What Is Live Resin? Is Live Resin Really Stronger?

Live resin’s roots trace back to 2013, when cultivator William “Kind Bill” Fenger and EmoTek Labs founder Jason “Giddy Up” Emo produced the very first batch. By using fresh-frozen cannabis rather than the standard dried material, they captured delicate terpenes that had always slipped away during curing.

In the following years, new extraction technologies refined this process, making live resin more potent, more aromatic, and easier to produce at scale. 

Today, it’s hard to imagine the cannabis landscape without live resin on the shelves, prized by connoisseurs and newcomers alike for offering an experience closer to the living plant than any concentrate that came before.

But what exactly is live resin, and why has it become a favorite among cannabis enthusiasts? Let’s dive in.

What Is Live Resin?

Live resin is a cannabis concentrate created using fresh, flash-frozen cannabis plants rather than dried or cured buds. It captures the plant’s essence in its most unaltered state.

By harvesting and freezing the plants at ultra-low temperatures immediately after cutting. This process locks in volatile terpenes (aromatic compounds) and cannabinoids like THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol), resulting in a product that captures the plant’s essence as if it were still “alive.”

The frozen plant material is then placed under vacuum and low temperature conditions, maintaining the rich spectrum of flavors and potent cannabinoids that might otherwise be lost during conventional extraction methods.

Traditional concentrates use dried and cured flowers, which can lose up to 60% of its terpene content during those processes.

Why Choose Live-Resin?

While distillate strips cannabis to pure THC and rosin relies on heat and pressure (but uses cured flower), live resin bridges the gap. It is made from fresh-frozen plant material, delivering a richer terpene profile than rosin and a fuller spectrum than distillate.

As a result, live resin delivers a fuller, more intensely flavorful experience than many other forms of concentrates, preserving the authentic essence of the strain.

Key Characteristics

• Higher Terpene Content: The freezing process prevents terpene loss that commonly occurs during drying and curing.

• Potency and Flavor: Being “live” means a more intense and full-bodied taste, often accompanied by strong psychoactive effects.

• Full-Spectrum Effects: Terpenes and cannabinoids work together in the “entourage effect.”

Is Live Resin THC Stronger Than Distillate?

Live resin isn’t inherently "stronger" in THC percentage than all concentrates—distillate, for example, often tests up to 95%+ THC as well—but its full-spectrum cannabinoid and terpene profile creates a more potent, nuanced effect due to the entourage effect. 

Concentrates like shatter or wax may match its THC levels (65–90%).

Live resin’s preserved terpenes amplify your experience’s intensity, duration, and strain-specific qualities, making it feel stronger and more immersive.

For raw THC potency, choose distillate; for a richer, more authentic experience, live resin reigns.

How Is Live Resin Made?

Live resin is crafted through a meticulous process designed to preserve the cannabis plant’s natural chemistry. Here’s how it’s made:

1. Fresh Harvest: Plants are harvested at peak ripeness and immediately flash-frozen at ultra-low temperatures (-40°F to -80°F). This step locks in terpenes and cannabinoids that degrade during drying or curing.

2. Solvent Extraction: The frozen material is processed using hydrocarbons in a closed-loop system. Solvents dissolve cannabinoids and terpenes without heat damage, creating a terpene-rich oil.

3. Purging: Residual solvents are removed using vacuum ovens, leaving a clean, full-spectrum concentrate.

4. Final Product: The result is a sticky, aromatic extract and a terpene profile mirroring the fresh plant.

Live Resin Terpenes

Terpenes are preserved through low-temperature extraction methods that protect their volatile nature. The result is a concentrate that mimics the fresh plant’s aroma and flavor with remarkable accuracy.

• Flavor and Aroma: Live resin terpenes deliver bold, strain-specific tastes and smells that are far richer than those in cured concentrates.

• Entourage Effect: Terpenes work synergistically with cannabinoids like THC and CBD to enhance both flavor and therapeutic effects.

• True-to-Strain Experience: With live resin, you’re experiencing the strain as it was meant to be—fresh, flavorful, and full-spectrum.

How Are Live Resin Terpenes Used?

Live resin terpenes can be enjoyed directly through dabbing or vaping live resin concentrates or used to enhance other cannabis products like edibles or cartridges. For example:

• They can be infused into THC gummies (like Cannovia’s) to replicate the authentic effects of specific strains.

• They enrich cannabis products by adding depth to their flavor and aroma profiles while preserving the original strain’s characteristics.

Cannovia’s Live Resin Gummies

Instead of relying on a single extract, our gummies carefully blend the top terpenes from iconic strains like Blue Dream to recreate their authentic flavor and effects. This ensures that every gummy delivers a true-to-strain experience—whether it’s an uplifting burst of creativity or a wave of relaxation.

Our THC gummies are packed with nano-sized terpenes and nanoionized™ cannabinoids that are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, ensuring higher bioavailability and faster onset of effects.

Other Live Resin THC Products

Beyond edibles, live resin can be made into various forms and textures:

1. Live resin cart - Saucy, viscous oil with a thick, terpene-rich texture.

2. Sugar - Granular, crystalline texture with a slightly sticky, sand-like consistency.

3. Sauce – A gooey, syrup-like consistency with high terpene content.

4. Budder/Badder – A creamy, whipped live resin that’s easy to handle.

5. Shatter – A more brittle form, though less common in live resin due to high terpene content.

6. Edibles – Some brands infuse live resin into gummies or candies for a flavor-packed experience, though decarboxylation is required to activate cannabinoids.

Where Can You Buy Live Resin Gummies?

You can purchase live resin gummies both online and in physical stores. 

For the best experience, we recommend buying directly from our website, where you’ll find gummies crafted with care, using live terpenes and hemp-derived cannabinoids for true-to-strain effects.

Live resin gummies are often available at dispensaries and specialty CBD shops as well. Always choose products from reputable sources that provide third-party lab testing to guarantee quality and safety.