If you’re a current smoker and are considering vaping, you might not fully understand what vape juice is. All vape juice is not created equal — not only are there different nicotine strengths, but there are also different vape juice concentrations too. This means not all vape juice is compatible with all vape kits. The e-liquid used with your vape kit is based on the vape’s coils. We’ll go more into depth on what vape juice to use with different vape coils later on, but first let's go back to the basics.
WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS OF AN E-LIQUID?
Vape juice or e-liquid is the liquid that is vaped out of vape kits and disposables. This liquid is heated up by the vapes coils and expelled in the form of a vapour. Unlike cigarettes, which can contain over 5,000 harmful ingredients, e-liquid is made using three simple ingredients: propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin and flavoring.
INGREDIENTS
PER BOTTLE OF E-LIQUID
Propylene Glycol
Propylene glycol or PG for short, is a clear and thin liquid that is found in an array of different foods and drinks as well as cosmetics, pet food and a variety of medications. PG’s main function is to bring out the flavour in your vape juice and also helps evenly distribute nicotine. PG also gives you that throat hit in the back of your throat upon your inhale which is the same sensation you’d get after inhaling from a cigarette. The higher the PG concentration of a vape juice, the stronger your throat hit will be. You’ll also get smaller amounts of vapour when vaping vape juice with higher PG ratios, with 60:50 being the highest PG/VG ratio.
Vegetable Glycerin
Vegetable glycerin, also known as VG, is also clear liquid that is made using vegetable oils making it thicker in consistency. You’ll find VG used in sweeteners, beauty products, medications and dental care products. VG gives off a smoother hit when you inhale and makes vapour clouds substantially denser when exhaled. The higher the VG ratio, the more vapour you’ll experience whilst vaping, with the highest VG/PG ratio sitting at 80:20. The higher the VG:PG ratio, the more vapour you’ll get from your drag.
Flavouring
The good stuff — flavouring gives vape juice its impeccable taste. Flavour concentrates in e-liquids are made from food-grade food flavouring that gives vape juice the flavour of your favourite foods.
Nicotine
Nicotine is completely optional, but only comes in nicotine shots, nicotine salts and 50-50 e-liquids. Shortfills always come nicotine-free with the option to add one or two nicotine shots depending on the size of your shortfill bottle.
INGREDIENTS
PER BOTTLE OF E-LIQUID
Propylene Glycol
Propylene glycol or PG for short, is a clear and thin liquid that is found in an array of different foods and drinks as well as cosmetics, pet food and a variety of medications. PG’s main function is to bring out the flavour in your vape juice and also helps evenly distribute nicotine. PG also gives you that throat hit in the back of your throat upon your inhale which is the same sensation you’d get after inhaling from a cigarette. The higher the PG concentration of a vape juice, the stronger your throat hit will be. You’ll also get smaller amounts of vapour when vaping vape juice with higher PG ratios, with 60:50 being the highest PG/VG ratio.
Vegetable Glycerin
Vegetable glycerin, also known as VG, is also clear liquid that is made using vegetable oils making it thicker in consistency. You’ll find VG used in sweeteners, beauty products, medications and dental care products. VG gives off a smoother hit when you inhale and makes vapour clouds substantially denser when exhaled. The higher the VG ratio, the more vapour you’ll experience whilst vaping, with the highest VG/PG ratio sitting at 80:20. The higher the VG:PG ratio, the more vapour you’ll get from your drag.
Flavouring
The good stuff — flavouring gives vape juice its impeccable taste. Flavour concentrates in e-liquids are made from food-grade food flavouring that gives vape juice the flavour of your favourite foods.
Nicotine
Nicotine is completely optional, but only comes in nicotine shots, nicotine salts and 50-50 e-liquids. Shortfills always come nicotine-free with the option to add one or two nicotine shots depending on the size of your shortfill bottle.
HOW E-LIQUIDS ARE MADE?
E-liquids are crafted in labs and can take several weeks to make. E-liquids are required to steep to not only allow the ingredients in vape liquid to mix but also to bring out the juice’s flavour. This process includes measuring out both PG and VG e-liquids, to make a specific vape juice concentration and mixing them with flavourings. Before e-liquids are rolled out onto the shelves, it’s then checked and tested to assure safety and quality.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF E-LIQUIDS
There are 4 types of e-liquids: nic salts, 50-50, CBD liquids and shortfills. Each vape juice has a different concentration which will impact your vaping style. Dont worry — we’ll get you up to speed. We can’t have you out with the girls or lads chatting about CBD liquids or shortfill e-liquids and not knowing your stuff.
