Restorative Botanicals Restore CALM Hemp Oil Product Review

Within the bottle, the oil smells pleasantly of cinnamon with hints of clove and ginger (think the pumpkin pie spice that’s increasingly ubiquitous from September to December).

Far from basic, the scent is pleasantly bright and zesty, with a clean finish that is neither bitter nor cloying. The sweetness and clarity of the scent gives us high hopes for the flavor of the oil.

The flavor of the product reflects the best aspects of its scent, with spirited cinnamon, ginger, and clove mellowed out by the subtle nuttiness of the sunflower oil and lightly herbal flavor of the full-spectrum CBD extract within. There is not even a hint of bitterness in the flavor, which remains bright and flavorful from start to finish without being overpowering or unpleasantly harsh.

The finish is clean and smooth, with a subtle sweetness that banishes any off-tasting notes from lingering. We found ourselves really enjoying this flavor, glancing at the Chai and Chocolate Mint flavor offerings with increasing interest.

Because of its delicious, versatile, mellow flavor, we feel more confident using this oil outside of strictly sublingual dosing. We like it added to our morning coffee or a latte, and it would make an excellent addition to a dirty chai if you’re so inclined.

It’s also good on toast (French or standard, bonus points for cinnamon raisin bread) and other breakfast breads, and adds a soothing element to a Mexican hot chocolate (or coquito, made with or without the rum). If you could add cinnamon to it, you could probably successfully add this flavored oil — just be sure to do it after cooking wherever possible to avoid vaporizing the CBD.

The oil is more fluid than viscous, with a light yellow-amber tint and crystal clarity. It draws up easily in the included dropper and dispenses smoothly (though we find a second squeeze is helpful, as some product tends to linger in the end of the dropper).

When used sublingually, the oil absorbs well and dissipates quickly after swallowing, avoiding any unpleasant filminess or lingering aftertaste. It blends well with most foods and beverages and can be a very pleasant addition to snacks or treats.

When added to food or beverages, expect the oil to mix more readily with fat-based foods than with watery things. This isn’t an issue for most dishes, but may pose a problem for beverages. If you’re concerned that your dose will not mix well with your drink, try adding a bit of half and half (or even whole milk, or a coconut or almond beverage if you prefer to stay plant-based) to help the oil mix more readily with the contents of your cup. This is the main reason we suggest things like coffee, hot chocolate, lattes, etc. as opposed to juices or sodas.

We noticed a quicker onset when the tincture was taken sublingually (dropped under the tongue and allowed to absorb for a minute or two before swallowing), as opposed to mixing it with food or beverages (which causes it to be mostly absorbed through the digestive tract, which takes longer).

Either way, we felt the effects of the tincture for longer than we would have compared to a vaporizer or a bowl of organic hemp flower — think 6-8 hours of symptom relief, as opposed to 4-6.

We rather like this, as it allowed us to tailor our dosing strategy to suit our specific needs and adapt as those needs change (bodies are dynamic, after all, and there is no hard-and-fast rule to finding the right CBD dosage. It may take some experimentation to find what works for you, and that’s totally fine).

The flexibility of tinctures makes adapting your dose to suit your needs simple and stress-free, even in the face of erratic symptom changes or inconsistency in your moods or the severity of your symptoms.

Once the hemp oil began to take effect, we felt ourselves begin to relax physically and mentally. The “brain static” of anxious thoughts, as one of our testers phrased it, diminished notably, allowing better focus and more control over our thoughts. This helped us to improve our productivity at work, be more present with our loved ones, and remain cooler and more collected in high-stress situations.

We also felt a sense of physical relaxation, helping us take a deep breath, bring our shoulders down from our ears, unclench our jaws, and release the tension we hang onto when we’re anxious. The effects peaked within about an hour or so from dosing and lasted for anywhere from 4-8 hours, depending on how we took the oil. This dosage strength was helpful to the majority of our testers without causing drowsiness, which some of our team members experience at higher doses.

