A very high percentage of vapers will continue to use pre-mixed e-liquid throughout their vaping journey. This is because it is the easier path as the high-quality e-liquid supplied by vaping retailers are guaranteed to fulfil a vaper’s needs. A small minority will venture into the often-confusing world of mixing your e-liquid to a specific design. By experimenting with the ingredients, any vaper can modify the e-liquid they are using in their vape device and perfect their enjoyment.
The Basics
To mix your own liquids, it is first important to understand the different ingredients of e-liquids and what their properties are. An example of this is the two different types of nicotine, traditional freebase nicotine and salt nicotine. E-liquid without nicotine already pre-mixed in is called shortfill liquid; this contains three main ingredients that are –
- Vegetable Glycerine (VG) – thicker than PG, it is produced from plant oils, and vape liquids high in VG are used to produce large clouds of vapour.
- Propylene Glycol (PG)– a thinner liquid used in foods and medicines that are inhaled; it is a great carrier of flavour when used in vaping liquids.
- Food-Based Flavourings – these are the food industry staples used to deliver the tasty flavours in vape liquid.
Any budding mixologist will have some idea of what their end product might be; a vape with greater flavour will prioritise PG, or those who want significant cloud production will favour VG.
The Fourth Element
Having discussed the properties of shortfill e-liquid, the next step is to look at the fourth and final element, which is combined with the shortfill liquid, and this is referred to as the shot or nic shot. Available in various strengths, there are two different types of nicotine shot to choose from, freebase nicotine shots are more traditional, but an increasingly popular option is nic salt or salt nic, which is nicotine refined differently from freebase. Nic salt delivers a smoother vape when used in e-liquid, which appeals to certain vapers.
The Mixing Methods
Many vaping stockists now sell shortfill liquids in a range of various quantities. Generally, there is space left in the shortfill bottle to pour in your shots, all that remains is a quick shake, and the e-liquid is ready for use. The mixing ratios when combining the shortfill’s and shots are sometimes confusing and require some research; for example, adding a 10ml 18mg nicotine shot to a 50ml shortfill bottle will give you 60ml of e-liquid at a strength of 3mg.
The advice is to continue your research and check the website of your vaping supplier; most have excellent and informative guides regarding mixing your own e-liquids and what products might suit you the best. It’s also important to remember that it may take some experimentation when mixing larger quantities of vape liquid until you reach your desired goal.
You can now if you so decide to progress mixing your own e-liquids with the confidence this information has provided, and you may find the perfect e-liquid for your vaping delight.
Comments are closed.