Choosing The Right Vape Juice | What Is E-Liquid?

What is in e-liquid? 

‘E-liquid’ is a term for the liquid that is used in a vape/e-cigarette to produce both flavour and vapour. E-liquid consists of two main components - Propylene Glycol (PG) and Vegetable Glycerin (VG), along with flavouring and the option of nicotine.

Propylene Glycol and Vegetable Glycerin are the carriers of flavour concentrates and nicotine (if required). VG is essentially used as a thickener, whereas P G does the opposite - it is used as a thinner. 

You will often hear of VG/PG ratios in e-liquid - this specifies how thick or thin the e-liquid is. For example, a higher PG ratio, such as 70PG/30VG, is quite a ‘thin’ liquid, will typically give you a slightly harsher throat hit, and is more suited to pod systems and mouth-to-lung devices, as the coils in these devices are small. A high VG ratio, such as 70VG/30PG, is often softer on the throat and will produce larger, more dense vapour production (clouds). Most e-liquids will state the VG/PG ratio on the label.

Two different types of nicotine e-liquid are available in today's market; one is freebase nicotine, which is a style of nicotine that is not bonded to anything else, so it is an easily vapourised form of nicotine. Freebase e-liquid typically comes in nicotine strengths such as 3mg and 6mg, but some companies may go to 12-18mg for heavier smokers. 

The second nicotine option is nicotine salts, a more natural state of nicotine, closer to the form nicotine is found in tobacco leaf. It is made up of freebase nicotine bonded with one or more organic compounds to create a more stable molecule. 

The difference for the end user between nicotine salts and freebase nicotine is that nicotine salts are much smoother and less harsh on the throat. Therefore, you can have much higher nicotine levels (up to 50mg/ml), vs. freebase nicotine, in which you would only go to 18mg before it is too harsh and unpleasant to vape. Nicotine salt nicotine also gets ingested into your bloodstream much faster than freebase nicotine, simulating the feeling of a cigarette. Read our guide and discover more information on nicotine salts before making your decision.

Here at VAPO, we use only the highest quality ingredients: VG, PG, food-grade flavouring, and nicotine. All of our e-liquid is independently tested to ensure it is free of diacetyl and acetyl propionyl. 

Is there a difference between e-juice and e-liquid?

Beginners in the vaping world have a few new words to add to their vocabulary, with specific terms being used to describe all kinds of vaping equipment. Most likely, you’ve heard of “E-Liquid,” “E-Juice”, or “Vape Juice” - these are all different names but refer to the same thing. 

 

How do I choose e-liquid flavours? 

Choosing the right flavour is important for a positive vaping experience, and everyone has different tastes and preferences, so where do you begin?

First, you must decide what sort of e-liquid suits your device best. Different e-liquids are suitable for different devices. Nicotine salts are suitable for pod systems and mouth-to-lung devices only. Freebase e-liquid can be used in any device, although you must be careful of the VG/PG ratios, as the thicker you go, the faster you may burn out your coils. 

Next, you’ll need to decide what strength of nicotine you would prefer. If you are/were a heavy smoker who would smoke 15+ cigarettes a day, then 25-35mg in nicotine salts is what you’re after, with a pod vape or mouth-to-lung device. If you smoke less than ten cigarettes a day, you’re looking for either low nicotine strength nicotine salts e-liquid like 10-15mg or a low-medium strength freebase e-liquid such as a 3mg-9mg, depending on your device. 

Finally, you’ll need to decide what sort of flavour you enjoy and get the most out of your vaping experience. Everyone has different preferences in taste, so head to your nearest VAPO store and try out some flavours from our VAPO Testing Stations. 

What is the best vape juice flavour? 

There are plenty of e-liquid flavours that people would consider the “best”, but it is almost impossible to classify one particular e-liquid as the best because not everyone has the same taste preference. Some people love fruit and menthol flavours, but some people much rather prefer a creamy dessert flavour. 

Does it matter what e-juice I put in my vape?

There are plenty of different e-liquids that are suitable for different vaping devices.

There are a couple of simple ‘rules’ you can follow:

Sub-Ohm Vape/Tank = Freebase E-Liquid only.

Pod/Mouth-to-Lung Vape: Nicotine Salts with a high ohm coil (0.8ohm or above) or Freebase E-Liquid - 70% VG or less.

How do I make my vape juice more flavourful? 

A few simple tips and tricks will help you get the most flavour out of your juice and thus get a better vaping experience. Here are five steps to help:

Choosing the right coil:

• Choosing the right coil plays an important role in how much flavour you get from your juice. Round wire coils, or as some call them, regular coils, won’t give you as much flavour as mesh coils, so if your tank offers mesh coils, then give them a go!

Setting the best wattage/temperature:

• Adjusting your wattages is one of the easiest ways to improve flavour because different aspects of juices come out a lot more at different wattages. The best way to play around with your wattage to find your sweet spot is to start at a lower wattage and slowly move up until you find your sweet spot without going over the recommended max wattage your coil states.

Adjusting airflow:

• When you have a lot of air going through your coil/tank, the vapour production becomes less dense and produces larger clouds. The downside to this is that the flavour is slightly muted. If you’re looking for more flavour, try reducing the airflow (and lower the wattage if you’re looking to close the airflow by three-quarters or more.)

Storing your e-liquid:

• Storing your e-liquid correctly is incredibly important as the flavouring can degrade when stored poorly, as well as the nicotine splitting from the e-liquid. Make sure to keep your e-liquid away from direct sunlight and heat. If possible, keep it stored in a dark, cool cupboard. Also, make sure that exposure to open air is kept at a minimum (keep it stored with the cap on)

Keep everything clean:

• If you feel that your e-liquid flavour is muted, make sure your tank is clean. Disassemble your tank, remove the coil and glass, run your glass under some warm water and dry off. Give your tank a wipe-down with a tissue and reassemble when everything is clean and dry. This might be a good time to consider installing a new coil.
  
  

What is the best vape juice for beginners?

We understand that it may be daunting thinking about what flavour to start with, as the vaping industry has hundreds, if not thousands, of different flavour profiles. We recommend starting with a simple single-flavoured e-liquid. Tobacco flavours are a good place to start for those transitioning from smoking.

Is it okay to mix e-liquid?

Mixing e-liquid is completely fine, and you’ll find many people mix flavours all the time. If mixing e-liquids, we recommend using the same PG/VG ratio and nicotine strength, although this is not essential. We don’t recommend mixing more than two flavours together, as we have found this can cause a ‘muted’ flavour and flavours to become indistinguishable.

 

What is steeping?

‘Steeping’ is very similar to ‘aging,’ just like you would whiskey or wine. Steeping helps the e-liquid intensify in flavour and fragrance, resulting in a smoother and more pronounced vaping experience. There are plenty of ways to do this. Still, essentially in order to steep your e-liquid further, all you have to do is let the e-liquid sit in a cool, dark cupboard for approximately 2-4 weeks to let the PG, VG, and flavour concentrates and nicotine (if applicable) blend together.

 

What is vaper’s tongue?

‘Vaper’s tongue’ is essentially when you lose the ability to taste a certain flavour of vape e-liquid, but there’s nothing to fear! This is completely normal in vaping when you’ve been using the same flavour for long periods. You can avoid this by switching between flavours every time you change your coil, drinking water regularly, or even trying the same flavour but in the menthol variant. After using a different flavour for a while, you will be able to taste the old flavour again.