CBD Concentrates: Best CBD Pastes, Waxes, Dabs, & Crystals to Buy in 2022

What Are CBD Concentrates?

The term “concentrate” is an umbrella term for an entire class of products. A concentrate is considered any CBD product that’s had the majority of the other plant compounds removed aside from either the cannabinoids or terpenes (or both).

What you’re left with once all the amino acids, minerals, fats, sugars, sterols, and other phytochemicals have been removed is purified cannabis resin or individual cannabinoids.

Comparing the Different Types of CBD Concentrates

1. Hemp Resins & Pastes (10 – 40% CBD)

The rawest form of CBD concentrates are resin extracts and pastes.

This form of concentrate contains all the sticky, CBD-rich resins from the hemp flowers, but eliminates the fibers, proteins, and moisture from the extract. These extracts are popular as a more holistic extract of the plant as it contains all the sterols, waxes, terpenes, and some trace minerals contained in the plants.

Resins and pastes can be smoked, vaped, or taken orally.

Best CBD Resins & Pastes:

• Elixinol X-Pen
• Endoca CBD Extracts
• Amma Life CBD Paste
• Nordic Oils CBD Paste (Europe Only)
• Reakiro Hemp Rx Pen

2. CBD Waxes (10 – 60% CBD)

CBD waxes are a concentrated form of cannabis resins that have had some of the lipid portion removed. This gives them a solid consistency like a wax. When exposed to a heat source (such as a flame or vaporizer), the wax melts and evaporates.

Waxes maintain all the beneficial cannabinoids, terpenes, and a few plant sterols produced by the hemp plant, which makes them a full-spectrum product.

You can find these products with anywhere from 10 – 60% CBD by weight.

These products can be consumed raw, smoked, or added to a vaporizer (most common).

Best CBD Waxes:

• CBDfx Wax
• Hemplucid CBD Wax

3. CBD Shatters (30 – 80% CBD)

A CBD shatter is very similar to a wax. The difference is that even more of the lipids, esters, and sterols from the resin have been removed. This gives a shatter a much harder and viscous consistency.

It requires more heat to melt a shatter, but this makes them much more stable.

The removal of more plant compounds gives shatters a higher CBD concentration than waxes gram for gram as well.

Most people use shatters in a dab rig, vaporizer, or added to a rolled-cigarette. You can also add shatters to DIY capsules or ingest it orally.

Best CBD Shatters:

• Blue Moon Hemp Shatter

4. Live Resin Extracts (10 – 50% CBD)

Live resin extracts are hands down the highest grade extracts money can buy.

Concentrated live resin extract is made by extracting CBD from hemp plants that are still alive — preserving as much of the natural cannabinoid and terpene content as possible.

These extracts have a powerful aroma due to the abundance of medicinal terpenes and taste incredible (as long as you like the flavor of cannabis products).

The downside is that these products are very rare due to the challenges imposed with their production, can be fairly expensive, and have a shorter shelf-life than most CBD products.

We’ve only reviewed one live resin extract so far as they’re very difficult to find unless you know someone who makes them. We expect live resin extracts to become much more popular in the near future as people learn about them and the demand increases.

Best Live Resin CBD Extracts:

• Simply Crafted CBD Live Resin CBD Concentrate

5. CBD Crystals (90 – 99% CBD)

CBD crystals are a purified extract of CBD — and nothing else.

They’re 99% pure CBD without any of the waxes, sterols, terpenes, esters, or any other cannabinoid from the hemp plant.

CBD crystals are also the most cost effective way of getting CBD. They usually sell for around $0.05 per milligram of CBD or less since they can be made in bulk from any hemp. Even very low quality hemp can be extracted to isolate the CBD efficiently. Since all the other compounds are removed, CBD crystals made from low quality hemp is arguably just as good as CBD crystals made from high-quality hemp.

This form of CBD is very strong — you only need a small amount of this crystalline white powder to feel the effects of CBD (a few milligrams).

