Understanding how to choose vape liquids when you are a beginner may not be easy and it is quite common to feel disoriented. So let’s do some clarity!
When you approach the world of electronic cigarettes for the first time you often hear about vape liquids, a term that appears generic but indicates a fundamental ingredient in the use of the e-cig, necessary to make your own experience of really satisfying vape.
It is to all intents and purposes that element which, together with resistance, allows the production of steam and gives the smoker the sensation of consuming the classic tobacco-based cigarette.
How steam is generated
To understand the function of e-liquid inside an electronic cigarette, you must first of all know that e-cig only vaporize a liquid aroma by means of an electric resistance activated by the battery: the more intense the vapor will be, the better the vaping experience will be for the user.
Liquid electronic cigarette composition
Once you understand the technology behind vaporization, it’s good to know what vape liquids contain, so you can choose which one best suits your needs. The components of the liquid in question are 5:
- glycerol or vegetable glycerin (VG);
- propylene glycol (PG);
- water;
- aromas;
- nicotine (optional).
The first two elements of the list are the mandatory ingredients for the production of smoke: vegetable glycerol and propylene glycol are active ingredients widely used both in the cosmetics sector, for the preparation of creams and ointments, and in the pharmaceutical industry, mostly included in medicines intended for oral intake such as syrups.
Not only that: they are both also used as food additives for long-life products, which indicates that they are in effect non-harmful substances with which our body commonly comes into contact in everyday life. Of these two raw materials, glycerin is the densest and most viscous substance and is the main reason for the body of the vapor, while propylene glycol is more fluid and has the function of conveying aromas (in particular, it is able to bring out notably the presence of nicotine).
The water contained in the vape liquids is purified water, i.e. water that does not contain mineral salts or heavy metals: it is used only in small quantities and its primary task is to keep the temperature of the resistance constant so that the liquid to vaporize it is not excessively viscous.
However, its presence is not essential and there are producers who do not include it within their blends.
On the other two elements, aromas and nicotine, there is really a lot to say and that is why we have reserved specific insights for you.
Liquid flavors
The aromas represent the real flavor of the vape liquids.
It is an ingredient capable of offering countless opportunities to the user to differentiate and customize their experience at will and in fact almost all vape liquids consumers use it: vaping with that extra touch of taste makes everything much more enjoyable.
Many varieties of vape liquids aromas for electronic cigarettes are available both in the online stores and at the specialized physical stores: the manufacturers in fact indulge themselves on this element more than any other, in order to provide more and more particular and satisfying vaping experiences and thus attract as many customers as possible.
For those who prefer not to stray too far from the taste of traditional cigarettes, there are vape liquids that faithfully replicate the taste of tobacco, sometimes even in the flavored version.
However, much of the attention and curiosity of users is directed towards the most unusual and original vape liquids flavors, such as mint, strawberry, vanilla, chocolate, but also mojito or biscuit flavor! In short, there really is something for all needs!
Vape liquids with or without nicotine
A separate discussion must be made on nicotine (whose concentration is sometimes expressed in milligrams per milliliter and others as a percentage).
In fact, this is the element that many smokers do not want to give up when they decide to leave the traditional cigarette to switch to the electronic one: nicotine is addictive, it acts like other addictive chemicals and detoxing is not so simple or immediate.
However, among the advantages of the e-cigarette, there is also that of being able to proceed step by step with the nicotine concentrations in vape liquids compound, in order to reduce the doses a little at a time with the passage of time.
In fact, it is possible to find vape liquids on the market that contain different amounts of nicotine, so those who decide to switch from the world of tobacco smoke to that of the vape can start with vape liquids with a dose of 18 mg of nicotine capable of giving the classic shot in the throat, gradually decreasing the quantities until moving to completely nicotine-free vape liquids.
Pre-mixed vape liquids and do-it-yourself liquids
Vaping newbies who are now starting to take their first steps in the world of electronic cigarettes can rely on aromatic vape liquids already diluted and ready to use, excellent both in terms of performance and aromaticity and available in the standard 10 ml bottle equipped with dropper (very practical to carry and also suitable for air travel).
Those who want to have fun experimenting can opt for the purchase of aromas only, concentrated substances that however need to be diluted “at home”: usually for each ml of base liquid (sold separately) just add a few drops of aromatic concentrate, to depending on the intensity you want to achieve.
Lovers of do-it-yourself vaping aromas can save money and also have the ability to mix different aromas, creating new flavors from time to time.
Obviously, to create a blend with the use of concentrated aroma, you need the right equipment and even a little experience: knowing well the composition levels of the different substances is essential to obtain a certain taste without causing damage.
The most interesting part, however, concerns the relationships between the substances present in the mixtures, which with various concentrations can give rise to vapors of different nature.
A balanced blend consists of 50% propylene glycol, 40% vegetable glycerin and 10% water.
Eliminating the water and increasing the percentage of glycerin would result in a much denser smoke, by virtue of the higher viscosity of the liquid; on the contrary, by decreasing the concentration of glycerin and increasing that of propylene glycol, the chosen aromatic taste will barely be perceived without scenographic effects.
Regulations and deadlines
Companies that produce vape liquids for electronic cigarettes must comply with a series of regulations in order to sell compliant and certified products.
When purchasing a bottle of e-liquid, you must therefore check that the CE mark is shown on the label, being wary of products that do not display it.
Depending on the frequency and duration of vaping, the duration of an e-liquid bottle can also be very variable, which is why you may be forced to refill the tank of your electronic cigarette often.
Given that the expiration date should always be shown on the bottle, once opened it can last about a year: a lot depends on how the product is stored, but after this period of time it will still tend to lose quality and its aroma will risk. to get upset.
