Purekana Review: Cutting Through the Hype (Jan. 2023)

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Purekana is a CBD brand based in Arizona. Aside from making standard CBD oils, gummies, topicals, and capsules, it also sells delta-8 THC and other hemp-derived intoxicating products. I tested its CBD sleep gummies, HHC gummies, and delta-8 THC vape pen for several weeks.

Summary

Purekana is lacking in transparency and has many negative customer reviews and complaints. And while the intoxicating products I tested were potent, the standard CBD offerings weren’t that impressive.

Purekana Overview

A popular CBD brand, Purekana was founded in 2017 in Scottsdale, Arizona by entrepreneurs Cody Alt and Jeff Yauck. Alt was inspired to launch the company after using CBD to help his sleep apnea. 

The company sells a wide variety of hemp cannabinoid products, including standard CBD offerings like tinctures and gummies as well as intoxicating options including HHC, delta-8, and delta-9 THC.

Its products are sourced from hemp cultivated in Kentucky and Colorado and come with up-to-date third-party lab test reports. Purekana is also one of the few American CBD brands that sell CBD products in the United Kingdom.

Purekana Product Lineup

Purekana has an impressive range of products, including full-spectrum CBD oils and capsules, broad-spectrum and CBD isolate gummies, topicals, pet products, as well as intoxicating HHC, delta-8, delta-9, and THC-O gummies and vapes.

For my review, I tried out the CBD sleep gummies, HHC gummies, and delta-8 THC vape pen. 

CBD Oils

Purekana’s full-spectrum CBD oils come in many strengths and flavors (natural, mint, vanilla, citrus, and fruity). There are also two special versions; one with melatonin and a blend of calming terpenes for sleep, and an immunity tincture with added immune-boosting herbs.

I like the variety of strengths and formulas to suit everyone’s needs. Also, the third-party tests show close to 10% minor cannabinoids, which is a solid result. My only criticism is that the regular full-spectrum tinctures don’t show terpenes on tests.

CBD Capsules

Purekana’s full-spectrum CBD capsules come in the same three formulas as the CBD oils:

• Standard 40 mg CBD capsules
• 25 mg capsules with added melatonin and sleep terpenes
• 10 mg immunity capsules with zinc, vitamin C & D (vegan)

CBD Gummies

Purekana’s vegan gummies come in five tasty varieties:

• Regular 25 mg CBD isolate gummies in assorted fruit flavors
• Berry-flavored sleep gummies with 25 mg CBD, 5 mg CBN, and melatonin
• Grape-flavored calm gummies with 25 mg CBD and passionflower
• Broad-spectrum 25 mg gummies in three flavors
• Orange-flavored 25 mg broad-spectrum immunity gummies with zinc and elderberry

My experience: I tried out the sleep gummies, taking two gummies before bed. I didn’t feel much of an effect. I tried 3 gummies the next time and felt a little more sleepy around bedtime but it wasn’t super noticeable. The taste is nice but it could use less sugar.

CBD Topicals

Purekana offers a variety of topicals focused on physical discomfort relief: 

• Pain relief ointment with topical pain relievers menthol and capsaicin in 2 strengths (600 mg CBD/120 mg CBG and 2000 mg/400 mg)
• Roll-on pain relief gel with the same formula and strengths
• Muscle rub with 400 mg CBD and menthol for on-the-go use
• 300 mg CBD cream with menthol in a travel-friendly size

I like the variety but I’m surprised to not see a dedicated skincare cream. 

CBD Bath Bombs

Purekana’s bath bombs are sold in single-bomb packages and come in five scents: activated charcoal, almond & coconut, cucumber, eucalyptus, and midnight roses. Third-party tests also show terpenes, which is great to see. 

Still, you should be aware that bath bombs are not the best way to enjoy the benefits of CBD because it’s not water-soluble. You’ll still benefit from the other ingredients, however.

