Welcome to our Green Roads review!
From this point forward, we’ll be using a 27-item assessment to provide a more comprehensive and objective rating of each brand we review.
This assessment led us to a score of 94.1/100 for Green Roads, which earns them entry into our highest tier of brands.
How we get to the final score (on a 100-point scale) is just as important as the score itself, because each of the following criteria is designed to bring consumer-driven quality standards to the forefront:
- Quality
- Transparency
- Website Experience
- Customer Service
- Value
- Brand Value
The following review is based on our personal experience with Green Roads as customers and our interviews with founder Laura Fuentes and Chief Marketing Officer Lee Sosin.
Table of Contents
- How Green Roads Got Started
- What Makes Green Roads Unique?
- Our Green Roads Review
- Our Green Roads Overall Rating
- Green Roads Product Reviews
- All Green Roads Products
- Conclusion
How Green Roads Got Started
In 2013, compound pharmacist and Green Roads founder Laura Fuentes began formulating CBD products on the side for a friend who was struggling with opioid dependence.
Having met with success, Laura and her friend Arby decided to start Green Roads out of a passion for helping others who were struggling with the same issue or simply looking for safe wellness products.
This was years before the CBD industry had gained any real traction, so Laura and Arby had to rely on a “homegrown” approach to building their presence, helping one friend or family member at a time until they (and the industry) were taken more seriously.
Eventually, Green Roads saw a massive uptick in interest, a chance they seized to expand, add new members to the team, and become the company they are today.
What Makes Green Roads Unique?
According to Chief Marketing Officer Lee Sosin, founder Laura still approaches the business from a healthcare perspective, calling her customers “patients.”
As someone who deeply understands the pitfalls of opioid dependence, Laura believes that “We are meant to be able to heal ourselves.”
This perspective has inspired their team of pharmacist formulators to keep pushing the envelope in terms of potency and absorption with each proprietary formula.
Speaking of, Green Roads uses multiple carrier oils and vegetable glycerine—not just the typical CBD and single carrier oil setup—to not only enhance bioavailability, but to also improve taste and “mouth feel,” as the wine connoisseurs say.
In October of 2020, Green Roads was certified to produce over-the-counter health products, granting them membership to a very exclusive club.
Finally, while many other CBD brands have joined the crusade against opioid dependence, Green Roads was born in it, leading a passionate revolt of their own from the inside of the pharmaceutical industry itself.
Our Green Roads Review
After our interviews with the Green Roads founder and CMO, our personal experiences with the products, and a robust campaign of clicking around the Green Roads site, our team used the following criteria to assign points towards a maximum rating of 100.
For more specific information about how we score the criteria within our rating system, feel free to peruse our simple breakdown.
As it should be, we’ll start with quality.
Quality
Max score = 35 points.
Green Roads = 32.875 points.
Since a brand’s credentials, testing and safety protocols, and sourcing practices can impact end product quality just as much as the ingredients and formulations, we’ve made sure to include all of these elements in this category.
We also emphasize any steps taken to enhance user experience indirectly, like packaging and labeling.
Product Quality
The first thing we noticed was the packaging—it’s durable, undamaged by shipping, yet easy enough to remove.
The labeling provided clear and succinct introductions to isolate, broad-spectrum, and full-spectrum CBD extracts, all of which Green Roads offers.
Available formulations include “relief” and “relax,” and with the exception of bath bombs and CBD gummies, no artificial ingredients are used.
That said, product lines run deep for each of these formulation types.
Per CMO Lee Sosin, “Most companies have one product for sleep; we have six different SKUs that are for sleep.”
Finally, Green Roads works directly with farmers who use organic methods from NC, OR, and CA, earning full marks on hemp quality and sourcing standards.
Testing and Certification
Every batch of Green Roads CBD is subjected to full-panel testing from Kaycha Labs, an ISO-17025 accredited facility, and each test performed is reported on, earning full marks.
Green Roads holds Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Over-the-Counter (OTC) certifications, which are awarded for effective hazard control systems, use of pharmaceutical-grade ingredients, and other requirements.
All CBD oil is extracted using the CO2 method, which is considered the gold standard for its high efficiency of both extraction and safe removal.
Transparency
Max score = 12.5 points.
Green Roads = 12.25 points.
