What is E-Liquid?
E-liquid is the fluid in electronic cigarettes and vape devices that creates the actual vapor when the device is actively used.
This liquid provides the flavor, cloud, and nicotine in every hit and goes by many names. However, with the addition of salt nic, the term eliquid means more than it used to.
Including many different nicotine strengths and types, infinite flavor profiles, and different size bottles, the world of eliquids has grown significantly since 2010, when vaping first began.
Grab your favorite flavor, and let’s dive into the world of e-liquid. Need a re up? Find e-liquid at Vape Militia.
As the famous lyrics of Bill Summers go…
E-Liquid, eliquid or vape liquid
♫ “You can call it what you want to, whatever feels right” ♪
♪ “You can call it what you want to, it’s all right”♫
As long as it’s not juice.
When it comes to answering the question “What is e-liquid?” it’s important to get the terminology correct.
Vape industry professionals have preferred e-liquid or eliquid; the dash is inconsequential or vape liquid for quite some time. Other titles for this product containing the word “juice” have been all but banned, and rightfully so, considering kids drink juice. After a somewhat tumultuous beginning to the vape industry and the negative and incorrect connotations that only kids like flavors, utilizing the correct terms only helps to show that we are policing our own and making every best effort to prove vape is an adult product.
Using phrases for the liquid in a vape device, such as vape juice, e-juice, or ejuice, only continues to fuel those who want to over-regulate one of the most significant advancements in history in improving the health of smokers. Because kids drink juice, and if this is called juice, they are obviously marketing to kids…eye-roll. This same misguided association is the basis for the argument that only kids like flavors. When we know that it is a fact that flavors play an important role for adults trying to quit smoking and those that have successfully done so. One of many studies that prove this was noted by Vaping 360.
What Is E-Liquid?
So we know it is the liquid in a vape, but what is e-liquid? What’s in it? What is it made of?
Well, vape liquid only has a few ingredients and is quite a simple product. The two main components of eliquid are VG (vegetable glycerin) and PG (propylene glycol).
So then you have the two most important ingredients to the vaper, nicotine, and flavor. These are vital to the adult vaper because they are user-specific. Preferences on nicotine and flavor can vary wildly depending on the device, type of vaper, and which flavor profiles appeal to them.
All these ingredients have been known to be safe for human consumption for quite some time Although admittedly, there are unknowns to some of the effects when inhaled. Yet, there has been nothing proven of any ill effects caused by vaping.
What is PG in E-Liquid?
PG stands for Propylene Glycol, a petroleum by-product. The fluid has no odor or color and is less viscous than VG. Propylene Glycol is a common ingredient in foods, medicines, and cosmetics utilized to absorb and maintain moisture content.
In the production of eliquid, it is used to provide a ‘throat hit’, which some users claim is similar to the sensation experienced when smoking an analog tobacco product. It also carries flavor more effectively than VG, making it the most used suspension fluid for flavor concentrates and nicotine.
What is VG in E-Liquid?
Vegetable Glycerin is also known as VG. It is commonly used in foods, medicines, and cosmetics to blend water and oil-based ingredients. It is a natural chemical derived from vegetable oils, allowing for use in all-natural products and suitable for vegans.
It is commonly used in vape liquids to give the vapor a ‘thick’ sensation or dense cloud on exhale. VG has a slightly sweet taste and is considerably thicker than PG.
In addition, vegetable glycerin provides a much smoother throat hit than Propylene Glycol, making it more suitable for sub-ohm vaping. While nicotine and flavorings are commonly suspended in PG, some vendors offer a VG alternative to enable 100% VG mixes.
Nicotine Type and Strength
Part of the answer to this topic’s question of what is e-liquid depends on the type of nicotine it is made with.
There are three basic types of nicotine. Tobacco derived, salt, and synthetic. Available in a wide range of nicotine strengths. When it comes to nicotine content, it is measured in two ways.
One is milligrams, which will be milligrams per milliliter, and the second will is a percentage, both of which mean the same thing.
For example, a liquid with 3mg of nicotine is also a 0.3%, meaning there is 3mg per ml of fluid or 0.3% of the bottle is nicotine.
