A 1,200 mg CBD balm sounds stronger than a 600 mg balm.
But what if the 1,200 mg product comes in a container twice the size?
Now the comparison changes.
CBD concentration tells you how much CBD is present relative to the amount of product. Total CBD tells you how much CBD is in the entire container. You need both numbers to compare topical strength properly.
The basic calculation is simple:
CBD concentration (mg/mL) = total CBD (mg) ÷ product volume (mL)
So a 1,200 mg CBD balm in a 60 mL container contains:
1,200 ÷ 60 = 20 mg/mL
A 600 mg balm in a 30 mL container also contains:
600 ÷ 30 = 20 mg/mL
Different total milligrams.
Same concentration.
That is why the biggest number on the label does not always mean the strongest formula.
Total CBD vs CBD Concentration: What's the Difference?
This is the most important distinction to understand when reading a topical CBD label.
Total CBD
Total CBD tells you how much CBD is contained in the entire package.
If a jar says:
1,200 mg CBD
that generally describes the total amount across the full container.
It does not tell you how concentrated the product is unless you also know the container size.
CBD concentration
Concentration compares the amount of CBD with the amount of product.
For liquid or semi-liquid products, it can often be expressed as:
milligrams of CBD per milliliter, or mg/mL.
Consider these two products:
Product A: 1,200 mg CBD in 60 mL
Product B: 1,200 mg CBD in 120 mL
Both contain 1,200 mg total.
But:
Product A = 20 mg/mL
Product B = 10 mg/mL
Product A is twice as concentrated even though the large CBD number on the front of both packages is identical.
That is why PHASIS believes consumers should look beyond headline milligrams.
How Do You Calculate CBD mg per mL?
The formula is:
Total CBD ÷ total product volume = CBD concentration
Here are three examples:
400 mg CBD ÷ 20 mL = 20 mg/mL
600 mg CBD ÷ 30 mL = 20 mg/mL
1,200 mg CBD ÷ 60 mL = 20 mg/mL
All three products have different amounts of total CBD because the containers contain different amounts of product.
But their concentration is identical.
This distinction also helps explain why comparing CBD products solely by total milligrams can be misleading.
A larger container should normally contain more total material. That does not automatically make each milliliter stronger.
How Does This Apply to PHASIS Topicals?
The current PHASIS Max Relief sizes make the calculation particularly easy to see.
Max Relief is offered in:
20 mL stick: 400 mg CBD
30 mL stick: 600 mg CBD
60 mL jar: 1,200 mg CBD
Each works out to:
20 mg of CBD per mL.
The container size changes.
The total CBD changes proportionally.
The concentration remains consistent.
The same relationship appears across the current Relief Balm sizes:
20 mL: 400 mg CBD
30 mL: 600 mg CBD
60 mL: 1,200 mg CBD
Again:
20 mg/mL.
This is more useful information than looking at “400 mg” and “1,200 mg” and assuming one version contains a stronger formula.
The larger version contains more total balm and therefore more total CBD.
It does not use a different CBD concentration.
Does Higher CBD Concentration Automatically Mean a Better Topical?
No.
Concentration is an important product characteristic.
It is not a quality score.
A topical can have a high CBD concentration and still leave important questions unanswered:
-
What type of hemp extract does it use?
-
What other active or botanical ingredients are included?
-
Has the stated cannabinoid content been independently tested?
-
Is the label accurate?
-
What is the intended use of the formula?
-
Does the product provide clear directions?
-
What kind of topical base or delivery format is being used?
This is the central PHASIS position on topicals:
Evaluate the concentration and the complete formula.
Do not judge the product solely by the largest CBD number printed on the front.
We explore those broader buying considerations in How to Choose a CBD Balm for Muscle & Joint Relief.
That article answers the product-selection question.
This article stays focused on understanding concentration and the label.
Why Label Accuracy Matters
Calculating concentration only helps when the amount printed on the label is reasonably accurate.
That is not something consumers should automatically assume across the CBD category.
A 2022 analysis published in JAMA Network Open evaluated 105 hemp-derived topical products purchased online and from retail stores. Among the 89 products that stated a total CBD amount, only 24% were within the study's defined accurate-label range. Some contained less CBD than stated, while others contained more. Read the topical CBD label-accuracy study on PubMed
A broader study of 202 commercially available CBD products published in 2024 also reported substantial potency-label discrepancies. The researchers additionally screened products for contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides and residual solvents. Read the 2024 CBD product-quality analysis on PubMed
These studies do not mean every CBD product is inaccurately labeled.
They show why third-party verification matters.
A concentration calculation based on an inaccurate label is still an inaccurate comparison.
What Should You Look for in a Certificate of Analysis?
A Certificate of Analysis, usually called a COA, is laboratory documentation showing what was measured in a product or sample.
For a CBD topical, useful information can include:
Cannabinoid potency
Does the laboratory result support the stated amount of CBD?
THC and other cannabinoids
This is particularly relevant for full-spectrum products.
Batch or lot identification
Ideally, the laboratory documentation should be traceable to the product batch rather than being a generic report with no clear connection to what you purchased.
