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What Are CBD Terpenes?
Terpenes are the oily, aromatic compounds that give plants their scent, present in everything from pine trees to citrus peel and lavender. Cannabis produces over 100 of them, and the specific blend in a given strain is what makes an earthy, diesel-leaning variety smell nothing like a bright, citrus-forward one.
CBD terpenes take that same set of compounds and reintroduce them into a CBD extract, which is where the entourage effect comes in. The idea is that terpenes don't just sit alongside CBD for flavour; they work with it, rounding out the overall effect so the extract feels more complete than CBD on its own.
How to Use CBD Terpenes?
Terpenes can be worked into a CBD routine in more than one way, and which method suits you best usually comes down to how quickly you want them to take effect and how you prefer to take CBD in the first place.
Vaping and Inhalation
Terpenes can be added to e-liquids or cannabis concentrates, or dispersed through diffusers. Because inhalation sends compounds straight into the bloodstream through the lungs, this route tends to work fastest.
Sublingual Drops
You can mix liquid terpenes into an unflavoured CBD oil and place it under the tongue. Hold them there for a moment before swallowing; this method partly bypasses digestion, allowing quicker uptake than swallowing the mixture outright.
Topical Applications
You can massage terpenes blended into a cream, balm, or lotion directly onto the skin. This keeps the effect more localised, instead of working through the whole body.
Oral and Culinary
You can mix food-grade terpenes into edibles, drinks, or tinctures. This route takes longer to have an effect than inhalation or sublingual use, since the terpenes have to pass through digestion first.
How to Mix Terpenes Properly?
A few simple habits go a long way toward getting a smooth, well-balanced terpene blend, whether you're vaping it or applying it to the skin.
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Always dilute first: Terpenes are potent in their concentrated form, and used undiluted, they can irritate the skin or lungs, so mix them into a carrier oil or base product before use rather than applying them directly.
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Start light and build up: Terpenes are concentrated enough that a small amount has a noticeable effect, so start with a low concentration and adjust gradually.
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Mix thoroughly, then let it rest: Stir the blend well so the terpenes spread evenly through the base instead of pooling in one spot, then leave it somewhere cool, dark, and airtight for a short while before using it, giving the mix time to settle properly
FAQ
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Terpenes and cannabinoids are two separate groups of compounds found in cannabis, so terpenes aren't classed as cannabinoids themselves. Cannabinoids like CBD and THC interact with the body's cannabinoid receptors, while terpenes provide scent and flavour and work through different pathways.
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Terpenes on their own aren't intoxicating and won't get you stoned, since that effect comes from THC interacting with cannabinoid receptors in the brain. Terpenes can still influence how an experience feels when paired with a cannabinoid, but they don't produce a high by themselves.
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Some CBD terpenes UK products do contain terpenes, but it depends on the type. Pure CBD isolate doesn't, since the extraction process strips out everything except the cannabidiol itself, leaving a neutral, unflavoured base.