What are the ingredients used to make e-liquid?
E-liquid is a substance used to produce vapor in vape devices. You might think that there are a ton of ingredients in e-liquid, but there really aren’t that many. E-liquid is made up of propylene glycol (PG), Vegetable Glycerin (VG), flavoring, and nicotine.
Vegetable Glycerin- is a clear viscous liquid which is extracted from soybeans or palm trees that is used in many different aspects of your everyday life. In some cases, it can also be made from animal fat. VG is not a type of oil; it is a water-soluble substance. VG is commonly used in the food industry for uses such as a sweetener for foods or an additive to help keep the moisture in food. It is also used in the pharmaceutical industry in creams and lotions to help moisturize your skin and absorb more of the substance. When it comes to vaping, VG is what affects the amount of vapor that is produced. The more VG you use in your e-liquid the thicker the clouds you will produce. Another way VG affects your e-liquid, is that it gives you a smoother throat hit.
Propylene Glycol- is a liquid that doesn’t have a color or an odor that is extracted from petroleum. It has a slight sweet taste and has a syrupy like consistency although it is less viscous than VG. PG is FDA approved and is an ingredient used in a lot of your everyday necessities. PG has the properties to hold moisture, making ingredients thicker, and also bonding ingredients together, therefore making it commonly used in everyday cooking. Some examples of foods that use PG include; ice cream, salad dressing, soft drinks, commercial food coloring, and many more. PG is also used in the cosmetic industry in products such as; shampoo, lotion, mouthwash, toothpaste, and deodorant. PG is used to enhance the flavor in your e-liquid. The more PG you have in your e-liquid the more flavorful your hit will be. It also will strengthen the throat hit which a lot of tobacco smokers enjoy.
Flavoring- the flavoring in e-liquid is made of natural and artificial flavor concentrates. E-liquid manufacturers use safe flavor concentrates with food grades approved by FEMA (flavor extracts manufacturers association). Flavor concentrates are used in food that have some kind of artificial flavoring. Also, Flavor concentrates make up no more than 10% of the ingredient used in e-liquid. E-liquid also does not use oil-based flavor concentrates.
Nicotine- is an alkaloid found in plants such as tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and tobacco. Nicotine is a stimulant that also can also work as a relaxant. Different levels of nicotine are used in different types of e-liquid. The more nicotine you use in your e-liquid the harsher the throat hit will be, on the contrary, if you use less nicotine the hit will be smoother. The types of nicotine found in e-liquid are either freebase or salt nicotine. Freebase nicotine is mainly used in e-liquid that is between 0-24 mg nicotine while anything over that is most likely salt nicotine. Salt nicotine is the closest thing to an actual cigarette hit so it is common among users who switched from tobacco products to vaping.
What is the process for making E-liquid?
E-liquid is made by combining the main four ingredients listed above, PG, VG, nicotine, and flavoring, and mixing them together. It is actually a fairly simple process as long as you have all the ingredients you need. While making e-liquid is easy, making good e-liquid is a little bit more of a challenge.
When making e-liquid you need to have the right blend of VG and PG or the hit you get when you inhale the vapor might not be what you were looking for. Using different amounts of VG and PG will cause different effects to the vapor produced. Also, another factor is the flavor. If you add too much flavoring, it will not taste very pleasant and might even mess up your coil. Let's not forget about the most important factor which is the nicotine. When making e-liquid the amount of nicotine is very important. You don’t want to add too much because it can lead to nicotine poisoning, which isn’t fatal but can be very uncomfortable. When making e-liquid it's important to have a balance of all these ingredients. Some examples of how the balance is important would be if you wanted a very flavorful juice, you could add more PG, which makes the vapor more flavorful, or you could add more VG and you would get more vapor production but your flavor might not be as strong. Typically, most companies use a 70/30 blend of VG/PG with the right amount of flavoring and nicotine added. Plus the bottle size and amount will determine how long the vape juice will last.
Can you make your own E-liquid?
Anyone can make their own E-liquid. All you need is the four ingredients listed above and the knowledge. When trying to make e-liquid the process of getting the right blend and balance is where it gets tricky. To get the hit and flavor you're looking for it will take a lot of trial and error but you will eventually be able to find that perfect blend you are looking for.