We view every snippet of information shared by a brand to their prospective customers as an effort in consumer advocacy as well as a sign of high-quality practices.
As such, we reward brands like Green Roads for meeting and exceeding the following standards of transparency.
Info Accessibility
Every Green Roads product contains a QR code and a batch number so that customers can conveniently access the full-panel lab reports pertaining to their exact product.
As for product info accessibility, the Green Roads website has done an excellent job of organizing and presenting all relevant information in a way that can be quickly navigated.
Finally, the “Our Story” page content is neither stilted and overwhelming nor lazy and incomplete; visitors can quickly garner a sense of the team’s personal journey as well as the usual value statements.
Supply Chain Transparency
Green Roads partners with American growers, provided they meet a list of standards like remaining under the legal definition of industrial hemp as defined by the 2018 Farm Bill and others.
Formulation is done in-house, and though extraction is completed off-site, Green Roads only sources raw materials extracted with the CO2 method.
Website Experience
Max score = 7.5 points.
Green Roads = 7.5 points.
Even when product quality is high, a clunky and convoluted online shopping experience is bad for everyone—consumers, the brand, and third-party advertisers alike.
We donned our UI testing hats for a site audit, poking around the Green Roads product pages, contact forms, and just about everything else a customer would access.
Here’s what we found.
Product Navigation and Purchasing
Shoppers can browse by “solution” (e.g., sleep, stress, etc.) as well as product type, and product pages are amply supplied with product info, FAQs, reviews, ingredients, and more.
Product sizes, flavors, and prices are clearly stated, and the purchasing process is bug-free and intuitive.
The site is also highly responsive, which, for anyone not in the know, is web-speak for the ability to perform just as well across mobile and PC devices (no bugs, visual formatting issues, etc.).
Site Content
Outside of raw ecommerce functionality, the Green Roads site has an info portal they call “CBD University,” a series of posts offering foundational knowledge from legal, scientific, and consumer-minded perspectives.
Anything else you might need access to for logistical purposes is one click away, from terms & services info, lab reports, and so on.
Customer Service
Max score = 10 points.
Green Roads = 10 points.
Both the breadth of contact options available and the quickness with which customer service specialists respond are key determinants under this category.
We also evaluate shipping and return policies, not just for their flexibility, but also for how clearly they are communicated to customers.
Contact Options and Responsiveness
Customers can reach a human being via live chat, call, or support email.
Both the messenger and the phone support service provided live assistance within approximately ten seconds when we tested them, earning full marks.
Shipping and Return Policies
All products come with a 30-day, money-back guarantee, provided they’re unopened.
Green Roads partners with major shippers like FedEx and UPS, and they’ve updated their terms and conditions page to reflect COVID’s impact on overnight shipping.
Value
Max score = 10 points.
Green Roads = 7.13 points.
We designed this category to reward both affordability and ingredient quality by assigning points for the per-milligram price as well as the quality-to-price ratio.
Pricing and Ingredient Quality
As usual, the per-milligram prices vary across product types, formulations, and sizes, but in most cases, Green Roads was on the more expensive side.
Given their experience as compound pharmacists, they partially recouped these lost points with their pharmacist-led formulations, but they were still docked for use of artificial ingredients in CBD gummies and bath bombs.
Brand Value
Max score = 25 points.
Green Roads = 24.375 points.
For the purposes of this rating system, we conceive brand value as the amount of effort invested into moving the CBD industry forward, whether that means participating in research, spearheading product innovation, lobbying for CBD regulation, and more.
We also acknowledge a brand’s contributions to charities and causes not directly related to CBD.
Product Innovation
In addition to maintaining a full selection of CBD oils, topicals, edibles, pet products and more, Green Roads raises the bar on formulations by using 4-5 more ingredients to enhance potency, bioavailability, and taste.
As mentioned, the pooled experience of their pharmacist-led formulation team has served them well in terms of developing CBD products that taste better and absorb more efficiently.
Community, Research, and Legislative Investment
On the legislative side, Green Roads pioneered quality standards (testing for CBD concentration, 0.3% THC, and contaminants), adopting them even before they were legally required in Florida, where they’re based.
Regarding research, Green Roads was planning to conduct studies earlier in 2020 but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On a community level, Florida Hemp Council member Green Roads was instrumental in bringing hemp to Florida, even funding the planting of the first legal hemp plants in the state in 2019.
