Live Resin Vape vs Distillate Vape: What’s the Difference?

As vaping cannabis becomes more popular, consumers often face one big question: Should I choose a Live Resin Vape or a Distillate Vape? Both offer unique benefits, but understanding the differences can help you make the right choice for your preferences, experience level, and goals.

In this guide, we’ll break down the key differences between live resin vapes and distillate vapes, comparing flavor, potency, price, and more.

Despite being cannabis concentrates, distillates, and live resins go through such different processes that they wind up on opposing ends of the spectrum. Therefore, the primary distinction between live resin and distillates is that the majority of the plant’s original terpenes and cannabinoids are retained in live resins. On the other hand, distillates have a high proportion of THC and other cannabinoids.

What is a Live Resin Vape?

Live resin is a type of cannabis concentrate made by flash-freezing freshly harvested cannabis and then extracting it. This process preserves a full spectrum of terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids, which are often lost in traditional drying and curing.

How It’s Produced

Following harvest, producers immediately freeze premium plants at temperatures of at least 10 degrees below zero (Fahrenheit) to begin the process of producing living resin. The key to maintaining the chemical profile of the facility is the freezing process.

After 24 to 48 hours, the newly harvested frozen cannabis flowers are taken out, and the compounds are extracted from the plant using a hydrocarbon extraction equipment.

Since butane and propane are excellent at maintaining terpenes, most producers utilize a combination of these hydrocarbons. Before creating the finished product, extractors must eliminate residual levels. To remove the greasy combination, processors heat the tank before transferring it to another tank.

After purifying the extract, processors pour it into a processor to create the final live resin cannabis product. Some will agitate or whip the solution into a smooth, cohesive product known as badder or budder. Others leave the live resin oil in its original form: slightly wet with a sugary consistency due to the high terpene content. Live resin colors range from dark amber to light yellow and white.

Key Features of Live Resin Vapes:

Rich terpene profile: Stronger, more complex flavors and aromas.
Full-spectrum experience: Contains a wider range of cannabinoids and terpenes.
High-quality extract: Often seen as a premium product.
Entourage effect: Greater synergy between cannabinoids and terpenes.

What is a Distillate Vape?

Distillate is a purified form of cannabis oil where all compounds are removed except the desired cannabinoid, usually THC or CBD. Manufacturers often reintroduce terpenes for flavor, either from cannabis or botanical sources.

How Distillate is Made

Understanding how cannabis distillate is made helps highlight why it differs so much from live resin. Distillate undergoes a complex, multi-phase refinement process that isolates cannabinoids like THC or CBD into their purest form. Here’s a breakdown of how distillate is made:

Drying and Curing

Before any extraction begins, cannabis grown for distillate must be properly dried and cured. Farmers hang the plants upside down or lay them on drying racks. Once dried, the buds are cured in airtight containers to purge bacteria and stabilize the cannabinoids.

Solvent-Based Extraction

Next, processors use chemical solvents—typically butane, propane, or ethanol—to extract the cannabinoids from the plant’s trichomes, where THC, CBD, and other compounds are found.

Although this step can resemble live resin extraction, the end goals are different: distillate seeks purity and potency, while live resin aims to preserve terpenes and the full-spectrum profile.

Winterization & Filtration

After extraction, the crude oil is winterized. This involves cooling the extract to extremely low temperatures to separate and remove unwanted compounds like:

Waxes
Chlorophyll
Sugars
Phospholipids

The oil is also filtered to strip out residual solvents and contaminants. This step ensures a cleaner, more refined concentrate.

Decarboxylation

At this stage, the extract is heated to activate the cannabinoids—a process known as decarboxylation. It converts compounds like THCa (non-psychoactive) into THC, the psychoactive compound responsible for the “high.”

Distillation

Finally, the product goes through short-path distillation—a fractional process using controlled heat and vacuum pressure. This separates and isolates the desired cannabinoids, leaving behind:

Residual solvents
Terpenes
Lipids
Other impurities

The result is a highly potent, clear cannabis distillate that is virtually odorless, flavorless, and rich in THC or CBD.

Key Features of Distillate Vapes:

High potency: Often contains 85–95% THC.
Neutral flavor: Typically has a milder or artificially flavored taste.
Cost-effective: More affordable and widely available.
Customizable effects: Specific cannabinoids and terpenes can be added.