Each 1 mL dose of the Restore CALM hemp oil contains 10 mg of full-spectrum CBD extract to help ease anxiety, promote relaxation, improve focus, and reduce stress and tension. We found this dosage strength to be effective at reducing our stress response to everyday situations, though some of us with more severe anxiety felt better with higher doses, taking two dropperfuls instead of one or dosing every 3-4 hours instead of every 6-8.

For mild to moderate anxiety, this dosage strength should be adequate for most consumers. For more severe anxiety or high-stress situations (like a long plane trip or a big presentation), we might suggest a higher dose. It can take a little experimentation to find what works for you and your body, and that’s okay. Listen to your body and adjust your dosage accordingly to best alleviate your symptoms — CBD carries no risk of addiction, dependence, overdose, or tolerance, and it is safe to take at much higher doses than the one in this particular oil if needed.

We’re fond of tinctures like this one because they offer a helpful bridge between fast-acting CBD products like vaporizer-friendly products and their long-lasting counterparts, edibles. As a systemic CBD product, this oil is best for addressing generalized symptoms like anxiety, tension, muscle pain, and stiffness.

This particular oil is intended for anxiety relief, but we also noticed an improvement in symptoms like muscle and joint pain, stiffness, inflammation, and tension — it doesn’t contain any proprietary herbs or additives to modulate its effects, so you could take it for pain relief purposes just as easily as for anxiety.

This particular oil works well added into a soothing treat like a spicy herbal tea, latte, smoothie, or coffee (or even a sweet like a pastry or cake). While not every CBD product complements foods and drinks seamlessly, this one is as versatile as it is delicious.

It opens up opportunities to incorporate a dose of soothing CBD in novel ways that also serve as chances to care for yourself in other ways — what better way to show yourself love than making yourself a nutritious and enjoyable treat?

As a systemic CBD product, this oil will work best to treat generalized symptoms like anxiety, chronic pain, and inflammation. It provides a pleasant balance between fast-acting and long-acting effects, lending relief as you need it.

However, you might find your symptoms are better addressed by combining the tincture with a localized product, such as the Comfort Balm from Restorative Botanicals.

The CBD and botanical extracts within the salve will help to reduce inflammation, alleviate soreness, and relieve tension and stiffness at the site of pain while the tincture works from within your bloodstream to amplify and extend your relief.

We found the pain-relieving properties of the oil were considerably enhanced with the addition of a topical product, especially for the upper body tension and pain common to anxiety sufferers.

A bottle of 1 fluid ounce of the Restore CALM oil costs $27.99 and contains 300 mg of full-spectrum hemp extract. This yields a per-milligram cost of about $0.09, which is very reasonable considering the quality of the product and its cost relative to competitors.

Compared with other oils on the market, CBDfx’s Blueberry Pineapple Lemon CBD Tincture Oil 500mg ends up being about $0.15 per milligram, and the cbdMD CBD Oil Tincture Drops 300mg Natural Flavor is just shy of $0.10 per mg.

A 1 mL (10 mg) serving costs less than a dollar, making this one of our favorite hemp oils for anxiety relief at an affordable price.

In terms of quality, effectiveness, price, and flavor, this is one of our favorite oils we’ve tried to date. The Restore CALM blend stands up tall next to its competitors, providing consistent results with a flavor that’s pleasing to even the pickiest among our team.

Like each of Restorative Botanicals’ products, this oil meets our CBD Buyer’s Guide criteria for quality, purity, and potency, and is independently tested to confirm these results.

Restore CALM Spice Flavor Hemp Extract/MCT Coconut Oil

300 mg Hemp Oil Supplement
1 fluid oz (30 mL)

Suggested Serving

Adult: 1 mL (1 full dropper) 2-4 times/day

Supplement Facts

Serving Size: 1 mL
Servings Per Container: 30

Amount/Serving
Calories: 8
Calories from Fat: 8
Total Fat: 1 g
Hemp Extract: 14 mg

Other Ingredients: MCT coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, and natural spice flavor