Confused About Different E-liquids? Here’s Your Beginner’s Guide

We’re very fortunate to have more than a little on offer where vapes are concerned, but it isn’t all great news! It’s easy to get confused with the sheer amount of variety on offer before you. So, with the help of the good guys from vapoholic.co.uk we created this guide for you!

Keep scrolling and you’ll be rewarded with a solid rundown of all your key options and what they are. Let’s go!

Let’s start with the basics: What e-liquid is

It’s quite simple: an e-liquid is a liquid that contains nicotine. Flavours are also included in most products, but they’re not necessary. E-liquids are used in an electric cigarette or vaporiser, creating a cloud of vapour that is inhaled. It’s pretty similar to smoking a cigarette, except it’s much healthier and has none of the nasty taste, smell or toxins you’d get with a cig.

And that’s about it for the definition! Next time you’re browsing an eliquid range you’ll be right at home. Let’s dig a little deeper next.

How do vapes work?

We’ve begun with the basics on what an e-liquid is, so let’s take a look at using some in a vaporiser. The science is quite simple; most vaporisers and e-cigarettes are made up of a battery, a coil and a tank.

The tank is what stores your lovely e-liquid. You fill that up and the coil, which is partially submerged in the tank, starts to get soaked. From there, you activate your e-cigarette or vaporiser and the battery begins to heat things up. The coil becomes hotter and the liquid that’s soaked into it turns into a vapour. Easy!

The key distinction is temperature. Vaporisers operate at a higher temperature than a cigarette, allowing them to turn the liquid into vapour instead of combusting it like you would with tobacco. Vapour is safer and healthier than combusted tobacco.

What’s usually contained in e-liquid? What’s the recipe?

It’s helpful to know what you’re inhaling, of course. E-liquids that are approved for sale and distribution in the UK should have, at most, four key ingredients.

First up is nicotine, of course – although you can get nicotine-free vape liquids that are all about flavour. This is usually followed by some form of food colouring, which gives the liquid a pleasant and distinct visual appeal without affecting its consumption.

Lastly, you have propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG). The former is a chemical that is perfectly safe to consume; PG and VG both, in fact, are required to meet food-safe standards. PG is available in many medicines, too; it helps to carry the flavour in the e-liquid and its nicotine content. VG helps to create that distinct vapour cloud we all know and love.

Nicotine, of course, is the substance that is in tobacco. It’s essentially distilled in e-liquids and it’s the healthiness of the vapourisation process when compared to tobacco smoking that makes it a great alternative. Nicotine still has addictive properties even when inhaled in a vapour cloud, so be mindful of your consumption if that’s a concern to you.

Let’s talk ratios

The mixture of the aforementioned components is what largely determines the ratio of your e-liquid. This is a practical distinction and, for many, it comes down to what you are vaping for in the first place.

Vapers tend to come in two categories: those who are looking to swap to vaping so they can quit smoking and those who are getting into vaping for the enjoyment of it – perhaps without using any e-liquid that has nicotine in it at all.

For someone who is quitting smoking, a PG-heavy juice is a great call. These tend to have more nicotine in them, providing a more powerful hit when you take a pull. This is by design; PG-heavy liquids are made to almost mimic the feeling in your throat when you smoke a cigarette but without the health concerns.

A liquid with lots of VG in it is a little different. You’ll see a huge cloud from a vape pull when you use a liquid like this and they tend to have a wider range of exciting flavours to experiment with. A VG-heavy liquid is also thicker than a PG one. Thinner PG liquids mean they can burn at a lower temperature and, in some cases, carry more nicotine.

You can also get a mixture of both if you’re on the fence about what you need. A half and half blend will still deliver you a strong hit while also being able to work with just about any kind of vaporising product.

The right blend for you

So, you’ve got options. Time to ask some questions; do you want to help kick the habit of smoking, or are you more concerned with exciting flavours and ripping a bigger cloud of vapour?

If you’re the former, you’ll be well served by opting for high strength, PG-heavy e-liquid. It’ll give you a strong rush of nicotine and the sensation when you use it will scratch that habitual itch of smoking a cigarette or pipe. If instead you’re all about the flavour and fun of huge clouds, you’ll be well served by a VG mix that is thicker than a PG one.

Great choices all around

And there you have it! A massive amount of choice awaits you and the nuances are all part of the fun of getting into vaping. Whether you’re into this to get out of smoking or are enjoying the novelty and flavour of nicotine-free vaping, you’ll find plenty to love.

So get looking, think about your ideal vaping experience and take it from there. Before you know it you’ll be part of the community, enjoying a variety of different liquids as suits your needs best at the moment. From there it’s a short path to collecting new vaporisers; be mindful of your budget and enjoy the journey!