Ultimate Beginners Guide to E-Liquid

So, you’ve just picked up your first vape device and now you’re looking for an e-liquid to accompany it. Well, thanks to the endless array of options when it comes to flavour and nicotine strength, you’re pretty spoilt for choice.

This huge amount of choice can make picking a vape e liquid to try first a bit tricky. Not only that, but there’s a lot of terminology to wrap your head around. But don’t worry, that’s what this guide to e-liquids is for! We’ll be going through what e-liquid is, what’s in it, the different varieties of vape liquid and what vape kits they work best with.

What Is E Liquid?

Starting with the basics, e liquid (also referred to as vape liquid or vape juice) is the substance that your vape device uses to produce vapour and deliver a nicotine hit. It’s arguably the most important aspect of vaping, so picking the right e liquid flavour and nicotine strength to suit your needs is paramount to an enjoyable vaping experience.

What’s In E-Liquid?

As we touched on earlier, vape juice comprises of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerine, as well as flavouring and of course, nicotine (unless you go for a nicotine free liquid). E liquid really is the sum of its parts and each ingredient plays a vital role in your experience.

Propylene glycol (PG)

PG is a clear, odourless and water soluble solvent that can be found in a wide range of products, from medicines to cosmetics. When it comes to e liquid, it excels in providing a strong and satisfying throat hit and is mainly responsible for carrying the flavour too. It creates less vapour per ml than VG does, so vape liquids with a higher PG ratio are ideal if you’re after a more discreet vape.

Vegetable Glycerin (VG)

As the name suggests, VG is derived from organic matter like soy or palm and like PG, is used in countless products outside the realm of vaping. In the context of vape juice, vapour production is where VG excels, creating thick clouds of vapour and offering a much smoother throat hit than PG. This makes high VG e liquids the perfect choice for cloud chasers.

Flavouring

The flavouring in e-liquid is one of the key components that keeps people vaping and stops them going back to smoking cigarettes. It comes in the form of concentrated liquid and is added to a PG/VG base mix. it’s typically dissolved in PG, as it’s a more effective solvent than VG.

Nicotine

Last, but certainly not least, we have nicotine. Unless you’re trying to cut down on your intake or quit altogether, this is one of the most crucial ingredients in vape liquid. It comes in multiple strengths to suit your vaping habits and there are two variations available that will cater to to different preferences, which we’ll touch on more later.

Is E-Liquid Safe?

Vaping Vs. Smoking

As we briefly mentioned in our key takeaways, all e-liquids are completely tobacco-free and there are no harmful substances for you to worry about. While cigarette smoke is the leading cause of lung cancer and countless other health problems, any e-liquid will be completely safe to vape to your heart’s content. It’s not just us telling you this either, a review published by Public Health England concluded that vaping is 95% safer than smoking.

TPD

If that isn’t enough for your peace of mind, the TPD (Tobacco Products Directive) was introduced back in 2016 to regulate the vaping industry more thoroughly. Under this directive, all e liquids sold in the UK and EU are required to undergo stringent testing to ensure that no dangerous substances end up in your vape juice during manufacturing or bottling.

Does E-Liquid Expire?

After you’ve opened a bottle of vape liquid, there’s a possibility of air getting in and oxidising it. That said, this takes quite a while and it’s unlikely that that will happen to your e liquid unless you’re keeping it for over a year.

If it does happen, you might notice that it’s gone slightly darker in colour or tastes a bit sweeter. However, the main thing to watch out for is that it’ll lose it’s potency and provide a less satisfying nicotine hit. This is especially true for e liquids with higher nicotine content, as they’ll degrade a lot faster.

How Long Will A Bottle Of E Liquid Last?

How long your e liquid lasts depends on the type of device you use, the size of the bottle it comes in and how much you vape. For example, 10ml bottles of e-liquid used with low-wattage MTL (Mouth To Lung) pod kits are supposed to be equivalent to roughly 50 cigarettes.

If you use a sub ohm kit, then this will be a little different. These higher-powered devices need to go through more e liquid so they can produce enough vapour to deliver a DTL (Direct To Lung) style inhale. This is where shortfill e liquids come in handy, as they they allow you to create a larger amount of liquid thanks to their increased bottle size (but we’ll explain this in more detail later on).

Which Nicotine Strength Should I Go For?

E liquids sold in the UK and EU typically range in nicotine strengths of 5mg-20mg or 3mg-18mg, depending on the type of nicotine they’re blended with. When it comes to choosing a nicotine strength, it really just depends on how much you smoke or did smoke before deciding to quit.

If you are or were a social smoker who just ponces the occasional cigarette off one of your mates down the pub, then you shouldn’t need too high a nicotine strength to keep you going. We’d recommend choosing a lower strength like 3mg. Alternatively, there are also nicotine-free options — such as shortfill e-liquids — available if you’re trying to cut out nicotine entirely but still enjoy vaping.

