What is E liquid? What you need to know explained

E liquid has many different names; Vape juice, vape liquid, e liquid, the list goes on. But whichever way it is described, it means the same thing.

In this article, I will explain all that you need to know about e liquid, from knowing what exactly goes into making a bottle of e liquid, to knowing which nicotine strength would be best suited for you and explaining some of the technical terminology you may have seen and not understood exactly what it means.

What is E-liquid?

E-liquid is a liquid that is used in electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). It is made up of a base of propylene glycol (PG) or vegetable glycerine (VG), nicotine, and flavourings.

The PG and VG are used to create the vapor that is inhaled, while the nicotine provides the addictive stimulant that smokers crave. The flavourings can range from anything such as traditional tobacco flavours all the way to sweet candy flavours that

E-liquid is heated by the e-cigarette’s atomizer, or coil as it’s more commonly know which turns it into a vapor. The vapor is then inhaled into the lungs and exhaled, just like how a cigarette is smoked.

What are the different types of e liquid?

There are a few different types of vape juice on the market, all designed with specific outcomes based on what the liquid is.

As mentioned above, two of vape juices core ingredients are VG & PG.

Vegetable Glycerin VG is the thicker of the two, whereas Propylene Glycol PG is the thinner of the two.

Vape liquids come with different ratios of these and create a different vaping experience based on what that ratio is.

The ratio mix will also depend on what tanks and devices the liquids can be used with.

E liquids with a heavier VG ratio will produce thick dense clouds of vapour and tend to have more flavour on inhalation, where as e liquids with a heavier PG ratio will give more of a throat hit and minimal vapour production, marginally more than the amount of smoke a cigarette produces.

These PG bias liquids are more popular with people who are quitting smoking as it replicates the ‘throat hit’ that a cigarette does.

Whereas the more VG bias liquids are designed for Sub-ohm vaping for vape enthusiasts who are cloud and flavour chasers. These liquids normally come in larger bottles of 100ml that do not contain nicotine and people add their own nicotine shots to them to the desired amount.

How do I know what e liquids to use?

As mentioned, different vape devices will determine what vape juice you can use. And also what you want to achieve from vaping will play a part also.

If you are a smoker who has started on your vaping journey and looking to quit tobacco, you should have a standard mouth to lung vape device to enjoy your vape experience. This can be in the form of a vape pen, pod system or a device that is a battery with a vape tank on top.

The coils in these devices are normally 1.0 ohms or higher, ran on a low wattage and designed specifically for 50% VG & 50% PG blend vape liquid or a higher PG to VG ratio. These liquids will have varied nicotine content options and with the even mix, provide you with a throat hit and minimal vapour production just like smoking a cigarette.

If you are looking to create thick, dense clouds of vapour and get the most flavour from your vape juice, you would want a direct to lung or sub-ohm vape device.

These kits are designed for more experienced vapers, and the coils normally range from 0.15-0.4ohms, and used with more power, which is where the term Sub-Ohm is associated.

High VG% liquid ratios is essential for these devices, as it will be a thicker liquid, designed to produce more cloud, and flavourings react more with a higher VG content.

Coils for these devices are normally larger in size, and contain a lot more cotton to absorb the thicker high VG liquids. If you were to use a 50/50 pg vg blend, you may find it will leak through the cotton and out of the airflow of your tank, and also could cause spit back when vaping.

If you are unsure of what vape liquid is right for your e cigarette, simply look at the coil resistance. If the coils are 1.0ohm or higher, it is designed for mouth to lung vaping and you will need the 50/50 ratio liquid. If the coils are 0.8 or lower (sub-ohm) a High VG mix will be needed (70VG/30PG)

How do I know what nicotine strength e liquid I need?

Determining how much nicotine you need in your vape juice can be tricky, and sometimes a case of trial and error. Below is what nicotine strength we would recommend to people who are looking to quit smoking and start vaping;

Up to 5 cigarettes a day – 3mg

5-10 cigarettes a day – 6mg

10-20 Cigarettes a day – 12mg

20+ Cigarettes a day – 18mg

Of course, there are vape liquids on the market that contain zero nicotine if you are looking for something just for flavour and to replicate the hand to mouth action and exhaling vapour rather than smoke.

However, if you are quitting tobacco, we would highly recommend starting with e liquid that contains nicotine best suited to your requirements and provide a stronger throat hit.

Why is the vape juice so harsh on my throat?

Some users may find that when they inhale on their e cigarettes, especially being a new vaper, the liquid can be quite harsh when it hits the back of their throat.

This can be down to the PG VG ratio or the most likely constituting factor to this would be the nicotine content is too high compared to what you are used to from smoking cigarettes.

Heavy smokers are used to harsh and frequent throat hits from smoking, which is why we would recommend a high nicotine content e liquid to them.

If you were only a light smoker of 10 cigarettes a day, 18mg would be far too harsh for you, hence a 6mg is recommended and would be a good starting point.

When I inhale, it makes me cough, why?

This is quite a common thing to happen, mostly to new users of electronic cigarettes, but even to the people who are used to using electronic cigarettes.

This could be due to not being used to the inhalation method of mouth to lung vaping, or as above the nicotine content being too high and harsh on the throat can make you cough. Sometimes the e liquid flavour can constitute to making you cough.

