Why it matters
Live resin is produced by flash-freezing cannabis flower immediately after harvest and extracting with hydrocarbons (butane, propane) at low temperature. The cold solvent preserves volatile terpenes that would otherwise evaporate during drying and curing. The finished product is more aromatic and “true to plant” than distillate or conventional BHO.
In practice
Live resin is the format of choice for connoisseurs and for the most differentiated vape carts. It is more expensive to produce than distillate and substantially more so than crude. The terpene content is the price differentiator.
Common confusion
“Live” does not mean undecarboxylated — the resin is still processed and the cannabinoids are mostly in their neutral forms by the time the product reaches the consumer.
This glossary entry is editorial content reviewed against primary sources. It is not medical advice. See our Editorial Policy.