These extracts will usually have about 99.9% pure CBD — but lower quality extracts may be closer to 93% purity. Some companies will add terpenes to their CBD isolates, so the purity will be slightly lower to account for these added ingredients.

Best CBD Crystals

• CBDistillery CBD Isolates
• Green Roads CBD Dab Crystals
• Infinite CBD Absolute Zero Isolate
• Try The CBD Isolate Crystals
• Endoca CBD Crystals
• Just CBD Isolate Crystals
• Nordic Oil Crystals (Europe Only)

How to Use CBD Concentrates

CBD concentrates can be smoked, vaped, used topically, or consumed orally. The ultra-high dose of CBD allows users to achieve potent effects with very small servings.

Concentrates are the most versatile form of CBD available — but also come with some disadvantages.

The main problem with CBD concentrates is their high potency — the difference between even just 1 mg of concentrate can significantly change the effects produced by the extract. For this reason, we recommend only the most experienced CBD users seek out concentrates.

If you’re worried about getting high, you can relax. CBD waxes and dabs generally contain less than 0.3% THC, which means you won’t get high and they’re legal to purchase and consume in all 50 states of America and throughout most of Europe.

Of course, make sure to always check the packaging to make sure the products you’re using are free from THC. There are products on the market in areas where CBD is legal that contain high doses of THC. It will always list the THC content on the package, and any of the products recommended above are confirmed to have less than 0.3% THC.

What’s the Dose of CBD Concentrates?

The ideal dose of CBD is entirely dependent on the effects you’re looking to receive and how cannabinoids interact with your body individually. Other factors include your gender (males tend to require larger doses than females), size, weight, body fat composition, method of administration, genes… the list goes on.

In short, there is no right answer for how much CBD you should be taking on a daily basis. In fact, your needs will probably change day-to-day.

With CBD waxes and dabs, it can be a little tough to determine how much CBD you’re actually getting with each inhale. If you’re the kind of person to take a few big hits and hold them, you might be getting a different dose than someone who takes frequent small hits.

Depending on your personal requirements, you might want to consider combining your CBD waxes and dabs with another method, such as tinctures or capsules, to achieve a more consistent dose.

We have included a general guide, based on your weight and the desired strength you’re looking to achieve, below. Take a look to get an idea of how much CBD you might need on a daily basis. We recommend you start with the lowest dose and build up slowly over time until you get the desired level of effects.

CBD Dosage Calculator

Note: You should always discuss with your doctor before starting any new health supplement. There is no substitute for professional medical advice.

What Are the Benefits of CBD Concentrates?

There are a few key benefits of using CBD concentrates over other forms of CBD products, let’s cover each in more detail.

Health Benefits of CBD Concentrates

CBD concentrates are one of the best options for fast-acting relief from a wide range of symptoms, including pain, inflammation, anxiety, stress, arthritis, neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, insomnia, and much more.

The high concentration of CBD and other cannabinoids makes it easier to hit higher dosages when using CBD products for more severe symptoms. This is the form most commonly used by people with multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, epilepsy, cancer, or inflammatory bowel disease.

CBD Concentrates Have a Faster Onset Time

Concentrates can be either smoked or vaped for an immediate onset of effects.

According to a study conducted by the National Institute of Health, smoking or vaping CBD concentrates deliver approximately 18% of the active ingredient (CBD) to your body — versus only 6% when taken orally, such as a capsule or edible.

This fast-acting relief makes CBD concentrates best for more severe or acute symptoms. We use it in a vaporizer for rolling anxiety attacks and breakthrough pain. A lot of people use concentrates in combination with oils or capsules to help maintain the effects of these longer-lasting forms of CBD.

Others use the concentrates directly on problematic areas of the skin — such as painful bug bites, joint pain, or acne. This is best for small areas only, as the cost of CBD concentrates per gram is much higher than a CBD oil or topical products.

When Should I Avoid CBD Concentrates?

CBD concentrates are very strong. This makes them less ideal for people who don’t have much experience using CBD.