Finally, Green Roads has been involved in many events and drives for Autism Speaks, The Arthritis Foundation, and much more, and they offer discounts for first responders, active military, and veterans.
Our Green Roads Overall Rating
Taking into account all of the above criteria, Green Roads earns a rating of 94.13/100.
If we had to pinpoint the one thing that impressed us the most, it would be the innovative formulations.
Per founder Laura Fuentes, “When you swallow it (CBD), you only get about twenty percent of what the actual CBD content is because it has to go to the liver,” which is why Green Roads uses vegetable glycerin—it’s much more pleasant on the palate, allowing customers to hold the CBD in their mouths and allow for more efficient mucosal absorption.
It’s details like this that can make the difference between success stories like Arby’s and failure.
Here are some key takeaways to sum up our review:
- High product quality (cutting-edge formulations, CO2 extraction).
- Highly transparent, informative, and engaging website, labeling, and support services.
- High safety standards assured by certifications and full-panel, ISO-accredited testing.
- Leans towards the expensive side
Green Roads, What’s Something You Wish More People Knew About Hemp-Derived CBD?
As a way of giving CBD brands another platform on which to support and educate consumers, we like to close our interviews with the above question.
Laura Fuentes told us, “I wish that more people knew that it (CBD) is really more like a nutritional supplement, like vitamin D. Our bodies actually make our own internal cannabinoids. When we don’t make enough, we need to support that with an outside source … it is really a nutrient that our bodies need to stay healthy.”
We’ll close on Lee Sosin’s short and sweet answer.
What’s something you wish more people knew about hemp-derived CBD?
“It works.”
Green Roads Product Reviews
Green Roads CBD Oil Review
Concentration
We tested the 750mg Sweet Sleep CBD Oil from Green Roads.
The special blend of CBD and CBN oil offers 25mg/ml of cannabinoids, including 22.5mg of CBD and 2.5mg of CBN, along with 2.5mg of melatonin per serving.
According to the third-party lab results of our particular product, there was a total of 766.99mg of cannabinoids.
Specifically, there were 693.91mg of CBD and 73.08mg of CBN.
No THC was detected.
Considering the formulation, our team appreciates the well-rounded concentration of cannabinoids.
Value
Green Roads’ Sweet Sleep product is not the most affordable oil around.
The brand charges $89.99, which comes out to $0.12/mg, a bit higher than we like to see.
However, Green Roads does have its pedigree and unique formulation going for them, which could lead consumers to give it a try over more affordable options.
Packaging
All of Green Roads’ bottled oil products utilize a plunger system, which requires consumers to use a syringe (provided) to accurately dose a serving.
While the set up is not difficult, it requires a little more effort than the typical dropper CBD consumers are used to.
Aside from the administration of the oil, Green Roads’ packaging is similar to others, including an ingredients list, directions, a QR code, along with a batch number and an expiration date on the bottom of the bottle.
Ingredients
The ingredients in the Green Roads Sweet Sleep CBD Oil include: Vitamin E (as tocopherols), Hemp Derived Cannabidiol (CBD), Hemp Derived Cannabinol (CBN), Melatonin, Vegetable Glycerin, Medium Chain Triglycerides, Blueberry Flavor, Lecithin, and Cannabis Sativa (hemp) Seed Oil.
Green Roads prides itself on including multiple beneficial ingredients as opposed to the standard carrier oil and hemp extract formula.
The inclusion of vitamin E, melatonin, vegetable glycerin, and hemp seed oil are excellent additions, each potentially providing its own health benefits.
Taste
As advertised, the Green Roads Sweet Sleep oil has a blueberry flavor with a mild-to-moderate intensity.
The sweetness is not overpowering, but it’s enough to cover the bitterness of the hemp extract.
Effectiveness
Our team found the Sweet Sleep oil was mildly helpful for falling asleep.
It did not seem to help us stay asleep, but we did feel a little more refreshed the next morning compared to not using CBD.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Moderate concentration
- Unique administration method
- Good formulation
- Enjoyable flavor
Cons:
Green Roads CBD Gummies Review
Concentration
The Green Roads Relax Bears contain an advertised 10mg of CBD per gummy for a total of 300mg per container (30 servings).
