E-Liquid FAQs

What is e-liquid?

E-liquid is the flavoured liquid that is added to the tank or pod of an electronic cigarette. When the device is fired, the coil inside heats up the e liquid and vaporises it so that you can inhale it.

What is e-liquid made of?

E-liquids are a blend of propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerine (VG) and flavouring. Most also feature nicotine.

What is VG and PG?

VG (vegetable glycerine) and PG (propylene glycol) are the principal ingredients in e-liquids for vaping. Both substances are flavourless, food-grade and safe.

What is a 50/50 E liquid?

E-liquids feature a blend of propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerine (VG) that is known as the base liquid. The PG and VG can be featured in different proportions and those proportions are known as the base liquid ratio. The ratio of each ingredient is expressed as a percentage on the e-liquid packaging. A 50/50 base (also expressed as 50:50 or 50PG/50VG) is 50% PG and 50% VG.

Which e-liquid for which coil?

It is the proportion of VG and PG in an e liquid which dictates whether it is suitable for your device. Sub ohm coils (coils with a resistance of less than 1.0ohm) are compatible with e liquids that are at least 60% VG. Higher resistance coils are compatible with e liquids that are at least 50% PG.

Which e-liquid for sub ohm?

Sub ohm coils are compatible with e-liquids that are at least 60% vegetable glycerine (VG). This may also be expressed as 60VG or 60VG/40PG.

What e-liquid should I use?

You should choose an e-liquid which boasts a flavour that you enjoy and a nicotine strength that satisfies your cravings. You must also select a vape juice that is appropriate for your device. E-liquids that are at least 60% VG are suitable for coils with a resistance of less than 1.0ohm. E-liquids that are at least 50% PG are suitable for coils with a resistance of 1.0ohm or higher. Our product listings provide the information you need to make the right choice.

Is e-liquid tobacco?

E-liquids are not tobacco and do not produce tar or carbon monoxide when vaped. The nicotine added to e-liquids has usually been extracted from a plant from the same family as the tobacco plant and sometimes from the tobacco plant itself.

What is bad in e-liquid?

All genuine, branded e-liquids sold in the UK must adhere to strict regulations regarding the safety of their ingredients. Manufacturers must declare the ingredients of their products and the products are rigorously tested before being approved for sale. Regulated products will not contain toxic ingredients. E-liquids sold outside of the UK and EU may not be regulated. Black market e liquids certainly won’t be. These products could contain toxic ingredients such as diacetyl.

What harmful chemicals are in Vapes?

The branded e-liquids sold in the UK and EU are all subject to strict regulation and are tested to ensure that they do not contain toxic substances. E-liquids sold outside of the UK and EU may not be so rigorously tested and fake e liquids could certainly contain harmful chemicals.

What is the safest vape liquid?

All genuine, branded e-liquids sold in the UK and EU are stringently regulated, rigorously tested and safe. E-liquids sold outside of the UK and EU may not be subject to the same degree of testing and regulation and so could contain unsafe ingredients. Unfortunately, the products of leading brands are often faked, and the counterfeit vape juices may contain toxic ingredients.

What is the most harmless vape?

All genuine, branded e-liquids that are sold in the UK are highly regulated and tested. They are all safe to vape. However, many vape juices contain nicotine, and it is known that nicotine can raise your heart rate. For this reason, it could be said that nicotine-free e-liquids are the safest choices.

What are the most harmful Vapes?

There is no doubt that the most dangerous e-liquids are counterfeit e liquids, as these are not regulated or tested and so may contain harmful ingredients. E-liquids containing THC have been linked to potentially fatal lung conditions. No genuine, branded e-liquids sold in the UK contain THC as such products are banned.

Is there such thing as healthy vape?

Vaping is much safer than smoking and so all e-liquids are healthier choices than cigarettes. However, black market (fake) e-liquids could contain harmful chemicals as they will not have been tested. If you have added anything such as essential oils, alcohol or honey to your juice, you will have made it less safe to vape. Many e-liquids contain nicotine, an addictive substance that may increase your heart rate.

Can e-liquid be absorbed through skin?

The nicotine in e-liquids can be absorbed through the skin. This is not a safety concern as the amount absorbed would be very small. However, when nicotine contacts you skin it can cause irritation.

Can I put essential oils in my vape?