For light smokers who have less than 10 cigarettes a day, we’d recommend a 5mg or 6mg e liquid. While still on the lower end of the scale, these strengths are ideal if you’re after a slightly stronger nicotine buzz than offered by low-strength e liquids.

If you’re an average pack-a-day smoker, you’ll want to pick up a 10mg or 12mg vape liquid to satisfy your nicotine cravings. Many vapers start with these strengths, especially if they were medium smokers before, since they’re strong enough to satiate the nicotine cravings that come with an average smoking habit.

Lastly, heavy smokers who go through more than a pack per day should opt for an 18mg or 20mg e-liquid to fully satisfy cravings.

Different Types Of E Liquid

When choosing your first vape juice, there’s more than just the nicotine strength, VG:PG ratio and flavour to consider. E liquids also vary in terms of the type of nicotine used and size of bottle they’re packaged in. You’ll want to pay attention to this when picking out a liquid, as these factors can make or break your vaping experience.

VG & PG Ratio

The vast majority of e liquids consist of both PG and VG, and different blends will sometimes contain more of one than the other. For example, an e liquid with 70% VG will contain 30% PG, while vape juices with a 50% PG concentration will also contain 50% VG. It’s important to pay attention to this, as different ratios will compliment different types of vape devices and inhale style.

Types Of Nicotine

Nicotine Salts

Nic Salts typically come in strengths of 5mg-20mg and overtook freebase e liquids as the most popular type of vape juice some time ago. They offer a smoother throat hit than freebase nicotine and are absorbed by the body faster too, so they’ll take care of your nicotine cravings in no time.

Nicotine salts generally arrive in 10ml bottles and are usually mixed with 50% VG or more, so expect a more discreet level of vapour production.

Freebase nicotine

This is the purest form of nicotine and the classic variant used in e-liquid. Juices that use it tend to come in strengths of 3mg-18mg. While they don’t satisfy cravings as fast as a nic salt would, the satisfaction might seem to last a bit longer due to the slower absorption rate.

However, they stay in the bloodstream for similar amounts of time and have the same half-life (roughly 2 hours). Freebase nicotine just has a slower release.

Freebase e-liquids also provide a much stronger throat hit that’s somewhat akin to the feel of a cigarette, so they’re a good choice if you’ve just made the switch from smoking to vaping. Unlike nic salts, you’ll find plenty of 70% and high VG freebase e liquids alongside 50/50 concentrations.

Bottle Sizes

10ml

10ml bottles of liquid are the most common size available and you’ll find something that meets your needs regardless of the variant of nicotine, strength, VG:PG ratio or flavour you prefer.

Shortfill E-liquids

Shortfills usually come as 50ml or 100ml of nicotine-free e liquid in 60ml or 120ml bottles, so you have space to add a 10ml nicotine shot or two. The result? Nicotine containing e liquids in larger bottles to offer a lot more in terms of volume.

They’re usually blended to a concentration of 70% VG or more, so they’ll create large clouds of vapour when paired with a sub ohm vape kit. That said, 50% PG options have become more common.

Longfills

These are somewhat similar to shortfill e liquids, although they offer a bit more of a customisable approach. This makes them a great choice for when you have a bit more experience and want to try mixing your own DIY e liquid.

Longfills arrive as 30ml of nicotine-free flavour concentrate in a 60ml bottle. The Nixer longfills we have available are suspended in PG, so you can adjust the VG:PG ratio of your e liquid to enjoy a more personalised experience.

Choosing The Right E Liquid For Your Vape Device’s Coil

As we mentioned, e-liquid is comprised of PG and VG. The type of juice you’ll want to get depends on how much of either it contains, and how well this ratio works with your vape kit of choice and the resistance of the coil(s) that it uses.

For example, if you prefer a more discreet vape that feels more smoking cigarettes and aren’t too keen on the idea of large clouds, then it’s likely that you’re using an MTL device like most pod vapes, vape pens and starter kits. These devices are compatible with higher resistance coils (0.8-1.2 Ohms), which will perform best with e-liquids blended to a concentration of 50% PG or higher, with both nic salts and freebase e-liquids available.

If you’re after thick, large clouds of vapour and a smoother inhale, then you’ve probably picked yourself up a DTL vape kit that uses low-resistance sub ohm coils (0.2-0.5 Ohms). These will work best when paired with e liquids that contain 70% VG or more, like most of the shortfill e-liquids we stock.

With all that said, many vape kits these days come with both MTL and sub ohm coils, so you might find that you can experiment with both types of e liquid and see what suits you best.

What Is The Best Vape Juice Brand?

While this is purely subjective and we’d rather not play favourites, doing a bit of research into the different e liquid manufacturers can be a good way of deciding what juice to pick up next. You’ll find that some brands specialise in different e liquid types and flavours.