According to the third-party results of our particular products, our gummies had 9.8mg of CBD per gummy for a total of 294.3mg.
This is a low concentration of CBD, as noted by the “Mild” denotation on the label of the jar.
Green Roads offers a couple of other options with higher concentrations, including 25mg/gummy and 50mg/gummy.
Value
Green Roads charges $43.99, which comes out to $0.146/mg.
This is quite expensive in terms of price per mg compared to other brands; however, it’s average in retail price.
Packaging
Relax Bears gummies come in a jar with a child-proof lid.
The label offers product facts, directions, an ingredients list, as well as a lot number and expiration date on the bottom of the jar.
Underneath the lid is a seal to keep the gummies fresh.
Ingredients
The ingredients in the Relax Bears are: Hemp Derived Cannabinoid Extract, Corn Syrup (From Corn), Sugar, Water, Gelatin, Citric Acid, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Lactic Acid, Pectin (Derived From Fruits), Titanium Dioxide (Color), FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Blue #1, and FD&C Red #40.
We were disappointed by the inclusion of artificial ingredients and added sugar.
Taste
While there are unhealthy ingredients, they do offer great taste and consistency.
The gummies have multiple flavors, including blue raspberry, lemon, cherry, green apple, and orange.
As for texture, the gummies are a bit chewy, but they also melt in your mouth, an excellent combination.
Effectiveness
We noticed a mild sense of relaxation when taking one gummy.
Teammates were generally in a better mood and felt calmer.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Mild sense of relaxation
- Great flavors and texture
Cons:
- Low concentration
- High price per mg
- Artificial ingredients
Green Roads CBD Capsules Review
Concentration
Green Roads’ Relax CBD Capsules contain a moderate concentration of 25mg/capsule of CBD isolate.
According to the third-party lab results for our products, our capsules had 28.29mg/capsule of CBD for a total of 848.63mg.
As Green Roads denotes, this is a middle-of-the-road concentration of CBD for a capsule, but it is substantial enough to potentially produce noticeable benefits.
Value
Green Roads charges $49.99 for their Relax CBD Capsules, which clocks in at $0.067/mg.
This is great value in terms of retail price and price per mg for a month’s worth of capsules, especially considering the formulation and the quality of the ingredients.
Packaging
The Relax CBD Capsules come in a small jar with a child-resistant cap.
The label offers product facts, directions, an ingredient list, as well as the lot number and expiration date.
As for the capsules themselves, they are standard encapsulated powder.
Ingredients
The ingredients in the Relax CBD Capsules include: GABA (500mg), 5-HTP (25mg), Hemp Derived Cannabinoid Extract (25mg), Vegetable Cellulose (capsule), and Vegetable Stearate.
While simple, the formulation of these ingredients has the potential to offer a substantial sense of relaxation.
Taste
As expected, the capsules are tasteless.
Effectiveness
With just one capsule, we felt at ease and in a good mood.
Some team members described the feeling as calm exuberance.
We were impressed with the results, although we do wonder if the benefits had more to do with the 500mg of GABA and 25mg of 5-HTP.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Moderate concentration of CBD
- Well-priced
- Potent formulation
- Noticeable and substantial benefits
Cons:
Green Roads CBD Topicals Review
Concentration
We tried both the 350mg CBD Muscle & Joint Cream, which is considered a moderate concentration by Green Roads.
According to the third-party results, our cream had 307.8mg of CBD in total.
Our team agrees with Green Roads that this cream is a moderate concentration in comparison with other brands.
However, we generally believe topicals should contain a higher amount of CBD for it to be substantially effective.
Value
The cream retails for $44.99, which comes out to $0.129/mg.
This is a bit expensive regarding price per mg and about average in terms of retail price.
However, considering the overall formulation of additional ingredients, we find this topical to be valued correctly.
Packaging
The CBD Muscle & Joint Cream is contained in a pump bottle.
Twisting the lid counterclockwise primes the pump, a neat little feature that can prevent accidental pumps.
The label offers directions, “important warnings,” a QR code, and a lot number and expiration date on the bottom of the bottle.
Ingredients
Green Roads’ CBD Muscle & Joint Cream has these ingredients: Water, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Oleosomes, Glycerin, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Bentonite Clay, Xanthan Gum, Hemp-derived Cannabinoid Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Chamomile Recutita (Matricaria) Fruit Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid and Menthol.
