Types of THC Concentrates: The Complete Guide

02Dec 2025 by Quit Smoking Advisors

THC concentrates are cannabis products processed to isolate THC and other active compounds. They come in many textures, consistencies, and potencies, but all share one purpose:

To deliver highly concentrated THC.

Concentrates can be used for:

  • Dabbing
  • Vaping
  • Adding to joints or bowls
  • Edibles (when decarboxylated)

Extraction methods may use solvents (like butane or CO₂) or be completely solventless (like rosin).

Major Types of THC Concentrates

Below are the most common and popular types, grouped by consistency and extraction method.

1. Shatter

Texture: Glass-like, brittle
THC Range: 70–90%
Extraction: Typically butane hash oil (BHO)

Shatter is named for its breakable, translucent appearance. It’s pure, potent, and stable, making it one of the most popular concentrates for dabbing.

2. Wax

Texture: Soft, crumbly, whipped
Variants: Crumble, honeycomb, sugar wax, budder
THC Range: 60–80%

Wax is made by whipping BHO extract during the purging process, giving it a softer, more workable consistency than shatter. Easy to handle, beginner-friendly, and rich in flavor.

3. Budder

Texture: Creamy, butter-like
THC Range: 70–85%

Budder is whipped even more aggressively than wax to achieve a smooth, silky texture. It’s known for excellent terpene preservation and strong flavor.

4. Crumble

Texture: Dry, crumbly, porous
THC Range: 60–80%

Crumble is a form of wax that dries into a honeycomb structure. It’s easy to sprinkle on bowls or mix into joints.

5. Live Resin

Texture: Sauce-like, terpene-rich
THC Range: 65–85%
Extraction: Hydrocarbon extraction from fresh-frozen flower

Live resin is prized for its flavor and aroma, capturing terpenes normally lost during drying. Considered premium for dabbing and vaping.

6. Live Rosin (Solventless)

Texture: Creamy, tacky, high-terpene
THC Range: 60–80%
Extraction: Heat + pressure, no solvents

Live rosin is made by pressing bubble hash or fresh-frozen hash under heat and pressure. This is one of the cleanest, most natural forms of concentrate and favored for purity.

7. Hash (Traditional Pressed Hash)

Texture: Pliable brick or ball
THC Range: 20–60%
Extraction: Manual or mechanical trichome separation

Traditional hash is made by pressing sifted trichomes into a dense block. It’s the oldest concentrate, used for centuries in regions like Morocco, Afghanistan, and Nepal.

8. Bubble Hash (Ice Water Hash)

Texture: Grainy to sandy, depending on micron size
Grades: 1-star (low purity) to 6-star (full melt)
THC Range: 40–70%

Created using ice water and agitation to detach trichomes, then filtered through micron bags. High-end “full melt” hash vaporizes cleanly and commands premium prices.

9. Kief

Texture: Fine powder (loose trichomes)
THC Range: 30–60%

Kief is the simplest concentrate: trichomes shaken or sifted from flower. Often sprinkled on bowls or pressed into hash or rosin.

10. Distillate

Texture: Thick, clear oil
THC Range: 85–99%

Distillate is ultra-refined, removing almost all cannabis compounds except THC. Very strong but lacking terpenes unless reintroduced. Used in:

  • Vape cartridges
  • Edibles
  • Tinctures
  • Syringes

11. THC Oil (Cartridges)

Texture: Syrupy oil
THC Range: 60–95%

Vape cartridges contain THC oil (distillate, live resin, rosin, or CO₂ extract). Easy to use and discreet but vary widely in quality.

12. CO₂ Oil

Texture: Amber oil
THC Range: 50–75%
Extraction: CO₂ supercritical extraction

A solvent-free alternative often used for cartridges. Milder flavor but cleaner extraction process.

13. RSO (Rick Simpson Oil)

Texture: Thick, tar-like
THC Range: 60–90%
Use: Typically oral or topical

RSO is a full-extract oil known for its medicinal reputation. Very potent and not usually dabbed.

14. THC Diamonds

Texture: Crystalline
THC Range: 90–100% THCA
Often Paired With: Terp sauce

THC diamonds are nearly pure crystalline THCA. When combined with terpene-rich sauce, the result is called “diamonds and sauce” or “terp diamonds.”

15. Sauce

Texture: Runny, terpene-heavy
THC Range: 50–70%

Sauce contains high levels of terpenes with smaller THC crystals floating in the mixture. Known for intense aroma and flavor.

How THC Concentrates Are Made

There are two main extraction categories:

Solvent-Based Extraction

Uses chemicals to separate cannabinoids.

Common solvents:

  • Butane (BHO)
  • Propane (PHO)
  • CO₂
  • Ethanol

Produces shatter, wax, budder, live resin, distillate, etc.

Solventless Extraction

Uses pressure, heat, and filtration—no chemicals.

Includes:

  • Rosin
  • Live rosin
  • Hash
  • Bubble hash
  • Kief

These products appeal to purity-focused users.

How to Use THC Concentrates

Common consumption methods:

Dabbing

Heated nail + concentrate = vaporization
Most intense experience.

Vape Pens / Carts

Convenient, portable, discreet.

Mixing with Flower

Boosts potency when smoked in joints or bowls.

Edibles

Distillate and RSO can be taken orally.

Risks and Considerations

THC concentrates are extremely potent. Possible risks include:

  • Tolerance buildup
  • Dependence
  • Strong psychoactive effects
  • Anxiety or paranoia
  • Impaired motor skills
  • Overconsumption

Beginners should start slowly and avoid high-THC products until comfortable.

Final Thoughts: Choosing the Right Concentrate

There is no “best” concentrate—only the one that fits your needs.

For flavor: Live resin, live rosin

For potency: Diamonds, distillate

For purity: Rosin, bubble hash

For beginners: Wax, crumble

For medical use: RSO, CO₂ oil

Understanding the different types helps you choose safely and confidently.

Types of THC Concentrates infographic