This carries on with all nicotine strengths, 50mg = 5.0%, 6mg = 0.6%, etc.
Traditional E-Liquid
Traditional eliquid is the original formulation of the liquid used in vape devices.
These vape liquids contain the ingredients described above, VG, PG, nicotine, and flavoring. Additional to traditional e-liquid, conventional or freebase are commonly used names. None of these are incorrect; however, most prefer simply using eliquid.
These are typically sold in bottle sizes of 60, 100, and 120ml, and 30mls can still be found, although rare.
Nicotine content for traditional liquids is commonly found in 3, 6, and 12mg, more uncommonly in 18 and 24 milligrams.
Most commonly, traditional nicotine vape liquids are used in conjunction with sub-ohm coils, that are typically paired with mods. Although, since vaping is all about customized experience, using a pod device or high-er ohm coil is also acceptable and works well, depending on preference.
Salt Nic E-liquid
Salt nic or salt nicotine was developed by Pax Labs, the former parent company of Juul.
It was a creation to increase the nicotine content of the liquid, allowing for a smaller device and less power consumption. Alas, the Juul device and now disposable vapes and pod devices. Salt nic, as it’s most commonly called, would also allow for the older device or battery technology to be utilized in conjunction with newer coil technology.
Salt nicotine has one different primary ingredient, that is, in the nicotine itself, not added to the e liquid, like flavoring would be—benzoic acid. This additional ingredient allows vapers to take advantage of a higher nicotine concentration while reducing the PH or the harshness of too much nicotine.
If you have ever vaped an eliquid with too much nicotine, you will notice a harsh peppery-like feel or heavy throat hit; this is vastly reduced in salt nic.
It is highly recommended that the correct coil and or pod is used with salt nic. Not for overdose issues, as you can’t OD on nicotine, but for user experience. It is not an enjoyable or flavorful vaping experience to utilize sub-ohm(under .5 ohm) coils or pods with salt nicotine.
Synthetic Nicotine
The advent of synthetic nicotine was created due to the continued evolution of the vaping industry. Most vape haters will say it is an attempt to get around FDA regulation. Although it may catalyze change in overreaching, burdensome regulation, it was not developed as a loophole.
The third type of nicotine is synthetic and covers two very different types. These can be in salt or traditional styles of eliquid.
TFN, is a synthetic nicotine brand, and the process in which they manufacture synthetic nicotine is proprietary to the creators of a South Korean company called Next Generation Labs. TFN was initially released in 2016
Synthetic nicotine, abbreviated as SYN, differs in how it is produced and what molecules are used. As a result, the hit and absorption rates vary, between TFN and SYN, although they may not necessarily be noticeable to the end consumer.
Health and Safety Concerns
As with everything humans do, there are health concerns; everything, including living, is actively trying to kill you. Ok, that’s dreadful enough for now.
Vaping, like driving, has become safer as it has progressed with time, innovation, education, and user experience.
There are plenty of resources, including Vape Militia, to help you on your journey in vaping; it is not 2012 anymore.
Therefore, there is little need for experimentation, which is where most of the hazards came from, outside of trying a new eliquid flavor.
The third type of nicotine is synthetic and covers two very different types. These can be in salt or traditional styles of eliquid.
TFN, is a synthetic nicotine brand, and the process in which they manufacture synthetic nicotine is proprietary to the creators of a South Korean company called Next Generation Labs. TFN was initially released in 2016
Synthetic nicotine, abbreviated as SYN, differs in how it is produced and what molecules are used. As a result, the hit and absorption rates vary, between TFN and SYN, although they may not necessarily be noticeable to the end consumer.
E-Liquid Flavors
Let’s be honest; when it comes down to it, the flavor matters. That’s the real answer to what is e-liquid.
We may be adults, but we still like how things taste, right?
At Vape Militia, we are all about the flavor.
It has to be delicious. The only way to offer the best e-liquid is to truly understand flavor.
Since 2014, we have made it our mission to know every flavor and always offer the best quality from the best and the most popular e liquid brands.
When the e-liquid hits the coil, Vape Militia knows the results. If it is not pure satisfaction, it’s wrong.
If your e liquid flavors are wrong, swing by and find out what pure satisfaction tastes like.
