The Ultimate Guide to E-liquids
Getting started with e-liquids can sometimes be a little daunting. If you’re switching from smoking to vaping, then there can be quite a lot of terminology and jargon to get to grips with. Luckily, this e-liquids guide is on-hand to help out anybody looking to get started with vaping, or just curious about vape juices in general.
E-liquids, quite simply, are the liquids that are put into your vape device, which are then vaporised and inhaled. E-liquid is known by a variety of names such as e-juice or vape juice; these are all just more casual words for e-liquid.
The two main ingredients of e-liquid are VG (Vegetable Glycerin) and PG (Propylene Glycol), you’ll find both of these widely used in food and medicine. In e-liquid, VG serves as a thickener while PG is used to carry flavouring and nicotine.
Every e-liquid will carry a mix of both VG and PG, which will be recorded as a percentage that always adds up to 100%. Common mixes include 50% VG / 50% PG, 70% VG / 30% PG and 60% VG / 40% PG. In order to better regulate what goes in your e-liquid, the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) imposes strict guidelines on e-liquids that are sold in the UK. Through testing and a certification process, we can better ensure the quality of e-liquid.
The MHRA enforces laws set up in the TPD (Tobacco Products Directive), a larger EU directive that moderates vape products and outlines a list of banned substances amongst larger legislative activity. This regulation carries to flavours and blends as a whole, with full toxicology and emissions reports having to be published before an e-liquid even reaches the market.
Why Is There Nicotine In E-liquid
As well as VG, PG and flavouring, the majority of 10ml e-liquid (under the TPD e-liquid that contains nicotine can be no bigger than 10ml) available contains nicotine. As you may know, nicotine is the addictive chemical in cigarettes and it is nicotine addiction that causes the symptoms we know as cravings. In order to satisfy these cravings and to stop you moving back to cigarettes, e-liquids will contain nicotine. This is of course where the less harmful nature of e-liquids come into play, they contain and produce no tar and contain no carcinogens. This is one of the main reasons as to why PHE (Public Health England) have found that e-liquid and vaping, on the whole, is 95% less harmful than cigarettes.
Are e-liquids safe?
This is one of the most common concerns for new vapers and those who are switching to vaping from smoking. Indeed, if you are quitting smoking because it is bad for your health, what's the use in replacing it with something that is just as harmful?
There is still a lot of study going into the health effects of e-liquids, so it would be irresponsible of us to say that e-liquids are healthy. However, it is widely accepted by regulators that vaping e-liquids presents far lower health risks when compared to smoking cigarettes. In fact, according to a ground breaking recent report from PHE;
"E-cigarettes are 95% less harmful than tobacco."
Moreover, e-liquids produced in the UK are subject to some of the most intense safety procedures anywhere in the world. Every effort is made to ensure that UK e-liquids are as safe as can be and do not contain any harmful substances.
It is important to note that some ingredients in e-liquids, such as the flavourings, may cause an allergic reaction. This is just the same as any food product, so always check the ingredients of an e-liquid if you have any allergies.
Are E-liquids Illegal?
In the UK, as long as an e-liquid meets the parameters laid out by the TPD and is purchased and used by a person over the age of 18 - it is not illegal. There have been instances of black market e-liquids being mixed and sold, this is why we always recommend you purchase products from a reputable retailer. If you have any doubts about the quality of an e-liquid we recommend you stop using it immediately.
WHAT E-LIQUID DO I NEED WITH MY DEVICE
By using different levels of VG and PG, manufacturers can create a thicker or thinner e-liquid. They do this to support different vape kits. E-liquids with a higher VG percentage (60% VG or higher) will require more power and heat to be turned into vapour, to accommodate this you will need a more powerful kit. If you’ve just started vaping we recommend you’ll be using a less powerful kit and because of this, you will require an e-liquid that has a higher PG content, one that’s 50% PG or higher.