- Nic Salts: Nic Salts have become increasingly popular since they hit the vape scene in 2015. Nicotine salts are e-liquids that contain the purest form of nicotine and come in 3-20mg strengths . They absorb quickly whilst also curbing nicotine cravings over longer periods of time and are also extremely smooth on the inhale which means you won’t get a harsh throat hit on the inhale.You’ll also get modest amounts of vapour which makes them popular amongst vapers who want to vape discreetly.
- 50-50 E-Liquids: 50-50 e-liquids, like their name suggests, come in a 50:50 PG/VG ratio. These liquids will give you a noticeable throat hit on your inhale that is similar to that of an inhale from a cigarette. You’ll also get a good balance of smooth vape clouds that aren't overly massive, making them ideal for smokers transitioning to vaping. It’s also important to note that 50-50 e-liquids come in a range of different nicotine strengths from 0-20mg. The higher the nicotine concentration you choose, the stronger and more prominent your throat hit will be.
- CBD Liquids: CBD e-liquids are vape juices that contain CBD extract as well as VG and PG to allow them to be vapourised by your vapes atomiser. They also contain 0.2% or less of THC which is the compound in cannabis that makes you feel ‘high’. The small percentage of THC in CBD e-liquids won’t get you high, but they do boast some pretty cool therapeutic effects like pain relief, anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety and treatment for neurological disorders like seizures and epilepsy.
- Shortfills: Shortfills are naturally nicotine-free allowing you to add in an optional nicotine shot. Shortfills are made for the use with vape kits that create lots of vapour. This means the VG/PG ratio of shortfills will usually be 70/30 or 80/20 VG/PG.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT E-LIQUID
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Choose your Flavour: We’ve got over 94 different e-liquid flavours to choose from — meaning you can choose traditional vape juice flavours like tobacco, menthol or fruit. If desserts and sweets are your thing, try e-liquid flavours like ice cream, doughnuts or slushie for an eclectic sugar rush.
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Or Try a New Flavour: Whilst traditional and dessert flavoured vapes are popular, you could opt to try something different like popcorn, peanut butter or beverage inspired vape juices. The decision is yours.
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Know Your Brands: Why is this important? We all have our go to brands we choose on a day-to-day basis. Whether it’s your favourite jeans, shoes or energy drink. Vape juice works the same way. Many different vape juice brands offer blue raspberry vape juice as a flavour, however each brand’s formulation of that flavour will vary. Once you’ve tried a few different brands, you should have an idea of which brands you do and don’t get along with. When you find a vape juice brand you fancy, explore their different ranges and flavours to find what works well for you.
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Find Your PG/VG Ratio: The vape juice ratio you choose will be dependent on the kind of vaping you are adept to. If you want a modestly cloudy vaping experience, you’ll want to choose vape juices that have a high PG to VG ratio. If you want large amounts of vapour you’ll reach for a high VG e-liquid.
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Find Your Nicotine Dose: Finding the right nicotine dose isn’t rocket science, but it can be intimidating if you’re just starting out. If you’re just finding your footing and typically smoke the occasional cigarette, you should get on well with 3mg or 6mg. Or if you’re an average smoker you should be using at least 10m or 12mg of nicotine to keep cravings in check. Heavy smokers should use 18mg or 20mg, with 20mg being our highest available dose of nicotine.
WHERE TO BUY E-LIQUID
- Online: Why? Because you’ve got thousands of different e-liquids at your fingertips. And because shopping from the comfort of your home, office or whilst on the go has never been easier. And if you’ve got any questions, you can speak to one of our lovely staff members via our online chat option to answer your vape questions.
- In-Store: In-Store is always a great option as you’ll get a feel for that vape kit you’ve been eyeing online, in-person. It’s also massively convenient to ask our vape experts questions like which vape juice is compatible with the vape kit you’ve chosen. You also get to take your vaping goodies home same-day instead of waiting around for shipping.
- Supermarkets: Supermarkets now carry vape products, making it easier than ever to stock up on disposables or replacement pod options for compatible vape kits.
HOW TO MIX YOUR OWN E-LIQUID
The option to mix your own vape juice can be cheaper than buying brand names. To mix your own vape juice, you’ll need VG and PG e-liquid, flavouring, nicotine liquid, storage bottles, a scale, some syringes, goggles and some powder-free rubber gloves. While it might seem a bit overwhelming, making your own vape juice can be a fun process. Nonetheless, if you want us to make a guide on how to mix your own e-liquid, let us know in the comments.
And if you’ve got any remaining questions about e-liquids or anything vape, drop us a line by contacting us via our online contact form or by email. Be sure to keep up on all of the latest vaping products, sales and giveaways by giving us a follow on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