CBD Transdermal Patches

CBD patches are a relatively rare product. Purekana claims that these patches are transdermal and release CBD for up to 4 days, which means the CBD will absorb into your blood vessels through the skin. 

You can choose from regular patches with 60 mg CBD or sleep patches with 25 mg and 8 mg of melatonin, magnesium, chamomile, and lavender to help you wind down before bed.

CBD Pet Products

CBD Oil for Pets

Designed for pets, this CBD oil is flavored with bacon and available in two pet-friendly strengths. I’d prefer to see a third strength option for larger dog breeds. Also, the tests only show CBD and no other cannabinoids, which looks more like an isolate formula.

CBD Treats for Dogs

Purekana’s dog chews come in two strengths:

• 2 mg CBD per treat for small dogs
• 5 mg per treat for large dogs

Both treats are sold in three flavors: peanut butter & pumpkin, blueberry & chicken, and steak & sweet potato. 

Delta-8 Products

Delta-8 THC is a legal, hemp-derived form of THC that’s less intoxicating than regular (delta-9) THC.

Delta-8 Gummies 

These vegan delta-9 gummies come in strawberry, watermelon, and sour apple flavors. 

Delta-8 Vape Pen

This disposable delta-8 THC vape pen carries about 840 mg of delta-8, making it quite potent. You can pick from 3 cannabis-inspired flavors: berry gelato, blue dream, and watermelon zkittles. 

My experience: I tried out the berry gelato pen, which had a pleasant flavor. I felt the effects right away, feeling a little intoxicated with relaxation and a bit of euphoria and dry mouth. Later on, I felt more sleepy and relaxed with munchies.

Delta-8 Vape Cartridge

This is the cartridge form of the delta-8 vape pen. You get the same three flavors and roughly ~84% delta-8 THC, according to the test results. The cart is compatible with all 510-thread batteries and vape pens.

Delta-9 Gummies

These legal hemp-derived delta-9 THC gummies are made with vegan ingredients and come in two flavors: mango pineapple strawberry and blackberry. 

HHC Products

Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) is a psychoactive cannabinoid made by hydrogenating hemp-derived THC. It has similar but weaker effects than regular THC.

HHC Gummies 

These intoxicating vegan gummies are available in strawberry, watermelon, and mango flavors. 

My experience: I took one gummy with peanut butter before bed. About 30 minutes later I started feeling the classic intoxicating effects: dry mouth, sleepiness, and elevated mood. I quickly fell asleep and dreamed less.

HHC Vape Pens

Purekana’s disposable HHC vape pens contain roughly 900 mg of HHC (in its two forms, 9S and 9R). You can choose from berry gelato, blue dream, and watermelon zkittles flavors. 

You can also buy a dual-sided double pen that has twice the HHC. One side is recommended for daytime use, while the other is for nighttime. 

HHC Vape Cartridge

These 510-thread carts contain roughly 900 mg (~90%) HHC and come in berry gelato, blue dream, and watermelon zkittles flavors. 

THC-O Products

THC-O, also known as THC-O-acetate, is another hemp-derived, manmade version of THC. The addition of acetate makes THC-O significantly stronger in effects than regular THC. I don’t recommend using THC-O products because early studies suggest potential safety issues.

THC-O Gummies

Like all Purekana gummies, these are made with vegan ingredients. They come in blueberry lemonade, grape, and strawberry flavors.

THC-O Vape Pens

These disposable THC-O vape pens carry about 900 mg of THC-O and come in berry gelato, super sour diesel, and watermelon zkittles flavors. There’s also a double-sided THC-O vape with 1800 mg for daytime and nighttime use.

THC-O Vape Cartridge

Purekana’s THC-O vape carts carry about 850 mg of THC-O. The flavor options are berry gelato, blue dream, and watermelon zkittles.

Price & Value

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 1500 mg CBD oil that costs $100, its price per milligram (mg) of CBD would be 100/1500 = 7 cents. The prices also vary depending on the type of product.

