What Is Live Resin?

There are a lot of cannabis products on the market nowadays. Back in the day, you just got the strain that your dealer had on hand. Now, you can order any strain that you want to your door – and we’re just talking about flower. Dispensaries also sell edibles, distillates, oils, and a whole lot of other concentrates that don’t exactly look like the buds you’re used to.

If you have questions about the oils and sticky stuff that you see for sale, you’re not alone.

In this post, we’re going to zoom in on one of the hottest cannabis items on the market: live resin. You might not have seen live resin before, but now you can buy it online and enjoy it in just a few days. Learn more about this concentrate to see if it’s right for you, and what alternative products can give you the benefits you’re looking for.

Live Resin: The Basics

Before you can consume cannabis and get the benefits of THC, you have to decarb the cannabis. Sometimes, this process is done without thinking about it. Sparking a joint decarbs the cannabis before you inhale. Other times, it requires heating the cannabis in an oven or slow cooker to break down THCA and turn it into THC.

(You can read more about this process on our blog.)

But decarbing weed isn’t perfect. If conditions aren’t right or temperatures are too high, other chemical compounds and terpenes can break down. For cannabis enthusiasts who want the purest form of cannabis they can get, this can be an issue.

There is a way to extract terpenes without the decarboxylation process. This is what makes live resin stand out from other cannabis products on the market. Instead of heating up the flower after it is cut to transform THCA to THC, cannabis plants are immediately frozen after they are cut.

The plants also do not go through the drying and curing process before they are frozen. Like the decarbing process, drying and curing cannabis is necessary if you want to produce a good flower. But this process isn’t 100% perfect.

So the flower is frozen immediately, and the terpenes are extracted while the plant is still frozen. This allows the structure of terpenes to be preserved. When terpenes are preserved, the aroma, flavor, and effects of the plant on the mind and body are preserved.

Think of live resin like butane hash oil (BHO,) but even more intense. Like many concentrates, the THC levels in live resin can reach 90%. (Flower typically contains 15-25% THC, with some exceptions.) Users commonly report having a more elevated experience using live resins than other concentrates.

What Does Live Resin Look Like?

Different manufacturers may approach live resin in different ways. Initially, the live resin could have a variety of consistencies based on the terpenes in the resin. Some terpenes produce more waxy substances while others are more buttery or sappy.

For the purposes of shipping and packaging the product, manufacturers may mix the resin with other materials to create a consistency that users can handle and enjoy with ease.

The live resin products we get from High Voltage tend to be more waxy and solid. Nektr Extracts products tend to be more liquid or even vary in consistency. This doesn’t mean that one manufacturer is “better” than the other. Most users develop a personal preference for how they like live resin based on how they consume it.

How Can You Consume Live Resin?

There are many ways to get lifted with live resin. Cannabis lovers have started to buy more concentrates because they are so versatile.

Dabbing

Dabbing is most often associated with live resin and similar concentrates. This process will deliver maximum flavor and effect, which is typically what people with a lot of experience in cannabis are looking for. In order to dab, you’ll need the right supplies and knowledge on how to actually dab in the first place.

Vaping

It’s very possible to vape flower, but it’s a lot easier to vape with cannabis concentrates. Live resin is quickly becoming one of the most popular products to pop into a vape cartridge. Because the terpenes are so well-preserved in live resin, live resin cartridges tend to deliver a great flavor without any synthetic ingredients mixed in. They can be on the pricier side compared to other vape cartridges, but for many cannabis lovers, the price is worth the quality and integrity of the product.

You can read more about live resin, distillate, and other types of vape cartridges on our blog.  

Smoking

Adding a small bit of live resin or cannabis concentrates can really ramp up the high that you get from a joint or a blunt. Wrapping the concentrate around the joint, or “twaxing,” can also add a lot of THC to your afternoon smoke. Just be careful before you mix concentrates and smoking – you might not be able to inhale as much as you’re used to without being knocked off of your butt.

Edibles

There are many ways to put concentrates into edibles, but again, it’s important to be very careful when mixing in strong concentrates. Recipes that require a few ounces of cannabis flower may only need a tiny pinch of live resin to deliver the same couch-lock body high.

Where To Buy Live Resin

It’s not always easy to find concentrates in dispensaries around Canada. Most shops are limited to flowers, tinctures, and a small assortment of edibles. Online dispensaries are your best bet.

Live resin comes in a lot of varieties – you can choose the strain with the terpenes that you are looking for. If you don’t have a favorite type of live resin yet, we recommend our Mix and Match option. Users can choose up to four individual grams of live resin to experiment and find a favorite.

Again, live resin is seriously stronger than flower. It comes in smaller containers, and it’s crucial to start with smaller doses to experience the effects of live resin and see how you feel. Be responsible when using concentrates, and do what feels best for you.