The world of e-liquid, sometimes called vape juice, can be exciting, yet overwhelming. There's a whole host of flavors out there to explore, not to mention different blend ratios and nicotine levels that can make choosing the right one for you seem daunting. The team at Vaporfi Columbus has you covered though! Stop in to one of our locations or simply read on as we break down all the options.
Ingredients & Blend Ratio
One of the significant advantages of vape juice is its transparency when it comes to ingredients. Unlike traditional cigarettes that rely on combustion, vape juice doesn't contain any added chemicals like arsenic, benzene, vinyl chloride, or hydrogen cyanide; nor does it produce tar when vaporized. The four components of vape juice are a base made up of vegetable glycerin (VG) and propylene glycol (PG), nicotine, and flavoring, so you always know what you're getting.
Together, the VG and PG determine the blend ratio, or thickness of the liquid. The VG values are usually listed first, followed by the PG. Vegetable glycerin is thicker, helps with cloud production, and is naturally sweeter while propylene glycol is thinner, takes on the flavoring of the juice better, and has more of a throat hit. Common blend ratios include 70/30, 60/40, and 50/50.
The device and coils you use will help you choose what kind of blend ratio will be best. The more VG a blend contains, the thicker the liquid. If you're using a high powered sub ohm coil, a max VG blend will stand up to the higher heat better. A thin blend like 50/50 can become too thin when vaped at high wattage and can lead to leaking.
Pod styles and MTL style coils are generally smaller, and it can be hard for them to wick thicker juices properly. For low power settings and pods, opt for a thinner blend at or closer to 50/50 for the best experience and coil/pod life.
Nicotine levels
Nicotine levels in e-liquids are a personal choice that can be narrowed down by your prior smoking habits and future goals.
If you aren't already a smoker or vaper, we do not recommend starting an addictive habit.
If you want to vape and can't be deterred, stick to 0mg flavors. We carry a plethora of freebase vape juice brands that can be found in 0mg, and a handful of disposable brands such as Cloud Nurdz and EBDesigns that make nicotine free products as well. If you've managed to cut down your nicotine consumption dramatically but can't kick the hand to mouth part of the habit, consider dropping down to a 0mg e-liquid!
Salt Nicotine
Now-a-days there are two different types of nicotine available to choose between, salt nicotine and freebase. Salt nicotine juices, also called nic salts or salts, are e-liquids that have higher concentrations of nicotine. In this juice, the nicotine molecules are bonded to a type of salt molecule called benzoic acid, the same type of nicotine molecule found in cigarettes.
The salt molecule smooths out the hit and makes it very easy for your body to absorb the nicotine, resulting in a faster delivery and more immediate satisfaction. For this reason, vapers who are looking to successfully make the switch from cigarettes often opt for a salt nicotine juice to start because it better curbs their cravings and makes the transition easier to stick with.
Freebase Nicotine
Freebase is a term for regular, non salt nicotine juice. In this case it means that the nicotine molecules are on their own, not bonded to anything else. The nicotine in Freebase e-liquid will take your body longer to absorb and comes in lower concentrations. Without the salt molecule, higher freebase nicotine levels aren't as smooth and will have more of a throat hit to them.
While salt nicotine e-liquids are generally considered stronger, there is some overlap between the nicotine strengths of freebase juices. A few brands of e-liquid like Pinup Vapors have salts strengths as low as 15mgs that range up to 50mgs on the high end. Freebase juices can range from 0mgs up to 24mgs, but keep in mind a 24mg freebase liquid will have a much stronger throat hit than its 24mg salt counterpart.
Salts can also feel stronger overall because of how fast they absorb into your blood stream. If you're starting to feel lightheaded or dizzy, you may be vaping too much too quickly. Stop using your vape for a little while and drink water. You may need to step down in nicotine strength if you find yourself hitting your vape more often for flavor or out of boredom.
Percentages to Milligrams
Vape juice and disposable manufacturers describe the nicotine content in their liquids in one of two ways, percentages or milligrams. Not knowing your nicotine strength or describing a milligram as a percentage can lead to confusion, especially when you go to re-up on your vape supplies.
