E-liquid:
E-liquid also known as ‘’vape juice’” or “e-juice” is a substances used in vaping. E-liquid usually contains the following ingredients. VG(Vegetable Glycerin), is a thick liquid, and it is used to produce vapours and to make the e-liquid sweeter.
All E-Liquids come in thousands of different varieties and flavours, ranging from fruit scents like strawberry and mango to desserts and mint/menthol. They even come in tobacco flavours for ex-smokers who love that flavour. The options are limitless.
Types of E-liquid:
E-liquids are of 4 different types:
- Regular TPD 10mls
- Shortfills
- Nicotine salts
- DIY concentrates.
Note: TPD is a law known as Tobacco Products Directives, which states that, it is illegal to sell any liquids greater than 10ml that contain nicotine.
Let’s look into the detail of each E-liquid type.
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Regular TPD 10mls
Regular 10mls, often known as TPD law, are just 10ml bottles of e-liquid blended with liquid nicotine.
For ex-smokers regular TPD liquids are also available at 0mg who want to quit smoking.
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Shortfills
Shortfills are the bigger e-liquid bottles having size of 25ml to 500ml. The most frequent size is 50ml and 100ml. To comply with the TPD law, these do not contain nicotine.
Separate 10ml 'nicotine shots' are supplied with shortfills, allowing you to add nicotine to your e-liquid if desired. Shortfill bottles are usually filled 'short' of the top to enable room for the nicotine liquid, hence the term 'Shortfill'.
A 50ml Shortfill, for example, is offered in a 60ml container, allowing you to add up to 10ml of liquid nicotine. A nicotine shot calculator would be used to determine how much nicotine to add.
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Nicotine salts
Nicotine Salts are 10ml bottles of e-liquid containing a different kind of nicotine. This nicotine guarantees that even while vaping at the highest nicotine level of 20mg, you do not suffer a painful throat feeling. This is a favourite among ex-smokers.
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DIY concentrates:
These are not ready to vape out of the bottle, contain flavour concentrates and one of 2 other ingredients used in e-liquids: PG (Propylene Glycol). It then requires the remaining e-liquid ingredients to be added & mixed before vaping.
E-liquid Ingredients
E liquid is made up of following ingredients.
- Vegetable Glycerin (VG)
- Propylene Glycol (PG)
- Flavourings
- Nicotine
The majority of an e-liquid is composed of VG and PG, always known as VG/PG.
VG & PG:
The amount of vegetable glycerine and propylene glycol in an e-liquid is known as ‘VG/PG ratio. This is significant because the VG/PG ratio influences the following:
The thickness or density of your vapour clouds; the throat hit produced by the vapour; and the longevity of your vape equipment (particularly the heating coils).
The greater the VG content, the thicker the e-liquid's vapour cloud. The higher the VG concentration, the harsher the throat hit, the more strain on the heating coil of the vaping device, and the shorter its life.
Less vapour is produced with high PG e-liquids (50% PG or above). High PG e-liquids (50% PG or above) create less vapour. Many vape newbies prefer the lower vapour output since it simulates the experience of smoking.
Flavourings:
The basic taste concentrates that are used to flavour the vapour created by vaporising e-liquid are flavourings. There are hundreds of flavour categories in the vaping to choose from. Most popular categories for newbies are Tobacco, menthol, fruit, and dessert-flavored e-liquids.
Nicotine:
Nicotine is the third possible element in the e-liquids and it is always measured in ‘mg’. It is important to know that the highest legally marketed nicotine strength of e liquid to the general public in United Kingdom is 20mg.
E-Liquids are available in a large range of nicotine 'mg' levels, with the most prevalent selections being:
0mg
1.5mg
3mg
5mg
6mg
10mg/11mg/12mg
18mg/20mg
The right e-liquid for the beginners:
Choosing the e liquid depends on the following points:
- Nicotine strength
- Size of the bottle
- Size of the vapour clouds
1. Nicotine Strength:
You should choose the right nicotine strength for your e-liquid. Otherwise, you risk going back to cigarettes. Depending on the strength of your nicotine, your e-liquid choices may include:
0 mg to 3 mg:
regular 10 ml or short fill
3 mg to 18 mg:
Normal 10ml
5 mg to 20 mg:
nicotine salt
2. Bottle size:
The type of e liquid you choose could be of following types:
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Regular 10ml or Nicotine Salts:
These compact 10ml bottles are convenient to transport and are pre-mixed with nicotine, so they are ready to vape.
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Shortfills:
These bigger bottles are more difficult to transport yet offer better value for money. They do, however, need you to mix in your preferred nicotine level before vaping.
If you are vaping 0mg to 3mg, you have the flexibility of choosing between Regular 10mls or Shortfills.
3. Vapour Clouds
As previously stated, all e-liquids have a VG/PG ratio that determines how thick the vapour clouds are when vaping:
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40VG/60PG - 60VG/40PG:
These are common 'low VG' ratios, with thinner e-liquid resulting in thinner, harder-to-see vapour clouds.
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70VG/30PG - 100VG/0PG:
There are popular 'high VG' ratios ranging from 70VG/30PG to 100VG/0PG, with thicker e-liquid resulting in bigger vapour clouds.
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50VG/50VG:
The most frequent VG/PG ratio for balancing cloud size and vapour thickness is 50VG/50VG.
Simply said, the higher the VG% of your e-liquid, the thicker your vapour clouds. In terms of what we would recommend to newcomers, 50VG/50PG is the greatest and most popular option to begin with.
These are some of the guides that we have discussed above that would be helpful for the beginners to choose the best E-liquid.