Deciding to swap your cigarettes and tobacco for a vape can positively impact your life in so many different ways. It goes without saying that it is a good choice for anyone who currently smokes and with such a huge range of both vapes and e-liquids on the market these days, you can guarantee that there will be the perfect combination available for everyone.
When you're new to vaping, trying to get your head around the many different types of e-liquids can be quite confusing. Of course, you want to ensure that you’re choosing the right liquid for your needs and in order to do this, there are a few different things you need to take into consideration. To help anyone trying to choose the right e-liquid for their vape, our team here at The Vape Life have put together a helpful guide to follow.
E-liquid flavour
One of the first things to think about is the flavour of the liquid you will be purchasing. You have such a huge selection to choose from, from mint and menthol to tobacco and all kinds of fruity and sweet flavours. It goes without saying the majority of the time, choosing a flavour you enjoy will take a lot of trial and error, and often, people try lots of different options before they find a favourite.
It isn’t uncommon for people that are new to vaping to stick to tobacco flavours to start with. Lots of e-liquid manufacturers have tried to closely match the flavour of popular tobacco brands and their e-liquids are known for mimicking the taste of an actual cigarette. Of course, if you want to steer away from the taste of tobacco completely then it is easy to do so and you have lots of other options to choose from.
Nicotine strength
A huge benefit of swapping to a vape is that you have the opportunity to control your nicotine intake. When you smoke, your body becomes used to a certain amount of nicotine and many people want to replicate this with the e-cigarette. Usually, nicotine levels in e-liquids come in three different strengths;
- Low - this is an e-liquid that is 6mg or below, which are recommended for light smokers.
- Medium - these are e-liquids that are 9mg to 12mg which are aimed at ‘standard’ smokers.
- High - this is an e-liquid that is 18mg to 20mg and is designed to meet the needs of heavy chain smokers.
If you’re unsure which type of smoker you are then it is recommended that you start with a medium strength of nicotine in your e-liquid.
As well as being able to purchase pre-made e-liquids with a nicotine strength, you can also purchase individual nicotine shots. Nicotine shots are unflavoured and are specifically designed to be added to a type of e-liquid called shortfills. These shots will increase the nicotine levels in the liquid so you can ensure that it meets your needs. For example, if you add a 10ml of 18mg nicotine shot to a 50ml shortfill, you will get 60ml of e-liquid that is 3mg in strength. Here’s a picture describing this in more details.
PG/VG ratio
Lastly, you should consider the ratio of Propylene Glycol (PG) and Vegetable Glycerol (VG) in your e-liquid. Simply put, both PG and VG are the liquids that are combined with flavour and nicotine to create an e-liquid. These two liquids have a different consistency, as well as a slightly different taste too. Nowadays, the majority of e-liquids use a combination of these liquids but the ratio does vary quite dramatically.
The majority of people tend to start with a 50-50 ratio of PG to VG and then you can alter this to meet your individual needs. However, you do need to ensure that your vape is able to handle these different ratios. It isn’t uncommon for some vapes/e-cigarettes to only work with a certain level of PG and VG so, you need to be careful that you’re choosing the right level. If your vape isn’t meeting your needs in terms of PG and VG then you might want to consider a new one.
Choosing your e-liquid
Hopefully, the guide above will help you to choose the right e-liquid for your vape and your needs. Consider everything mentioned above and take some time to think about the different options available to you. Of course, if you purchase an e-liquid and you don’t like it, or it isn’t quite right, then you can always try something different next time.
If you need some further information or advice in this regard get in touch with our team here at The Vape Life, we will gladly help. We are a vape store in Dublin and over the years we have helped lots of people make the transition from smoking to vaping. We stock a huge range of e-liquids, including both 50ml and 100ml e-liquid shortfills and a range of nicotine shots, so you can trust that we will have the perfect solution for you. So, don’t hesitate to contact us today.