And finally, another contributing factor could be if you are still transitioning from smoking to vaping, the tar from a cigarette normally resides in the back of the throat and at the top of the lungs.

So if you’d recently had a cigarette and then used your vape, the VG in vape liquid is a thicker, gloopy liquid so this can react with the tar, another thick substance, and cause you to cough.

Nicotine salts – a smoother vape alternative?

Nicotine salts are an e liquid created with the same form of nicotine found in tobacco. A natural form of nicotine that is then blended with the core ingredients to make e liquid.

The most common types of Nicotine salt are a standard nicotine base liquid, with is then mixed with a weak acid, such as Benzoic Acid which is the most commonly used one.

In comparison to Freebase vape juice, Nic Salts are better absorbed into the bloodstream due to it not being a distilled form of nicotine that is found in standard Freebase vape juice. 

Benefits of using Nicotine salts

Longer lasting hit

Faster absorption rate

Effective for people wanting to quit smoking

Benefits of using Freebase nicotine e liquid

More suitable for light use

More variation in MG strength

Varying VG/PG ratios

Freebase e liquid also has many benefits including being a key tool in helping people out of nicotine addiction. With Nic Salts only being available in 10/20mg nicotine strengths and in a 50/50 blend, these could be too strong for people who are light smokers.

The more varied nicotine content levels and options will aid the transition from smoking to vaping. this greatly. You can browse and buy our extensive flavour range of freebase liquids on our website www.vape69.com

Does e liquid have an expiry?

Like most consumable products, yes e liquid does have a shelf life and can “go off” The expiry dates should always be printed on the bottles, and normally have a shelf life of 18-24 months.

What is it in e liquid that causes it to go off?

Both Vegetable glycerine and Propylene Glycol are used in food manufacturing to preserve food, and also in food flavourings so these aren’t the ingredients that go bad, it is normally the nicotine or the flavourings that have been added in.

Storing your vape liquid safely

Storing your vape juice correctly is essential, and if stored incorrectly can enhance the rate of which it goes bad.

Always store your vape juice bottles in a dark cool place, and not anywhere warm/hot or in direct sunlight.

These are the two main contributing factors to vape liquid going bad, however there are other contributing factors.

Not having the lids on the bottles can also play a part, due to oxygen getting in to the bottles and oxidising the liquid making the nicotine turn sour and being far too harsh to vape.

Is expired liquid safe to use?

While there is no concrete data to show that using expired or gone off vape juice is bad for you, we would highly recommend you do not vape it.

Not only could this cause problems for your vape device, but also could cause side effects detrimental to your health.

How is e liquid made?

At Vape69, we pride ourselves on the fact that our e liquids are developed and made in the UK to the highest standards and registered with the MHRA, complying with the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) and ISO9001.

Nicotine content and TPD Law explained

As previously stated, Freebase nicotine based e liquids come in 0mg, 3mg, 6mg, 12mg and 18 mg. Nicotine Salts come in 0mg, 10mg and 20mg levels. 20mg is the highest strength available to buy in the UK to coincide with TPD Law.

TPD law came into effect on the 29th February 2016, implemented by the government, stating that there would be a restriction on e-liquids that contain nicotine be no higher than 20mg. There are other restrictions across vaping under this law, and the full legislation is available to read on the gov.uk website.

Higher nicotine strength such as 50mg nicotine salt liquid is manufactured and sold in other countries, but it is illegal to distribute these strengths within the UK. If you see any sellers offering this strength, they are breaking the law.

What e liquid is the best?

The extensive flavour range of e liquid flavours we offer at www.Vape69.com at the best price possible puts us as one of the top manufacturers and sellers of vape liquid in the UK. Unlike a lot of websites, we don’t advertise cheap e liquid prices to draw you in and then bury the e liquids behind more expensive ones, making them impossible to find; Our e liquids are just 69p for 10ml bottles, this also includes 50/50 and HVG nic shot and £4.69 for a 100ml Shortfill (Which are nicotine free but includes two free Nic Shots) As simple as that – Great Prices, all the time. And with free uk delivery on orders over £100, what better way to save money with our premium quality vape juices?

What flavour is the best?

This is the age old question and argument within the vape world. And it simply comes down to what flavour you are wanting your e liquid to taste like depending on your taste buds. If you just want a traditional tobacco flavour, you may find Vape69 Virginia Tobacco the “best” where as someone who has a sweeter tooth and is looking for more fruity flavours of vape juice, Vape69 Mixed Berries may be deemed the “best”

At only 69p a bottle, it’s cheap enough to try as many different flavours as you want until you find one you’re satisfied with.

How much will I be spending on e liquid?

When choosing us as your e liquid retailer of choice, all of our 10ml e bottles of e liquid, regardless of the strength or if its Freebase nicotine or Nicotine Salts, you will pay just 69p per bottle.

How long will a bottle of e liquid last?

On average, a bottle of e liquid should last you 2-5 days depending on how much you vape.

So using 2 bottles of e liquid a week from Vape69, it will cost you a mere £1.38 per week! That number being around 10% of the price of 20 cigarettes that could only last for a day.

We hope that this article has answered all questions and queries you may have had surrounding e liquid.