E-liquids sold in the UK must comply with stringent regulations and they are tested. As such they are safe and do not feature any toxic ingredients. The ingredients they do contain are of food and pharmaceutical quality and are designed to be vaporised. Essential oils are not meant to be vaporised and inhaled. They may not have been tested to ensure that they do not contain toxic substances. You should never add essential oils to your vape juice.

Can I put honey in my vape?

The ingredients in e-liquids have been chosen because they are safe to vaporise and inhale. They are subject to strict regulation and are tested. You should never add anything to your e-liquid except other e-liquids and/or nicotine shots. Honey certainly should not be added as it is an edible product that is not suitable for inhalation.

Can I use coconut oil in my vape?

You should never add any ingredients to your e-liquids other than other e-liquids or nicotine shots. Neither should you fill your tank or pod with anything other than a genuine, branded e liquid. No other substances are designed to be vaporised and inhaled. E-liquids sold in the UK are subject to strict testing and regulation and so can be relied upon to be safe.

Can you vape water?

You can vape water, but we wouldn’t recommend it. if you put water in your vape tank the vapour produced will be very hot and could burn you and it will be completely flavourless.

Can I put vodka in my vape?

You should never vape any alcoholic drink including vodka. When you drink alcohol, your liver processes the toxins it contains. You will bypass your liver when you vape alcohol and the ethanol in it could damage your lungs.

What strength e-liquid should I vape?

Not all e-liquids feature nicotine, but many do, and you can choose from a variety of nicotine strengths. These are expressed either as the number of milligrams of nicotine per millilitre of liquid such as 10mg, or as a percentage with 10mg being 1%. The maximum strength permitted is 20mg (2%). When you first start vaping, the strength you need will depend on how heavily you smoked. If you were a heavy smoker, you may require a nicotine strength of 18mg or 20mg but if you were a lighter smoker, 12mg or 10mg could suffice. You should reduce the nicotine strength you vape over time.

Is a 20mg vape strong?

A nicotine strength of 20mg is strong. 20mg is the highest nicotine strength permitted by law in the UK.

Is 3mg of nicotine a lot?

3mg is the lowest nicotine strength available with most e-liquids, apart from e-liquids that are nicotine-free. However, if your device features low resistance coils, it will produce a large amount of vapour. The more vapour you inhale, the more nicotine you will absorb. Even a strength of 3mg can give you satisfying hits.

What is a nic salt vape?

There are two types of nicotine – freebase nicotine and salt nicotine (nic salt). Freebase nicotine delivers the most noticeable throat hits while salt nicotine gives you smoother hits and quicker relief of your cravings.

Why has my vape juice changed colour?

If your e-liquid has changed colour, this is most likely to be because it contains nicotine, and the nicotine has oxidised. Oxidation is a natural chemical reaction that occurs when nicotine is exposed to the oxygen in the air. It does not impact the safety of the e-liquid. Over time the nicotine in e-liquid may oxidise, even if the bottle hasn’t been opened.

Is vaping without nicotine safe?

Vaping is much safer than smoking but may not be 100% safe. Certainly, vaping e-liquid that does not feature nicotine would be safer than vaping juice with nicotine. This is because nicotine is a toxic substance that can raise your heart rate and it is highly addictive.

What's Vapers tongue?

When you lose the ability to taste e-liquid, the condition is known as vaper’s tongue. It is a type of olfactory fatigue where your brain has ceased processing sensory information from your tongue. This could occur either because you’re constantly subjecting your palate to a single flavour or because you’re changing e-liquid flavours often and that has overloaded your senses.

Can e-liquid make you sick?

Many e-liquids contain nicotine which is an addictive substance that is toxic in high concentrations. E-liquids sold in the UK do not contain a high enough concentration of nicotine to be harmful. But chain vaping a high strength e-liquid can result in you absorbing too much nicotine in a short period of time and this may cause headaches or feelings of nausea.

Does vaping make your breath smell?

Vaping can dry out the tissues in your mouth, reducing saliva production. It is saliva that keeps your mouth clean and healthy, so if you don't produce sufficient saliva, bacteria can build up in your mouth and causes bad breath.

Is vaping bad for your teeth?

Many e-liquids contain nicotine which is a stimulant that can promote tooth grinding. Tooth grinding wears away tooth enamel and this will make your teeth more susceptible to chips, cracks and cavities. Vaping may also reduce the amount of saliva you produce, and this can also impact dental health.

What is the most popular e-liquid Flavour?

