‘Ladylike’ cannabis products aimed at women hit the Valley

Now that recreational marijuana is legal in 22 states and Washington, D.C., the once highly contentious plant is becoming socially acceptable. But one group of cannabis consumers — women — still face stigma for imbibing the plant.

“As women, society tells us that we have to be mothers and to put everyone else’s needs above our own," said Greta Brandt, president of The Flower Shop. "So, when it comes to female cannabis use, I think a lot of women feel shamed out of using it because how could they possibly function while using cannabis."

With the dispensary chain, which has locations in Arizona and Utah, Brandt has made it her mission to help women shed what she calls “mom guilt” when it comes to using cannabis. She hopes her newest product line, Ladylike, which debuted in March, will do just that.

Ladylike offers six edibles and three cartridges, all housed in vibrant packaging — some with floral poppy motifs. The branding is modeled after the highly successful beauty lines Benefit and Kylie Cosmetics.

“[Ladylike] looks like a cosmetic brand — it looks like something that I would find on Target or Sephora shelves. Half of the battle is creating premium packaging that women would actually gravitate toward,” Brandt said.

When it came to choosing the types of products that would best suit her demographic, Brandt looked internally.

“I, like a lot of women, have anxiety, and although I smoke [cannabis] to help with that, it’s not something you can do at the office. Like, no one wants to do a big bong rip and come into the office smelling like weed,” Brandt said.

So, Brandt focused her efforts on crafting edibles and concentrates that are perfect for discrete consumption on the go.

Ladylike’s Flower Drops hard candies come in a metal tin that’s roughly the same size as an Altoids container, while a packet of cannabis-infused mints easily fits in the palm of the hand. The robust gummies’ glass containers are more conspicuous, but they still can be carried in a large purse. And the dainty cartridges can be slipped into the pocket of your favorite jeans.

Edibles with ‘sophisticated flavors’

Ladylike's products offer taste combinations include strawberry-lemon, strawberry-grapefruit and cranberry-blood orange. “I wanted the flavors to be more sophisticated but still bright and sunny,” Brandt explained. “I also found that citrus-based flavors did a better job of concealing that weedy taste you get with some edibles.”

Each of Ladylike’s edibles contains between 2 and 5 milligrams of THC, giving consumers the flexibility to find their ideal dose.

According to Brandt, providing lower dosages will allow new users to experiment without having to guess how much THC is in half a gummy or find creative ways to halve a hard candy.

“It’s like using any dosed medication. You work with a doctor to find the right dosage for you. I think cannabis should be the same way. A 10-mg gummy isn’t going to work for everyone, and it’s probably too high of a dose for most new users,” Brandt said.

While seasoned cannabis consumers may scoff at such low dosing, the effects of even a 5-mg gummy are noticeable. That’s because Ladylike uses nano-emulsion technology to help increase the bioavailability of cannabis in the body — meaning you’ll feel the high within 20 minutes instead of the typical 60 minutes.

Each gummy variety also contains a different blend of CBD — cannabinol (CBN) and cannabigerol (CBG) — to help foster relaxation, sleep and even increase energy.

“We paid a lot of attention to the cannabinoids and terpenes when developing this line. Most female-centric cannabis products only focus on menopause, but that’s leaving out a huge chunk of the population,” Brandt said. “Ladylike has something for every woman, whether she wants to sleep better or uncover a hidden store of energy.”

Ladylike products are sold at The Flower Shop dispensaries in Phoenix, Mesa and Ahwatukee.