For instance, brands like Elfliq and Bar Juice focus on creating nic salts that reimagine popular flavours found in disposable vapes. This is handy if you’re switching from disposables to refillable kits, but don’t want to miss out on your favourite flavours.

Conversely, brands like like Frugi specialise in 100% VG shortfills with fruity flavours. So, if you like the sound of juicy blends and big clouds, then they might be a good brand to get started with.

Another thing to take into account are the price ranges offered by different brands, as some manufacturers focus on creating budget-friendly e-liquids that are a bit easier on your wallet. If you’re in need of some new e-liquid but are in a bit of pinch, you can get some blends from One E-Liquid for as little as £1!

Going by popularity is another useful way to check out what e-liquid brands you might like. While everyone has different personal tastes, if a lot of people are enjoying e liquids from a specific manufacturer, there’s a good chance that you might too.

Some of our bestselling ranges are Bar Juice, Elfliq, SALT and V4 V4pour, so feel free to check them out and see if any of their flavours spark your interest. However, it’s worth noting that these brands largely focus on nic salts and/or 50/50 blends in general, so make sure you’re checking that the VG:PG levels are right for your device before buying a liquid.

Best E-Liquid Flavours

Again, this is completely subjective and really just comes down to personal preferences, but some types of e-liquid flavours have been popular with vapers worldwide for a while now.

Fruit

Fruit e-liquid flavours are a staple in the vaping world, thanks in part to how many different flavour notes are possible. After a something that strikes the perfect balance between sweet and tart? If so, blends that combine berries like blueberry and raspberry should hit the spot nicely. Fancy something even sharper? Check out some of our lemon or lime blends!

If you don’t want any tang in your vape and would rather keep things sweet, then we’d recommend going for something like strawberry, banana or mango. There are also plenty more exotic fruit flavours to satisfy that sweet tooth.

Or, if you fancy a taste of the orchard, why not try some of the countless apple, pear or peach flavours we have in stock?

Tobacco & Menthol

If you’ve just made the switch from traditional cigarettes or roll-ups, then you might want to start with something a bit more familiar. Tobacco or menthol vape juice flavours can help bridge the gap and make the transition that bit smoother. We’ve got blends that feature the earthy notes of tobacco (every variant you could think of) and a frosty hit of menthol by themselves or together.

If you fancy something a bit different, you’ll also find blends that combine tobacco with more sugary flavours like cream or caramel to sweeten things up, as well as flavours that combine menthol with fruits or berries for added depth.

Soda

If you’re a sucker for a bit of soda, we don’t blame you, so are we! With everything from cola and lemonade to energy drinks, we’re sure you’ll find a soda e-liquid flavour that’ll tickle your fancy. Enjoy the sugary notes and fizzy finish as they are, or pick up a flavour that cools them down with an icy exhale to capture the coolness of ice cubes in your drink or grabbing a cold can straight from the fridge.

Bakery & Dessert

If you’ve got a sweet tooth and are looking for a flavour that replicates the indulgent taste of your favourite desserts, we have plenty of dessert vape juice flavours that should do the job.

Vapers who enjoy a creamy sweetness complemented by a cold finish will want to check out our ice cream blends. Or, if you’re a fan of vanilla but not that into ice cream, there’s loads of custard flavours for you to check out too.

Cake and pastry lovers are also spoilt for choice, with everything from cheesecake and donut to pie and muffin blends for them to explore.

Don’t worry cookie monsters, we haven’t forgotten about you! It doesn’t matter whether you prefer chocolate chip, raisins or just good ol’ sugar and butter — we have it all.

Candy

Continuing with the sugary theme, we also have heaps of candy e-liquid flavours for you to check out. If you’re fan of the fruity variety, we have both sweet and tangy options to tantalise your taste buds. Whether you’re a bubblegum lover, a chewy gummy connoisseur or you just can’t get enough of sherbet, there’s bound to be a fruity candy blend that’ll hit the spot.

Want to keep things simple? There’s no shame in that! Stick to the classics with our range of hard candy-inspired blends. Or, if you’re after something a bit richer, go for a chocolate, toffee or a buttery sweet flavour. We even have cotton candy blends if that’s what you’re into.

Misc/Other

What we’ve listed above aren’t the only types of flavour that we offer! If you’re looking for a drink-inspired blend but you’re not such a fan of soda, feel free to check out our coffee, tea or slush vape juice flavours.

Or, if you fancy something cool and floral, why not check out some of our mint e-liquid flavours?

If we listed every type of vape flavour we have available we’d be here all day, but just know that you’re blessed with a plethora of options when it comes to picking out a new liquid.

Conclusion

With so much information to wrap your head around, you might need a hand when it comes to picking the right juice to get started with. Feel free to bookmark this guide and refer to it whenever you’re stuck on anything to do to do with e-liquid.

If you want to speak to someone directly, don’t hesitate to contact us. Whether you’re having trouble with nicotine strengths, PG/VG levels or anything else, we’re always more than happy to help!