Testing date
Current testing is more useful than documentation from an unrelated or outdated batch.
Contaminant screening
Depending on the testing program, this can include pesticides, heavy metals, residual solvents or microbial contaminants.
The phrase “third-party tested” is useful.
Being able to review what was actually tested is better.
The FDA has also raised concerns about the quality and labeling of unapproved CBD products, including products that do not contain the levels of CBD they claim. FDA consumer guidance on CBD products
Does mg/mL Tell You How Much CBD You Apply?
Not by itself.
This is another important distinction.
mg/mL tells you the concentration of the product.
It does not automatically tell you how many milligrams of CBD you apply to your skin each time.
To calculate an exact amount per application, you would also need to know the volume or weight of product used in that application.
For example, knowing a balm contains 20 mg/mL does not tell you whether you used:
-
0.25 mL
-
0.5 mL
-
1 mL
-
another amount
Balms and sticks are often applied according to product directions rather than measured with a laboratory-style volumetric dose each time.
So be careful when a topical brand converts container concentration into highly precise “CBD per application” claims without explaining how the application amount was determined.
For consumers, mg/mL is most useful as a product-comparison metric.
It tells you whether two different container sizes or brands actually contain different concentrations.
What About Full-Spectrum vs Isolate?
CBD concentration and hemp-extract type answer different questions.
Concentration asks:
How much CBD is present relative to the amount of product?
Extract type asks:
What kind of hemp-derived ingredient is providing that CBD?
CBD isolate is highly purified CBD with most other hemp constituents removed.
Full-spectrum hemp retains CBD alongside a broader naturally occurring plant profile that can include minor cannabinoids, terpenes and trace THC.
A 20 mg/mL isolate topical and a 20 mg/mL full-spectrum topical therefore have the same stated CBD concentration.
They do not have the same extract composition.
PHASIS uses full-spectrum hemp extract in Max Relief and Relief because retaining that broader hemp profile fits the formulation approach.
For the full comparison, see Full-Spectrum CBD vs CBD Isolate: What's the Difference?.
Keeping these questions separate prevents “strength” from becoming a vague marketing term.
Concentration Still Isn't the Whole Formula
Two CBD topicals can both contain 20 mg/mL and still be very different products.
One may contain CBD in a relatively simple balm base.
Another may include additional ingredients that create cooling, warming or other topical effects.
For example, PHASIS Max Relief combines full-spectrum CBD at a stated 20 mg/mL concentration with ingredients including lidocaine HCl, menthol, capsaicin, arnica and turmeric.
Relief uses the same CBD concentration across its listed sizes but is built around a gentler botanical-focused formula for everyday topical use.
That illustrates the difference between two questions:
How much CBD is in this product?
and:
What is this entire formula designed to be?
Both matter.
Neither should replace the other.
For the broader evidence around topical CBD and pain-related uses, PHASIS covers the human research separately in CBD for Pain Relief: What Does the Research Say?.
A Better Way to Compare Two CBD Topicals
When you put two products side by side, use the label in this order.
First: Find the total CBD.
How many milligrams are stated for the entire container?
Second: Find the container size.
Is it 20 mL, 30 mL, 60 mL or another size?
Third: Calculate concentration.
Total CBD ÷ product volume = mg/mL.
Fourth: Identify the extract type.
Full spectrum, broad spectrum or isolate?
Fifth: Read the complete ingredient list.
What else is actually in the topical?
Sixth: Check independent testing.
Can the company support its potency and quality claims with current laboratory documentation?
Seventh: Look at intended use and directions.
A high number means very little if you do not understand what the finished product is designed for or how it should be used.
That gives you a much more useful comparison than:
“Which jar has the biggest number?”
The Bottom Line
CBD concentration matters because total CBD alone does not tell you how strong a topical is relative to its size.
Use this formula:
Total CBD (mg) ÷ product volume (mL) = CBD concentration (mg/mL)
A 400 mg / 20 mL product, a 600 mg / 30 mL product and a 1,200 mg / 60 mL product all equal 20 mg/mL.
But concentration is still only one part of a topical.
At PHASIS, we believe the better comparison considers:
concentration + hemp extract + complete formula + third-party testing + intended use.
Know the number.
Then understand what is behind it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does mg/mL mean on a CBD product?
mg/mL means milligrams of CBD per milliliter of product. It is a way of expressing CBD concentration rather than the total CBD contained in the entire package.
How do I calculate CBD concentration?
Divide the total milligrams of CBD by the total volume in milliliters. For example, 1,200 mg ÷ 60 mL = 20 mg/mL.
Is 1,200 mg CBD stronger than 600 mg?
Not necessarily. Container size matters. A 1,200 mg product in 60 mL and a 600 mg product in 30 mL both contain 20 mg/mL and therefore have the same CBD concentration.
Does more CBD mean a better topical?
Not automatically. CBD concentration is one factor. Hemp-extract type, other ingredients, formulation, third-party testing, label accuracy and intended use also matter.
Why is third-party testing important for CBD concentration?
Independent testing can help verify whether the cannabinoid content of the product is reasonably consistent with its label. Published analyses have found substantial label inaccuracies in some commercially available CBD products.
