Full-Spectrum, Broad-Spectrum, and CBD Isolates: What’s the Difference?

As a consumer, you may have become familiar with the CBD products offered across the nation. Since the 2018 Farm Bill’s legalization of industrial hemp and its derivatives, CBD’s sales have taken off. So, then: full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and CBD isolates. What’s the difference? We see these names thrown around a lot when referring to CBD, especially CBD oil, so what do they actually mean

We want to get down to the details and fully understand what each type of CBD product is. We’ll also break down the ingredients involved in making it. Let’s dive into our comprehensive guide to help simplify what makes each type of CBD extract unique.


Why So Many CBD Products?

You may start to wonder — why are there so many different CBD products available? Hasn’t the market become oversaturated yet? As the cannabidiol industry continues to skyrocket, it’s easy to make people curious about when it’s going to slow down.

That’s just one of the many things that make the CBD market so appealing, though. The versatility of having thousands of options at your disposal is a truly unique experience. It helps you confidently pick the highest-quality products for your specific needs.

The world caught wind of CBD oil, its beneficial compounds like the other cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids included, and they were eager to experience the entourage effect in full effect. 

We’re happy to stimulate this effect through powerful broad-spectrum CBD products containing no detectable THC levels. We’re also pleased to do it through our full-spectrum CBD products, holding no more than the THC’s legal maximum per bottle.

Before diving into the significant differences between a broad-spectrum product and other formulas, we want to touch on the extraction process.

All three types of CBD formula also start at this step. In fact, it’s one of the most vital for a high-quality CBD product. There is some minor variation for each type, though it depends on the method used for extraction. However, it’s only after the extraction process that differences become more evident.


How Does CBD Get Extracted from Hemp?

There is a sophisticated process involved in taking CBD as a cannabinoid in hemp and turning it into an oil extract. 

To extract a specific cannabinoid from hemp, they first apply pressure to the plant. Rather than a harsh solvent that can damage the final extract compounds, pressurized supercritical carbon dioxide or food-safe ethanol produce high-quality extracts.

The intense pressure causes the hemp plant’s hairs, or trichomes, to burst open, releasing vital cannabinoids. For either method, molecules bind to the carbon in the ethanol or CO2 and distilled, which removes any solid plant material from the formula entirely.

From there, the CBD oil may get refined. If it’s refined of all THC, it becomes a broad-spectrum formula. Broad-spectrum is a popular option for those that want to enjoy the power of CBD without the worry of failing a drug test due to THC. 

While industrial hemp can legally contain a max of 0.3% THC, the substance itself is still federally outlawed. Likewise, consuming too much full-spectrum CBD can build up the amount of THC in your system. As a result, you could go over the maximum legal amount over time.


CBD isolates are CBD extracts that have been refined of all other compounds.

What is a CBD Isolate?

We mentioned that companies could choose to remove any unwanted cannabinoids or other hemp compounds from their formula. In some cases, a CBD brand will choose to remove all other hemp compounds besides CBD from their final product. Creating something that is typically 99+% pure CBD, this hemp-derived product is known as a CBD isolate.

Those who are sensitive to cannabinoids or want to take an even further step of a precaution than with a broad-spectrum formula find their comfort zone with CBD isolates. There is some efficacy involved, as CBD by itself has benefits for some people. The results are typically not as promising as those who choose a broad-spectrum or full-spectrum CBD oil instead, though.

One problem with CBD isolates companies is many only say that they offer isolates when they really offer a broad-spectrum or even full-spectrum product. Without proper batch testing, a company claiming that their product is 99+% CBD has no proof to back up that claim.

Beware of any brand that claims their products are CBD isolates if it appears there are trace amounts of any other hemp compound in the formula.


Broad-spectrum CBD products contain CBD and other hemp compounds, but they're free of THC.

What is Broad-Spectrum CBD Oil?

Think of broad-spectrum extracts as simply the step you would take to ensure a full-spectrum product is free of THC. The refining process is an integral part of what makes a broad-spectrum extract safe and potent, and it allows brands to remove any unwanted cannabinoids or other hemp compounds from the formula.

If a company chooses just to remove the THC and retain the other compounds, users still get to enjoy the synergy of the compounds working together. All non-psychoactive, the only cannabinoid left out of the bunch is THC.

We’re proud to offer both broad-spectrum and full-spectrum CBD for these exact reasons. The power to choose if THC is in your product or not should be in your hands, not the brand’s. We work hard to give you that choice. 

Both of our broad-spectrum and full-spectrum formulas are popular among repeat shoppers. We always recommend our broad-spectrum option for those who don’t want to worry about the THC side of things.


Full-spectrum CBD products contain everything from the hemp plant, including up to 0.3% THC

What is a Full-Spectrum CBD Oil?

There are over 400+ compounds found within various cannabis plants, and each hemp strain has its unique profile of cannabinoids and terpenes.

That cannabinoid and terpene profile is a hemp plant’s full spectrum of compounds. Without anything removed, including any trace amounts of THC, that profile left intact is what’s considered a full-spectrum CBD extract.

When you see “full-spectrum” on a CBD label, you should immediately start looking for that company’s third-party lab results. While we recommend looking at lab reports before purchasing any CBD product, this goes especially for full-spectrum products.

We want you to have confidence in our products. As a result, that’s just one of the many reasons we test every batch. We then have them re-tested through a third-party lab for verification and the utmost in safety maintenance.

The industry hasn’t regulated the terms so that they may have gone through a refinement process for their THC anyway, but it’s more likely that there will be trace amounts of THC in the product. You should check the lab results to ensure they test every single batch to retain the consistency of how much THC is present.


Why Choose a Full-Spectrum or Broad-Spectrum CBD Oil?

We hope our guide could inform you of the differences between full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and CBD isolates. Isolates may work for some people, but you’re just not likely to get the majority of the effects you’re seeking. 

With a broad-spectrum and especially a full-spectrum CBD oil, you’re optimizing your chances of feeling an entourage effect. This helps intensify properties experienced from CBD, terpenes, other cannabinoids, and more. 

That synergy of all the hemp compounds working together is what turns so many people towards a routine that involves CBD. Try our full-spectrum CBD or broad-spectrum CBD oil today to see what you’ve been missing! We currently offer two unique flavors for our broad-spectrum oils, Mint and Natural. For our full-spectrum products, we offer winning combos like CBD + THC, CBD + delta-8, CBD + CBN, and more.

Have more questions about CBD? Be sure to stop by our blog where we cover a variety of topics. We discuss CBD, delta-8 THC, details about our policies, and everything in between. 

Make sure to also check out the next blog: Does CBD REALLY Do Anything?