This is a great cast of ingredients, most of which contribute meaningfully to the potential benefits of muscle and joint relief.
Some stand-outs are menthol, lavender oil, avocado oil, and Vitamin E.
Texture and Scent
The CBD Muscle & Joint Cream has a thin, creamy texture.
It spreads easily on skin and smells like a mix of menthol and lavender.
Effectiveness
We found the cream to be moderately effective for relieving discomfort.
It has a nice cooling effect due to the menthol, which temporarily provides relief.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Moderate concentration
- Smart packaging
- Excellent ingredients
- Soothing texture
- Moderately effective
Cons:
Green Roads CBD Bath Bombs Review
Green Roads CBD Bath Bombs Review
Concentration
We tried the 200mg CBD Bath Bomb Duo: Refresh & Unwind.
Each bomb contains 100mg of CBD, along with supplemental ingredients.
According to third-party results for Refresh, our bomb had 110.92mg of CBD, while the Unwind had 109.8mg.
Since it’s difficult to determine how much CBD is absorbed through a bath, 100mg seems like a decent starting point, but we can’t speculate about how effective it is.
Value
At $19.99 ($0.10/mg), this duo pack of bath bombs is affordable in terms of both retail price and price per mg.
Considering the CBD and additional ingredients, these seem worth the money.
Packaging
The bath bombs are individually packaged in plastic, while also being contained in a larger cardboard package together.
The box offers an ingredients list, instructions, a QR code, and lot numbers.
Ingredients
Ingredients in the Refresh bath bomb include: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Epsom Salt, Corn Starch, Water, Coconut Oil, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (SLSA), Kaolin Clay, Polysorbate 80, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Oil, Hemp Cannabinoid Extract, FD&C Yellow #5, and FD&C Red #33.
These are the ingredients for Unwind: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Epsom Salt, Corn Starch, Water, Coconut Oil, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (SLSA), Kaolin Clay, Polysorbate 80, Cananga Odorata (Ylang-ylang) Oil, Hemp Cannabinoid Extract, and FD&C Blue #1.
While we could go without the artificial colors, the other ingredients like peppermint oil, lemon oil, and ylang-ylang oil.
Scent
The bath bombs each have their unique scents (Refresh: peppermint and lemon; Unwind: ylang-ylang), which were soothing and invigorating.
Effectiveness
The bath bombs made a significant difference in mood and noticeably helped us relax.
While the bulk of the praise may need to go to the essential oils rather than CBD (again, it’s hard to determine), all we know is that we felt much better after the bath than before.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Moderate concentration
- Affordable price
- Soothing and invigorating scents
- Noticeably promoted relaxation
Cons:
All Green Roads Products
Here is the comprehensive list of all the products at Green Roads (updated periodically):
CBD Oils
Green Roads offers CBD oil with full-spectrum hemp extract, broad-spectrum, and CBD isolate, along with CBD oil for specific purposes like sleep.
CBD Topicals
Green Roads offers CBD topicals in two forms: roll-ons and creams.
Broad-spectrum hemp extract is used in the roll-ons, while CBD isolate is used in the creams.
CBD Edibles
Green Roads is well-known for their CBD Relax Bears.
The rest of the brand’s fleet of edibles is also impressive.
CBD Capsules & Softgels
Green Roads capsules and softgels are the convenient way to enjoy the brand’s signature original, sleep, and relax formulations.
CBD for Pets
Green Roads has created specially formulated CBD oil for both dogs and cats.
CBD Coffee
Green Roads has infused hemp flower with Colombian coffee, creating a beverage loaded with helpful cannabinoids in multiple flavors.
CBD Indulgence Line
The Green Roads Indulgence Line is full of special products to promote relaxation and refreshment.
Conclusion
Green Roads has stretched standards in multiple key dimensions of CBD brand quality, including pharmacist-grade formulation capacity, highly communicative resources (site content, support specialists, packaging, etc.), and over-the-counter certification.
While their products are not the cheapest or most concentrated in terms of CBD, formulation potency and quality are consistently high, and we noticed moderate to substantial improvements in mood and relaxation ability with all sampled products.
Given their sturdy credentials and industry-leading formulations, our Green Roads review allows us to confidently recommend Green Roads to anyone who can spare a little extra for a significant boost in quality.