By: Ben Mervis

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Like so many millennials, from a young age, I’ve felt the calling to be a part of something special, something big… my own path, not one with a well-worn trail. So, after graduating from college with a hard-earned Bachelor’s degree, I went and worked in a restaurant. (LOL). I negotiated the title of Marketing and Events Coordinator, and when I wasn’t upselling private party menus from chicken to steak frites, I was cutting flowers, taking pictures, and serving sass as a front-door host with the most.

The 6+ months I spent in that role gave me time to manifest a job in public health, where I could merge my passion for developing creative marketing campaigns with programs that could make a real impact in our world. That’s not to diminish that a steak frites upgrade really will improve your life, sorry plant-based friends.

Since those early post-college months, I’ve had a pretty exciting career reshaping how health messages are marketed, first from our State and Federal Governments, and for over two years now, from cannabis companies. One thing I’ve learned is how powerful the right product, like CBD gummies or THC gummies, or weed gummies can be in promoting both relaxation and wellness.

The thing about marketing is that it’s all around us, and people are constantly working to steal more of your attention to try to get some of your hard earned dollars and coins.

So when I first met Kush Queen CEO Olivia Alexander and saw how much she cared about her social media communities, and Kush Queen customers, I was impressed and inspired. Olivia’s passion rivals that of many of my former colleagues who had (then) been working on public health campaigns since 1975.

In my many years, I’ve seen that it’s mostly been women who have been advocating for public health; creating heartfelt campaigns about women’s breast and pelvic screenings, nutrition and health assistance for single mothers and their children, and campaigns to keep children from smoking cigarettes. These women have been the behind the scenes backbone of public health for generations, and I’m a proud supporter and ally of female leaders taking their seats at tables of all kinds, from boardrooms to whatever table Senators, Congresswomen, and Governors sit at.

I’m going to tell you one of our recipes for success at Kush Queen. It only works because it comes from the top – and I hope Olivia doesn’t mind that I’m spilling the tea – but we evolve based on the needs of our communities, and we do our best to represent different people not just in the color of our models, but in the stories, the fantasies, the experiences, the heart and soul of who we are. It’s a pulse, an energy that runs through the products we release, the creative campaigns we create, and the partnerships we enter.

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This first year of queening has been nothing short of kismet. I feel so very fortunate to work for a brand and CEO that can make us feel like royalty, just by loving ourselves a little bit more. Thank you to my colleagues, our customers, our photographers, our models (who often start as customers) – everyone that makes this feel like that something special that this millennial always wanted to be a part of.

 

Don’t forget to follow and tag @kushqueenshop & @kushqueenco in your Instagram posts and stories.

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From vintage retail to cannabis, comedy, and wellness, the recent episodes of Shenk cover a wide array of topics. With so much to choose from, there’s definitely an episode for everyone. Here are some of our recent favorite episodes of Shenk.

‘Slobby Robby’ from Netflix’s ‘Slobby’s World’ sits down with host and comedian Sara Weinshenk to talk about his love for all things Eighties and Nineties vintage. In this exhilarating conversation, Slobby proves that fashion doesn’t have to be just for the ultra-wealthy and keeps us laughing along the way. Slobby talks about his love for retro collectibles and how he enjoys exploring thrift shops in search of treasures for his store, in Tucson, ‘Generation Cool’. His favorite vintage collectibles include everything from vintage ‘Mr. T’ merchandise to retro Louis Vuitton. In this episode, Slobby touches on the importance of color theory in fashion, gives some fashion tips for all the basic bros out there, and reminds listeners about the value of quality over quantity. He also recaps his run-in with Celine Dion in Las Vegas and his recent trip to Sedona, which are both hilarious.

Listen to this episode of Slobby on Shenk. Follow Slobby on Instagram @slobbyrobby and make sure to check out Netflix’s ‘Slobby’s World’.

According to Weinshenk, one of her favorite things to do is choose which CBD gummies and Kush Queen products to gift her guests. Shenk and Kush Queen gifted Robby with the Relax CBD bath bomb since he was in LA to restock his store. Such a great way to help him de-stress during travel.