It’s easy to take too much if you’re not sure how CBD interacts with your body individually.

If you’re taking any medications, other health supplements, or have underlying medical conditions — you should speak with your doctor about using CBD first. It’s also wise to start with a milder source of CBD, such as a CBD oil, CBD capsule, or CBD gummy to see how you respond to these supplements first.

How Much Do CBD Concentrates Cost?

You’ll find CBD products in many different sizes and concentrations, at several price points. How can you get a meaningful way to compare them?

If the price is one of your deciding factors in your CBD purchase, use the cost per mg of CBD to compare similar products.

To calculate this metric, simply take the total cost of the product, and divide it by the total milligrams of CBD in the package. This way, you know exactly the cost of the ingredient you’re after — the CBD.

You can also use this metric to compare a tincture to capsules, or vape oils to gummies, etc.

Working out the cost per mg of CBD is by far the best way to compare CBD products by price.

Cost Range For CBD Concentrates (Per Milligram of CBD)

How Potent Are CBD Concentrates?

Most concentrates will be high-potency — containing over 40% cannabinoids by weight. Waxes will tend to have the lowest concentration as the inactive wax content takes up some of the space. When the wax is removed, the concentration can go all the way up to 99.9% cannabinoids by weight.

CBD crystals are even more pure, as all of the other cannabinoids (like CBC, CBG, and CBN) have also been removed. These usually come as a 99.9% CBD without any other cannabinoids present.

Potency Range For CBD Concentrates (CBD Percentage by Weight)

Quick Tips: How to Find Quality CBD Concentrates

1. Find out where the hemp is grown — Look for 100% organic, non-GMO, pesticide-free, industrial hemp grown in the United States or Northern Europe.
2. Investigate third-party lab tests — proving the quality, potency, and purity of the concentrate.
3. Assess the companies mission statement — does it make sense, are they helping to improve the industry overall?
4. Compare products by cost per mg of CBD — does the concentrate come at a good price? Is it a good buy?
5. Assess the potency of the concentrate — how strong is the concentrate and is this an appropriate strength for the price and recommended uses?

→ Learn how we evaluate CBD Products

Final Notes on Buying CBD Waxes & Dabs

CBD waxes and dabs are one of the best ways to get your much-needed relief — fast.

They’re one of the easiest ways to use CBD, especially if you’re already familiar with vaping or dabbing other products. Simply add your new CBD waxes and dabs to your arsenal and you’re on your way.

For experienced CBD users, waxes and dabs give you a way to further customize your treatment plan. You can combine them with other CBD products, such as tinctures or capsules, in order to get the maximum benefit of CBD.

If you’re brand new to CBD but have used vapes or dabs in the past, you’ll find that CBD waxes are an easy way to start out.

Vaping or smoking allows CBD to get into your bloodstream much faster than other methods, which makes it a great option for people who need frequent relief from unexpected symptoms such as anxiety or panic attacks.

Don’t miss the list of our top-rated CBD concentrates for 2022 at the top of this article. We’ve done a lot of the work for you, so start your search the easy way.

Top-Rated CBD Concentrates

Number	Product	Total CBD	Potency	Cost per mg CBD	Link
1	CBDistillery CBD Powders	500 mg – 14000 mg	99.9%	$0.03 – $0.04	Get a Deal
2	Cannimal Gold Concentrate	650 mg	99%	$0.11	Get a Deal
3	Green Roads CBD Dab Crystals	250 – 1000 mg	99.9%	$0.07 – $0.12	Get a Deal
4	Blue Moon Hemp CBD Shatter	500 – 1000 mg	99.6%	$0.06 – $0.07	Get a Deal
5	Elixinol X-Pen	1000 mg	10%	$0.13	Get a Deal
6	Endoca CBD Extracts	2000 – 3000 mg	20 – 30%	€0.09	Get a Deal
7	Infinite CBD Absolute Zero Isolate	1000 – 28,000 mg	99%	$0.02 – $0.03	Get a Deal