Here’s a look at Purekana’s pricing per mg of CBD and other cannabinoids:

• CBD oil: 5-7 cents per mg of CBD
• Capsules: 7-18 cents per mg
• Gummies: 6-8 cents per mg
• Topicals: 5-15 cents per mg (except for the patches)
• Pet products: 9-12 cents per mg
• Delta-8 & HHC products: 4-8 cents per mg of delta-8 THC 

For the most part, these prices are cheaper than average for their respective categories. You also get added savings from free shipping on all orders and the option to subscribe for 30% off.

All in all, you’re getting above-average value with Purekana. 

Hemp Source and Production Process

Purekana’s hemp is sourced from farms in Kentucky and Colorado. It’s extracted with carbon dioxide (CO2), one of the leading CBD extraction methods. 

Unfortunately, no more details are provided, such as which farming methods are used.

Third-Party Testing

Purekana sends its products for testing to several reputable labs, including KCA Labs, DB Labs, ACS Laboratory, and Kaycha Labs. 

The tests check for contaminants, cannabinoid potency, and in many cases even terpene potency, which is great to see. You can see the latest test reports attached on each product page. 

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:

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

I looked at the latest test certificates of analysis (CoAs) for Purekana’s products and found that most of them show accurate levels of CBD and other cannabinoids. However, many full-spectrum products don’t contain terpenes and have low amounts (below 10%) of minor cannabinoids.

Here are two CoA screenshots to give you a sense of Purekana’s products:

1. The 5000 mg full-spectrum CBD oil CoA shows accurate CBD levels (5543 mg or about 11% higher) and almost 10% minor cannabinoids, which is good. But there are no terpenes.
2. The 25 mg HHC gummies CoA (done by KCA labs, one of the few reliable labs for HHC testing) shows 7.6 mg of HHC per gram, or about 38 mg per 5-gram gummy. That’s much more (52%) than advertised.

In summary, I like that the tests are comprehensive and up-to-date but there is room for improvement with minor cannabinoids, terpenes, and accuracy of the intoxicating products.

Shipping & Returns

Purekana offers free shipping on all orders, which is rare to see. Purekana ships CBD products to all states except Idaho, Wyoming, and South Dakota. It also doesn’t ship delta 8 products to Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Nevada, Mississippi, Montana, Rhode Island, and Utah. 

As for refunds, you can request one within 30 days of purchase (minus return shipping).

Customer Service & Reputation

Purekana is a popular CBD vendor. It’s been reviewed over 10,000 times on the independent review website Trustpilot, which holds more weight than reviews you’d find directly on CBD company websites.

Having said that, the company’s average rating is a bit low at an average of 3.7/5. Many reviews complain about problems with shipping, customer service, inconsistent products, and other problems. Purekana also has over 200 complaints against it on the Better Business Bureau website. 

I’d also like to see more transparency; the brand has a generic about us page that doesn’t reveal much detail about the company’s mission or the people behind it.

Did you know? Purekana’s products have been involved in a number of online scams, where fake articles claim that popular celebrities like Ree Drummond, Oprah, or Shark Tank endorsed Purekana’s CBD gummies.

The Verdict: Popular Doesn’t Necessary Mean Great

My main criticism of Purekana is similar to CBDfx. The brand focuses too much on marketing and making its products look appealing (visually and in terms of taste) rather than effective.

That’s best shown by the fact that many broad and full-spectrum products contain low levels of minor cannabinoids and terpenes. I didn’t feel much from Purekana’s sleep gummies even when I tried to take two or three at a time.

And the many negative reviews, most of which sound legitimate, aren’t a great look either. Another minor issue I noticed with Purekana’s website is that there are errors on some product pages, like the wrong product strength or the wrong type of CBD extract.

But I will say one good thing: I found the intoxicating hemp products (HHC and delta-8) to be quite potent.