When asked what Kush Queen product she couldn’t live without, host Sara Weinshenk said that the Kush Queen Shield for Immunity bath bomb saved her life this flu season, “After comedy shows, I’m constantly meeting people and shaking hands with strangers, the immunity bath bomb has definitely saved me from missing days of work”.

Cannabis and Comedy with Abdullah Saeed

In another one of our favorite episodes, Shenk welcomes Abdullah Saeed to the podcast. Saeed is a cannabis advocate who’s known for his work on Viceland’s Bong Appetit and Weediquette. He also appears in HBO’s High Maintenance. Sara sits down with Abdullah to talk about his journey in cannabis, his experiences with THC gummies, and his comedy career. They bond over their mutual hatred of the polyester uniforms they wore in elementary school.

Listen to this episode of Saeed on Shenk. Follow Abduallah on Instagram @imyourkid and make sure to check him out on HBO’s High Maintenance.

In one of the most recent episodes of Shenk, Sara is joined by Stephanie Simbari, Co-host of Wellness podcast, That’s So Retrograde. The girls talk about Stephanie’s wellness journey and the benefits of self-care.  Simbari’s podcast explores everything wellness including nutrition, spirituality, clean beauty and consciousness. Stephanie also recommended some of her favorite wellness books and shared some of the life-hacks she’s learned on her path towards a healthier more meaningful life. They also talk about the world of comedy and their Wi Spa adventures. Simbari explained that one of her favorite self-care practices is baths, so gifting her the ‘awaken’ CBD bath bomb was the perfect fit. Simbari defined her personal style as “streamlined eclectic” and the girls shared their early misconceptions about what it means to be a “comedian”.

Listen to this episode of Simbari on Shenk. Follow Simbari on Instagram @ssimbari and make sure to check her out on the That’s So Retrograde podcast.


Follow Sara Weinshenk & @princessshenk for Stand Up Comedy Tour Dates.

New Episodes of Shenk are released every Wednesday.

Subscribe, Rate and Review Shenk on  iTunes or Stitcher.

It’s incredible to see the world changing. I remember a time when even CBD could not be sold online and now it’s going nationwide. With so much excitement in the air, it seems some truth is getting lost in shuffle. Ultimately, CBD or cannabidiol is just a molecule. Our endocannabinoid system interacts with this molecule which triggers effects inside the body. While CBD is non-psychoactive, there are still effects experienced.  CBD is currently unregulated, thus consumers are dependent on businesses to self-regulate. This is why it’s important to us at Kush Queen to have as much transparency as possible. Recently, we have begun to see our products on lists’s with other products that are labeled CBD, but do not actually contain CBD. It’s important to set the record straight.

Hemp CBD vs. Hemp Seed Oil

Hemp CBD is not the same as hemp seed oil. Hemp CBD is extracted from a fully grown cannabis plant using either solvents or a solventless method, while hemp seed oil is pressed from seeds. Furthermore, hemp seed oil contains absolutely no CBD.

Recently we have begun to see our products next to many different hemp products. Some products are ‘cannabis-inspired’ (contain no hemp seed or CBD oil) , some are hemp seed oil, and some contain CBD. As we usher in a new era and industry, it is important to educate and have transparency. For years, we worked behind the scenes at cannabis companies and at Kush Queen we make cannabis products that are in the most regulated cannabis system in the world. Currently, our cannabis products must test within a 10% margin of error for potency, while the FDA allows a lax 20%. In addition to strict potency guidelines, all of our products are tested at the highest sensitivity for residual solvents, over 60 pesticides, heavy metals, microbials, mycotoxins and foreign materials. Every batch is fully present at the time of testing and samples are randomly selected. Until CBD is regulated, we follow this same standard at our Hemp CBD facility. This is how we make products at Kush Queen and it’s important for our customers to know. We do this because we believe in safe products and the effectiveness of the plant.

We believe that putting hemp seed oil products next to Hemp CBD causes confusion, or worse, that a company may be trying to mislead customers. Ultimately, a lab test will show how much CBD is present in a product. Accurate dosing is important with CBD because it is an active ingredient. That is why every Kush Queen product has the exact dosing on the front of every package. CBD is not a buzz word, for many, it is the only medicine that can help. We take our products seriously, and we hope that you take CBD seriously. Ask questions, demand transparency and clarity. As a consumer, you have a right to know that the products you are putting in or on your body are safe and effective.

