, Ty, and the Pharmstrong Team

    Reply

Leave a Comment