Nicotine levels in percentages (%) can be converted to milligrams (mg) by moving the decimal one space to the right. The opposite is true for converting milligrams to percentages, just move the decimal one space to the left. For example, a disposable that lists its nicotine content as 5% is a 50mg. A freebase juice that lists its nicotine level as 3mg is 0.3% nicotine. Be careful not to confuse 3mg as 3% or you might just end up with a 30mg salt with way more nicotine than you bargained for!
Sub ohm tanks like the Uwell Valyrian III or the Geek Vape Zeus are designed for making large clouds of vapor at once. Most tanks that use sub ohm coils, unless it's specified as an MTL tank, also go up quite high in terms of power.
Nicotine Poisoning
A high powered, vaporous hit can be dangerous when combined with a highly concentrated nicotine salt juice because it can allow you to ingest too much nicotine at one time, leading to nicotine poisoning.
According to poison control, nicotine poisoning causes nausea, vomiting, dizziness, shakiness, sweating, and can make the heart beat much faster than normal. Severe poisoning can cause seizures and death.
If you or someone around you start to experience symptoms of nicotine poisoning, stop vaping and call Poison Control immediately at 1-800-222-1222.
My Vape Still Makes Me Cough!
If you're new to vaping, the difference between vapor and smoke can be an adjustment for your throat. The water vapor produced by hitting a vaping device is naturally denser than the smoke from combustibles. The physical motion for hitting a cigarette is a two step process called mouth to lung (MTL) sucking into your mouth first and then inhaling.
While pod styles and a few tanks like the Zenith II by Innokin can offer an MTL experience, the denser nature of the water vapor can irritate the back of your throat if you hold it there. If the back of your throat is getting irritated, the body's natural response is to cough.
Most coils, unless they state they are MTL, are designed for a direct lung (DL) hit. Practice hitting your vape as if you were taking a normal breath, without the in between step.
Nicotine has a sort of peppery taste, and the feeling or throat hit of an e-liquid can change drastically depending on the nicotine level. Keep in mind that even though salt nicotine juices have a much higher nicotine strength, they can be smoother on the back of your throat due to the salt molecule.
Your device may also have adjustability features that you can play with to get a smoother hit. Try setting the airflow to be more open. The airier the hit, the cooler the vapor will be. Also check your coils recommended wattage range and adjust the power on your device to the lower end of the range to reduce the heat.
Be sure to drink lots of water throughout the day to offset your vaping. An irritated throat can also be caused by dehydration!
Sugar Sugar
Vape juice flavors with high sugar content are likely to burn out any type of coil faster than a similar juice with lower added sugar would. Using a thicker blend ratio in a smaller pod style or with an MTL coil can also decrease coil life.
If after switching your juice and blend ratio you're still experiencing bad coil life, check out our blog on how to make your pods/coils last longer.
E-liquid can come in a range of colors naturally from clear to dark brown. The darker the juice is before opening, the more sugar content it typically contains. Sugar is also responsible for your juice getting darker in your tank because over time it caramelizes on the coil. Change your coil regularly and keep up with cleaning your tank to prevent the juice in your tank from getting too dark.
If you notice your juice turning brown while still in the bottle don't worry, it's not "going bad." Once opened, nicotine in the juice reacts to both light and oxygen, a process called oxidation. To slow down oxidation, keep your vape juice in a cool, dark place with the bottle cap securely on.
E-liquids do have a shelf life of around 2 years unopened, and should last a year after opening. There's no evidence that vaping an expired juice can harm you, however; an expired juice won't taste the same or as intense as it did when it was fresh, and the nicotine strength will decrease over time as the nicotine molecules begin to break down.
Vape Tongue
If you stick with the same flavor of e-liquid all the time, you may be getting what we call 'vape tongue' to it. The flavor might not taste bad outright, but if it's less yummy than usual, or doesn't have much of a taste at all, you can try using a different flavor like Cool Melon by Glas Basix for a short while. The new flavor should act as a pallet cleanser and allow you to enjoy your usual flavor again like it was the first time. You might also discover a new favorite in the process!
Come see our selection!
At Vaporfi Columbus, we are committed to helping you navigate the world of e-liquids. Whether you visit our locations or continue exploring our comprehensive guides, we're here to provide the knowledge and assistance you need to make the most of your vaping journey.
By understanding the components, making informed choices, and experimenting with different combinations, you can unlock a world of vaping satisfaction.
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