E liquids 101
Brittany Hale
What are e liquids?
E liquid is just a short way of saying electronic liquids which are liquids made for e cigarettes. E liquids are usually made up of 3 basic components: nicotine, propylene glycol (Pg) and vegetable glycerin (Vg).
Nicotine salts, by standard, have the same amount of nicotine found in an actual tobacco leaf. Nicotine salts use benzoic acid, which then lowers the pH. This reduces the alkalinity, allowing vaping at lower temperatures. Salts tend to be 50/50 when it comes to the ratio of vegetable glycerin (Vg) and propylene glycol (Pg). This makes the consistency of the e juice less syrupy which creates a cleaner hit for mouth to lung vaping. Salts also come in a few different nicotine levels which tend to be 50 mg and anywhere from 25-35 mg.
Some advantages of salts are said to include: satisfaction, smoother hits, richer flavor, and tend to be less expensive. For some though, salts may be too strong and also come in fewer flavor options. They also lack the ability to create massive smoke clouds, making freebase e juices your first choice when it comes to fun.
The fact that salts are so high in nicotine tend to make them a better fit for mouth to lung pod devices as opposed to direct to lung because of the harshness. Despite this, there is nothing to say you cannot use salt nics in any device, just be prepared for a harsh experience.
Freebase is the more traditional form of e juice, with nicotine that is closer to its purest form, thus having a higher pH. Freebase e juices have a different proportion of Vg to Pg because of this, so instead of 50/50 like salts, they are 70/30. Seventy percent Vg and 30 percent Pg. This allows the smoke, when going directly to the lungs, to be completely enjoyable, even in large amounts. The nicotine levels for freebase e juices come at 0mg, 3mg, 6mg, and 12 mg.
Some benefits of freebase e liquids include: smooth direct to lung hits and large amounts of smoke. Going back to earlier, freebase liquids tend to be the liquid of choice for vape tricks and such.
Keep in mind: freebase liquids are not best for POD devices because of its thickness due to it’s ratio of Vg to Pg.
Some of our most popular e liquid brands include:
Yami, Juice Dimension, The Merge, Glas, Solace, The Milkman, 7Daze, USA Vape Lab, Nitro, and many more. E juice comes in a plethora of exciting flavors for any and everyone. Flavor categories include: fruity, desert, tart, menthol, tobacco, coffee, sours, creamy, etc. and some are even combinations of multiple categories. It’s really an exciting process finding new e juices that you’ll enjoy vaping.
When deciding which e liquids are right for you, keeping the following in mind:
- What kind of device do you have?
- How much nicotine is right for you?
- What flavors interest you most?
Keeping these 3 key factors in mind will lead in you in the right direction when purchasing e liquids!
Shop with VaporDNA online, or visit one of our two retail locations in Southern California! If you need assistance making a choice, please feel free to contact us using the contact form and we'd be happy to help! We are excited to have the opportunity to be your one stop shop for all your vaping and electronic cigarette needs.
By: Brittany Hale
Brittany Hale was born and raised in Torrance, CA and has a bachelor’s in Journalism from Hawai’i Pacific University. She has been vaping since 2016 and has loved the vape culture since it has benefitted her in many ways. Her enjoyment inspired her to continue to learn about the ins and outs of the industry. She then pursued her passion for writing by combining it with her enthusiasm for vaping by joining VaporDNA’s content team.