The Difference Between Live Resin and Rosin

Live resin and rosin are both concentrates extracted from hemp plant material. They’re high in cannabinoids and terpenes, and both can be consumed using a variety of methods (dabs, vapes, edibles, and topicals are common). Hemp live resin and rosin have similar THC content (live resin contains about 3-5 percent THC, while rosin includes 2-5 percent). By law, finished hemp products made to smoke, vape, dab, or ingest cannot contain more than 10 percent live resin or rosin, which guarantees the final product remains within the 0.3 percent total THC legal limit. Despite those similarities, however, live resin and rosin are not the same thing. So, what’s the difference between live resin and rosin? 

What’s the Difference Between Live Resin and Rosin?

The difference between live resin and rosin all comes down to the extraction process.

What Is Live Resin?

Live resin is a premium form of butane hash oil (BHO) created using only freshly cut or flash-frozen hemp plants. In other words, resin extracted from dried and cured hemp does not qualify as true live resin. Because live resin is extracted from fresh, flash-frozen plant material, it retains a high terpene content and a more natural flavor. Live resin is typically amber in color and has a soft and sugary texture.

Live resin is created through hydrocarbon extraction, which uses hydrocarbon solvents (propane or butane) to dissolve the active compounds in the hemp plant. Hydrocarbon extraction is highly efficient at isolating cannabinoids and terpenes and producing high-potency and purity concentrates. 

What Is Rosin?

Rosin is a hemp extract produced by pressing the hemp plant’s flowers, leaves, and stems between two heated plates. Unlike the hydrocarbon extraction process required to make live resin, rosin’s production is entirely solvent-free, using only heat and pressure to release the resinous, terpene-rich trichomes from the plant material. The resulting rosin is usually a pristine, potent concentrate that contains high levels of beneficial cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds. 

More Differences

While the most notable difference between live resin and rosin is the extraction process, a few other characteristics distinguish them from each other.

Cost

Rosin is usually more expensive than live resin. Because it is made without the use of solvents, creating rosin is much more time- and labor-intensive than creating live resin. The purity that results from the rosin-extraction process is a big part of the appeal for some users, but it’s often reflected in the higher price point.

Purity

Live resin is perfectly safe to dab, smoke, or otherwise use the way you would use any other hemp product. Still, some users prefer rosin products because rosin’s natural, chemical-free extraction process guarantees purity.

It’s important to note that you should always buy hemp products from reputable companies that put their products through rigorous third-party testing.

Consistency

Live resin usually has a runny, slightly sugary consistency, while rosin’s consistency is thick, sticky, and sap-like.

Taste

Whether you prefer the taste of live resin or the taste of rosin is, simply put, a matter of taste. Some hemp connoisseurs consider live resin to be the standard bearer in taste, while others prefer the smooth, complex flavor of rosin. The hydrocarbon extraction process used to produce live resin can favor some terpenes over others, sometimes creating a more focused flavor, which some users may see as a positive, and others may regard as a negative. The quality and strain of the hemp flower used to create the live resin or rosin will affect the final taste, too.

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Do you prefer live resin or rosin? Maybe you’re a fan of both! Whatever your preference, you can find the right product for you at Metta Hemp. Try our live resin wax concentrates or our CBD, CBG, CBN, and THCV disposable vape pens, all featuring real live resin, offering a potent, delicious, and convenient way to enjoy the wellness benefits of hemp. If you prefer edibles, check out our wide selection of rosin gummies.

No matter your preference, Metta Hemp products can help you enjoy the benefits of cannabis without getting too high or anxious, so you’ll feel good — not stoned. While you’re visiting our online shop, be sure to peruse our vast collection of CBD gummies, joints, tinctures, topicals, vapes, flowers, and more. Founded in 2017, Metta Hemp is committed to providing high-quality products, ethically grown cannabis, and kind and helpful customer service. Find our products in a store near you or shop online. Have any questions? We’re happy to help! Contact us today.