Basic Jane Review

Written by Tyler Swell — Edited by Cathy Rozyczko on February 9, 2021

Basic Jane was born, quite unbasically, in a lab. The company was started by two biotech researchers who applied their work sequencing the cannabis genome to a new brand of CBD oil skincare products meant to ease pain and encourage relaxation. We love the company’s dedication to (mostly) all-natural ingredients, but we wish this science-backed business would put a bit more of their own science on the site—specifically, the results of any third-party lab testing on their products.

Basic Jane may be a major misnomer—with their keen eye to detail and obvious love of research, the company is anything but.

Headed by the duo Kersten Beyer, a clinical research nurse, and Jessica Tonani, a biotechnology expert and major player in the world of cannabis research, Basic Jane got its start with a request from Beyer’s mother, who was looking for a way to deal with her chronic arthritis pain. The duo went to work developing a solution at their company Verda Bio, which works on sequencing the cannabis genome, and when they came up with a CBD-infused lotion that seemed to help, they decided it was a good opportunity to help others dealing with similar issues.

Since then, the company has blossomed, with a huge line-up of CBD oil products, including CBD lotions and gels, CBD sprays, and even a line of cannabidiol aromatherapy oils. Products are arranged into three categories: “Awake,” “Relieve,” and “Relax,” all named after the end-goal they hope to bring about through the use of different blends of essential oils.

For that matter, such natural ingredients make up the lion’s share of Basic Jane’s products—an impressive feat for a company not only in the skincare world but with such a robust inventory. A few synthetic items pop up throughout the lines, mostly in the pain-relief gels and creams, but nothing is there that raised our red flags. And prices may also help money-conscious customers feel relieved and relaxed, ranging from $16 to just $25 for a single item. A variety of different kits are also available, from $50 to $185.

Still, we could do with more information on what we consider to be the key ingredient: Cannabidiol. Basic Jane offers very little on the sourcing of their hemp or their preferred CBD oil extraction process. The company does note in its FAQ section that it has products third-party tested, but we see no results online—a bit surprising from a business founded in the laboratory.

Bottom Line – Basic Jane hits a lot of marks for us, with a strong mission and an obvious love for what they do, but we just wish we could see a bit more of that borne out in writing. Information on where or how the company’s hemp is sourced and its cannabidiol is extracted would be great to see, along with results of the third-party lab tests the company says its products undergo. (If you’re going to go through all that trouble of testing, why not show it off?). It’s also obvious from the company’s “About Us” page that the founders are full of passion and charity. Again, bringing a bit more of that giving spirit to the company, say by partnering with a nonprofit, would be great to see—and earn Basic Jane our charity badge.