WHAT IS A SHORTFILL E-LIQUID
The TPD set certain limitations on what products that could be sold, perhaps the most pertinent being the limit on the size of a nicotine-containing e-liquid. Any e-liquid containing nicotine can be sold in a container no larger than 10ml. This meant that purchasing nicotine-containing e-liquid became more expensive. To remedy this, the shortfill was created. A shortfill e-liquid is a nicotine-free e-liquid in an underfilled bottle, for example, 50ml of e-liquid in a 60ml bottle. The idea is that there is space in each bottle for you to add a flavourless high-nicotine e-liquid, called a nicotine shot. These are usually available in an 18mg or 20mg concentration, to be added to the larger bottle, where the 0mg e-liquid will dilute the high-nicotine booster. For example, adding a 10ml, 20mg shot to a 50ml, 0mg shortfill will create 60ml of 3mg e-liquid.
WHAT IS SALT NICOTINE E-LIQUID
The traditional nicotine in e-liquid is called freebase nicotine, salt nicotine e-liquid is different in both its effect and chemical make-up. Freebase nicotine e-liquids deliver a noticeable throat hit, salt nicotine, on the other hand, does not. This can be regarded as both a pro and a con. Newer users may gravitate towards salt nic as they might not want a harsh throat hit, but some may be looking for an e-liquid that emulates the feeling they experience when smoking (particularly heavy smokers), in this case, we would recommend a traditional freebase.
What is VG-PG Ratio?
What is Propylene Glycol (PG)?
PG is a flavourless and odourless organic liquid. PG is quite a thin liquid, and is used in many products, some of which you probably own, such as lotions and other MHRA approved cosmetics. Unlike VG, which is thicker, PG does not leave as much build up on a vape device’s coil, meaning the coil won’t need replacing as often.
What is Vegetable Glycerin (VG)?
VG is a liquid derived from plant oil. VG, like PG, is an odorless and mostly clear liquid that helps form the base of an e-liquid. Compared to PG, VG is much thicker and also has a slightly sweet taste.
VG PG ratio refers to the balance between PG and VG in an e-liquid. Some e-liquids contain more of one than the other for a number of reasons. Liquids high in PG tend to be used for low-powered pen or pod devices as they offer a clean flavour and nicotine hit, while being easy to vaporise. They also don’t gunk up coils as much due to a lower VG content.
High VG e-liquids are used mainly for higher power or sub ohm vape devices. These liquids tend to create fantastic amounts of vapour and are super smooth to vape. However, they require more heat to vaporise, so this is why they require a more advanced device. The potent nature of VG can also cause more maintenance due to coils building up liquid residue.
WHAT IS CBD
CBD or Cannabidiol is appearing in e-liquid more and more. It is the non-psychoactive element of the cannabis plant and has grown in popularity. CBD e-liquids are available in different concentration levels, if you’ve just started using CBD e-liquid we recommend trying a lower strength, to begin with. For more Know about CBD E-liquid Click here .
How To Vape CBD
CBD e-liquids can be vaped in much the same way as a standard e-liquid, they will still have a confirmed VG / PG ratio so you’ll know exactly which kind of device they can be paired with. They generally have a high PG ratio and so will work best with mouth to lung kits. It’s also worth noting that they generally need to be used at lower wattages, we recommend no higher than 15W. To more information How to CBD Vape than click here find out more blog
WHAT IS THE BEST E-LIQUID FLAVOUR
When picking an e-liquid flavour, it’s going to need to be one you’re going to feel comfortable using all day. In the UK at least, the top three flavours are tobacco, menthol and strawberry. In our experience, it’s always best to start off with something simple, a one-note flavour is often the best option. As you progress in stopping smoking, you’ll begin to notice a vast improvement in your sense of taste. When this occurs you may discover an appreciation for flavours that may have previously tasted muted. Trying new flavours is a tested way of making sure you don't move back to smoking.
WHAT VAPE NICOTINE STRENGTH SHOULD I BE USING
Picking the correct nicotine strength is perhaps the most important part of choosing an e-liquid. You’re going to need to find one that satisfies cravings but isn’t too harsh. This will largely come down to how many cigarettes you smoke per day. You can use the handy table below to get started.
Can I Get Vaping E-liquids without Nicotine?
For those that don’t want to vape e-liquids that contain nicotine, you don't have to! As mentioned before, shortfills come with zero nicotine in them.
Shortfill work beautifully with sub-ohm and high power kits, and are ideal for those looking to experience the simple pleasure of great tasting e-liquid flavours. They're also a fantastic option for those who have reduced their nicotine cravings to the point that they no longer need it, but still want to enjoy vaping!