Flavour is a matter of personal taste and what pleases one vaper may not be the best choice for someone else. In general, fruit flavours are the most popular choices and the most popular picks of all are e-liquids that feature blends of fruit, aniseed and menthol notes. These include Vampire Vape’s Heisenberg, a much-copied flavour that most vapers seem to like. Blue raspberry flavours are also incredibly popular, but you may prefer menthol flavours or dessert blends.

What's the best Flavour vape juice?

No e-liquid flavour can be considered to be better than any other as flavour is a matter of personal taste. Of course, certain flavour profiles are more popular than others, and there are some flavours from the leading brands that have reached almost legendary status. These include Vampire Vape’s Heisenberg and Pinkman flavours, Red Astaire by T Juice and Lemon Tart by Dinner Lady. You should vape a range of flavours to find the ones that you love.

What brand of vape is the best?

There are many excellent e-liquid brands to choose from. The brand that is best for you will depend on your taste and your budget. If cost is key, then cheap e liquid brands such as 88Vape and Kik are worth trying. You might find that you enjoy the huge choice of flavours offered by brands like Vampire Vape and Hangsen as they give you greater choice or perhaps you favour the artisan quality of niche brands. Our product listings and pages provide overviews of what you can expect from each brand and flavour.

How much does e-liquid cost?

E-liquids vary in price. You can purchase e-liquids for less than £1 per 10ml bottle or for as much as £5 per bottle. Cheap e-liquid brands like 88Vape and KIK will give you amazing value and you can lower the price of any vape juice by taking advantage of our multibuy deals.

Which e-liquid last the longest?

How long e-liquid lasts will depend on how intensively you vape and the nature of both your device and coils. The more puffs you take, the quicker you will exhaust your e-liquid. In addition, sub ohm coils get hotter and so vaporise more e-liquid each time you fire your e cig. Mesh coils tend to use more e-liquid than regular coils as they have larger heating areas. If your device enables you to set your output, the higher the wattage you set, the quicker you will use up your e-liquid.

Do e-liquids expire?

E-liquids do have expiration dates and the shelf life of vape juice is around 2 years. However, use-by dates are a guide and e-liquid may degrade before or after those dates. After a certain period of time the constituents of e-liquids will start to break down. This can mean that flavours and aromas weaken. In addition, the nicotine in e-liquids can oxidise, causing them to become darker in colour. You can prolong the life of e-liquids by storing them appropriately. There is no evidence that vaping e-liquids that have expired is dangerous.

What if the seal on a bottle is broken?

Some e-liquid brands feature lids which spin freely despite the fact the seal remains intact. If you hold a bottle in your hand and twist the cap you’ll notice that it spins freely but, in order to actually open the bottle, you’ll need to push down on the top and twist the lid quite hard in order to break the seal - and you’ll hear a cracking sound when the seal is opened. Faulty bottles are rare but should be discarded.

Where to store e-liquid?

E-liquid will degrade quicker when exposed to bright sunlight or extreme temperatures. It is best store them in a dark place such as a drawer or cupboard and at room temperature. Always keep e-liquids out of the reach of children and pets.

Should you steep e-liquid?

Like fine wines, e-liquids need to be left for a short period after they have been mixed so that the flavour can develop. This process is called steeping and is usually undertaken by the manufacturers. In other words, the e-liquids that you buy will already have been steeped. However, if you mix your own juice, you will need to steep it, but the length of time required varies according to the flavour profile. Fruit flavours take only a couple of days to steep whereas sweeter dessert flavours should be left to steep for around 2 weeks.

What are DIY e-liquids?

DIY e-liquids are those that you mix yourself. You can invest in base liquid, flavour concentrate and nicotine shots that can be mixed together.

What are e-liquid pods?

With many e-cigarettes, the e-liquid reservoir is plastic pod rather than a glass tank. E-liquid pods can either be refillable or prefilled with e-liquid.

Are e-liquid bottles recyclable?

Most e-liquid bottles are made from recyclable plastic. You can check the packaging for guidance. The cardboard boxes that the bottles are supplied in are also recyclable.

Can e-liquid go in checked luggage?

E-liquid bottles can be packed in checked luggage or hand luggage. But your airline may have a specific policy for vape juice and so you should check before travelling. Always place your e-liquids in plastic bags as the changes in pressure during the flight could cause them to leak. Please note that vaping is banned in some countries and you could be arrested if you try to enter these countries with e liquids in your luggage.