How does Nicotine affect E-Liquids?

It is a well-known fact that more and more people are ditching cigarettes and swapping to vaping to get their nicotine hit. Vaping is a great way of weaning yourself off nicotine simply by lowering the nicotine strength over time – in theory you won’t need nicotine eventually. In this blog, we are going to talk about how nicotine can affect your vaping experience, as well as explaining all the basics of e-liquid.

Back to basics

As you probably know, an e-cigarette is an electronic smoking substitute for tobacco. The battery heats the coil inside the tank and vaporises the e-liquid to replicate the experience of smoking. There are many different devices to choose from, and it may be trial and error to find the one that suits you and your vaping style.

E-liquid is the juice that you use in your vaping device tank that is heated to create the vapour that you inhale. It consists of four ingredients – propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerine (VG), flavouring and nicotine. The blend, or ratio, that you choose is totally personal preference, and there is not one size fits all. The more PG you have, the greater the throat hit and the more VG you have the more cloud production and flavour you will taste. There are so many different flavours to choose from – from the exotic Purple Slush Darkstar Eliquid right through to the sweet and fruity Pancake Man Ejuice, you really are spoilt for choice!

Does nicotine alter e-liquid?

Usually, you will find that e-liquid comes in different strengths – 3mg, 6mg, 8mg, 12mg and 18mg. Along with the PG content, the nicotine is also responsible for the throat hit (the part that feels like taking a drag on a cigarette.) As there is not one size fits all, what strength of nicotine you go for will depend on your personal preference as we all experience the nicotine hit differently. If you are trying to quit smoking, a general rule of thumb is below:

• 10+ regular cigarettes per day = 18 mg nicotine strength
• Up to 10 light cigarettes per day = 12 mg nicotine strength
• Up to 10 ultra-light cigarettes per day = 6 mg nicotine strength
• Very light/occasional smokers = 3 mg nicotine strength
• Nicotine free = 0 mg nicotine strength

• Any 4 For £10

  
  Elfliq Nic Salt by Elf Bar – Pink Grapefruit – 10ml
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• Any 4 For £10

  
  Elfliq Nic Salt by Elf Bar – Cream Tobacco – 10ml
  £2.99
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It is extremely important that you use the right level of nicotine for 2 main reasons – The first is to stop the cravings that real cigarettes produce, and the second is that using too much nicotine can cause side effects such as nausea. Due to its high alkaline properties, high strength nicotine can result in the harsh throat hits, which leads to a lot of people coughing when they first try vaping. In order to stick to e-cigarettes and not go back to smoking, you need to make sure that you have the right strength and a good Ultimate Juice E liquid flavour (or your favourite brand)!

How to choose the right e-liquid for you

There are several different factors that you need to take into consideration to find the right e-liquid. Obviously, the flavour and the nicotine strength, but there are also other factors including the PG/VG ratio and the make of the liquid. It may take a couple of times to get the right one for you, but once you start testing them you will know what you need to look for. Here is some little advice to get you started:

Flavours

What flavour you go for can always be a tough decision to make! Vaping flavours might not always taste like the description as heating and nicotine changes the flavour slightly, but in general there are 3 different groups of flavours:

• Tobacco – some people want a simple, tobacco flavour to get them started. It is earthy and strong and is worth a try but is not to everyone’s taste as you don’t get the same taste as a cigarette, it is much stronger.
• Menthol – this is the perfect all day vape flavour, and it leaves you with a refreshing and cool after taste. It can be too strong for some people, but it can be mixed with other fruity flavours to take the edge off.
• Fruity / Sweet – this is when e-liquid companies can get creative! There are a whole host of weird and wonderful flavours out there, from Apple Pie, Strawberry Sundae and even Pancake Man ejuice! Try a few new ones and you are sure to find something that you enjoy.

Nicotine Strength

By vaping, you have total control over how much nicotine you put into your body, and you can easily match what your body is used to from smoking. Take a look at the guide above if you are unsure where to start.  One of the main differences between smoking and vaping is that you stop smoking when you finish your cigarette. With vaping, you can constantly puff all day. Most people will just know when they have had enough vaping, but if you are worried you are vaping too much try going for a high nicotine e-liquid and see if that helps.

PG/VG ratio

Most people start with a 50/50 blend and work from there. You may want to try something with a greater VG to produce more clouds, or you may want a higher PG content to make it feel more realistic. There are also options such as short fill liquids, such as Darkstar e liquid, and nicotine shots. Short fill e liquids allow you to add your own strength of flavourless boosters to 100ml of liquid, and nicotine salts contain benzoic acid to allow a higher nicotine strength without the traditional harshness that comes with it.

Manufacturer

As you are putting the vapour directly into your body, you need to make sure that your e-liquid comes from a trustworthy company. Make sure before you buy that their liquids are fully tested and compliant to UK laws and they are made to UK standards. Here at Vape and Go, we only stock from reputable and trustworthy manufacturers so you have nothing to worry about.

Value for Money

If you are a heavy or frequent vaper, then you need to make sure that you are getting the most for your money. E liquids can range greatly in price, and you need to make sure that you are not overspending. Many people who vape regularly choose to go for the short fill e-liquids, meaning there is 100ml of 0mg flavoured juice for you to fill with 2 nicotine shots or booster separately. Adding 2 x 18mg nic shots to your Ultimate Juice E Liquid will create 120ml of 3mg juice. In the UK, you are only allowed to sell 10ml of nicotine at once, so this is a clever and easy way to make sure that you get the most for your money.

The main things that will affect your e-liquid are the PG/VG ratio and the strength of the nicotine you choose. You need to find the right mix that suits you and your vaping style to make sure you get the best experience you can. It can be trial and error, but once you find the right one the possibilities are endless!