Below are lab tests which show the differences between Hemp seed oil and CBD products. You can see the products containing hemp seed oil show no CBD detected. The third lab reported shows our Immunity bath bomb and detects 104mg of CBD.

 


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While the industry booms, consumers will have more options than ever.  It’s our hope that we will be able to arm them with the knowledge they need to choose the CBD beauty and wellness products right for them, whether it’s bath bombs, tinctures, or weed gummies.

By: Olivia Alexander

Jessimae Peluso is an amazing comedian who you might recongnize from MTV, E!, Fox, VH1, Comedy Central, TruTV and NBC. She’s been featured in the Moontower Comedy Festival, New York Comedy Festival, Boston Comedy Festival, North Carolina Comedy & Arts Festival, and Just For Laughs and featured on Kevin Hart’s LOL Live network. She’s also contributed to Cosmopolitan Magazine, High Times Magazine, DOPE Magazine, Self Magazine, GQ.Com, Playboy.com, MadeMen.com, and was highlighted in Huffington Post as ‘one of the funniest comics to follow on Twitter’.

Jessimae, most known from MTV’s “Girl Code”, can be heard weekly hosting the Sharp Tongue and Highlarious podcasts. Both available on iTunes, Stitcher, Sound Cloud and Google Play. You can watch her LIVE every Wednesday on her Instagram and Facebook show “Weedsday”.

On this hilarious episode of Shenk, Comedian Sara Weinshenk sits down with Comedian Jessimae Peluso.  When asked how she preps for her podcasts, Sara said, “I love to use Kush Queen’s Bäre tincture before I interview my guests and while editing my podcast because it helps minimize my pre-show nerves and keeps me present, it’s truly one of my favorite products.” Thanks to Bäre, Sara is definitely present in this Episode. It’s funny, enjoyable, and a great hour long escape from your day to day life.

The comics discuss everything from the scent of ferrets to the peculiarities of ‘bird women’ and San Diego drunk dad culture. Peluso talks about her fashion choices from her high school years, which were mainly hip-hop inspired and included: jerseys, braids and baggy jeans. Jessimae talks about how she was the only white girl on her basketball team at an inner-city school. The girls talk fear-based sexual education experiences and the lack of actual information about sexual health for adolescents. Plus they touch on what they wish they learned in school and the need for educational system reform.

They move on to talk about art and some of the boring themes that occur in older oil paintings such as still lifes, bowls of fruit, and exposed renaissance boobs. Peluso jokes about art, when she says, “Was Picasso like, ’I’m on acid, here’s a horse?’ ” Which is a fair question.

Follow Jessimae @jessimaepeluso on Instagram / @jessimaepeluso on Twitter.


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New episodes every Wednesday.

Submit any fashion advice help to shenk.pod@gmail.com.

Follow @princessshenk on Instagram/ @princessshenk on Twitter for podcast updates, funny tweets and comedy tour dates.

Join the cannabis community and discover why our Weed Gummies are a fan favorite.

 

Sponsored by KUSH QUEEN.

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The Splash Magazine Health & Beauty Holiday Gift Guide 2018 featured Kush Queen Peppermint Latte CBD Bath Bomb. Pair your relaxing soak with weed gummies for the ultimate winter self-care vibe."

We created our Limited Edition 25mg Peppermint Latte CBD Bath Bomb to help you celebrate this beautiful winter season while easing stress and soothing dry skin. Take in the warm and inviting scents of peppermint, as you drift away to a wintery wonderland.

Features Peppermint Latte 25mg CBD Kush Queen Bath Bomb as seen in Splash Magazines.SHOP

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The mani/pedi of 2018 is the cannicure, now offered at Bellacures’ seven Los Angeles locations. Customers who opt for the canni-mani and canni-pedi are treated to maximum relaxation thanks to cannabis-based Kush Queen products including CBD bath bombs, hand and foot scrubs, lotions, and chocolates.

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