Cannabis resin is the light to dark brown sticky substance found on the trichomes of a cannabis plant. This sap-like plant byproduct is considered the most valuable part of the plant and delivers the prime majority of the psychoactive compound THC. Products containing resin are called concentrates. There are several ways that resins can be harvested to produce concentrates, such as butane hash oil, live resin, and rosin.

Types Of Cannabis Resin Products

There are several types of resin products. Some of the most common include.

Hash

This traditional cannabis concentrate has been used for many decades. When consumed, a hash can provide a feeling of euphoria. It is made by separating trichome crystals before rolling the substance into a ball or pressing it into a brick.

Butane Hash Oil

Abbreviated as BHO, butane hash oil is one of the most popular forms of cannabis concentrate. It is commonly used in dabs due to its potency and fast onset. BHO is made through the process of removing fatty trichome resin glands from the cannabis plant with butane.

Live Resin

Live resin is made from cannabis plants that have been flash-frozen immediately post-harvest. By freezing directly after harvest, terpenes and other cannabis compounds do not have the chance to degrade.

Rosin

Rosin does not require solvents and is made by applying pressure and heat to dried cannabis plants.

CO2 Oil

CO2 oil is a type of cannabis concentrate derived from cannabis resin that has been extracted from a plant with a solvent. However, instead of using butane like hash oil, CO2 is used.

How To Smoke Resin

How you smoke cannabis resin will depend on the type of product you purchased. Hash oil concentrates are typically sold in oil cartridges that can be attached to a smoking device. Other concentrates, such as rosin or “dabs,” are best enjoyed with a rig or dab pipe. The simplest way to ensure that you use up all of the resin in your bong or pipe is to apply heat to the outer surface. As the resin evaporates, you can inhale the vapors.

Shop Cannabis Resin

When shopping for cannabis concentrates, you are likely to come across resin. Resin delivers many of the same benefits as other concentrates. To learn more about resins or to shop our selection of cannabis concentrates.

What is live resin?

It is a cannabis concentrate that gets its name from the freshness of the cannabis plant from which it’s made. Unlike the majority of cannabis products, live resin is made from plant material that hasn’t been dried or cured. The starting plant material used for live resin includes fresh flower buds and sugar leaves; the large fan leaves and stems are excluded. The flash-freezing process helps preserve the most desirable compounds and retain the full flavor of the cannabis plant. Concentrate enthusiasts tend to gravitate toward it thanks to its more flavorful and aromatic dabbing experience. 

Capturing the full essence and aroma of living cannabis is the primary goal. The live resin production process — flash-freezing the plant material, then extracting compounds from it — is associated with high-quality and flavorful concentrates. Bypassing the typical drying and curing stage allows for a greater proportion of essential oils. These essential oils, technically called terpenes, are the compounds responsible for the distinctive flavors and aromas in weed, and in the final extraction product.

What does live resin look and feel like?

It comes in a variety of colors and forms. The type of cultivar, or strain, used for the concentrate affects a lot of the chemical and physical characteristics of the extract. Live resin is chock full of terpenes in greater proportions than other concentrates. With the additional essential oils, the consistency is typically looser than other concentrates. The more terpenes, the runnier and more malleable the concentrate. The most common consistencies of live resin are sap, sugar, badder/budder, and sauce.

Shatter is another very common and popular type of cannabis concentrate. But live resin in shatter form is very hard to find if you can find it at all. Shatter is defined by its brittle consistency, which is difficult to achieve with the live resin process since the liquidity of terpenes prevents the concentrate from becoming hard and rigid. 

What’s the difference between live resin and sauce?

The starting plant material determines if it’s sauce. Live resin always starts with fresh weed plants that are processed by flash-freezing. Sauce, in contrast, may start with fresh plant matter or cured bud. The cured plant material is going to lack the high levels of terpenes found in live resin. Be sure to examine the packaging and labels of the sauce for whether it’s cured nug sauce or live resin sauce. 

Is live resin considered a ‘full spectrum extract?

The short answer is, sometimes. Full-spectrum extracts are concentrates that aim to capture as much of the full cannabinoid and terpene profile of the raw cannabis plant as possible. Depending on how the plant is processed, live resin can be considered a full-spectrum extract. But not all full-spectrum extracts are produced from fresh, frozen plant material. Kief, for example, is a full-spectrum concentrate, though it uses cured rather than fresh, frozen cannabis as its starting plant material.

How to store live resin

Preserve the potency and quality by keeping it away from heat, light, moisture, and open air. An airtight and lightproof container is best to help maintain its texture and consistency, as well as protect the cannabinoids from degradation and the terpenes from evaporation. If you’re in the market for containers, look for concentrate storage containers made of silicone or glass. Silicone has another perk — it’s easier to scrape sticky concentrates out of it. 

What does live resin look like?

Live resin is typically a dark yellow color. It is a more malleable concentrate, sitting somewhere between a sauce and a wax—not too wet and not quite like taffy.

Like all cannabis concentrates it is extremely sticky, so you’ll need a dab tool to handle it. Depending on the producer, some live resins may have a runny consistency and some may be more solid or waxy.