E liquid base: that’s why they are not all the same

Modified on: 29/05/2024

Everything you need to know about making your vape base for electronic cigarette

To create your own e liquid and make the best product for your needs, you certainly don’t have to be a chemist! You just need a few simple ingredients, including the e liquid concentrates and the substances that make up the vape base.

Eventually you can also add liquid nicotine in small, medium or high percentages, but it is not an indispensable component for your DIY e liquid. It is up to you to decide whether to add it or not.

We at Terpy give you the possibility to customize your E cigarette Liquid in all aspects: you can choose independently – or by asking us for advice – the doses of the neutral solution, the aromas and, at your choice, the nicotine. In this way you can make the best e cig liquid, perfectly suited to your personal tastes!

As you may know, the vape base for the e-cigarette liquid is composed of two particular ingredients. Let’s see below which ones (and how to choose the perfect dosage).

E liquid base: what it is made of and how it is made

To prepare your vaping liquids, first of all, it is necessary to make the neutral vape base. This is made up of two particular ingredients, PG VG:

• Propylene glycol. It is an odorless, viscous and hygroscopic liquid (it means that is capable of rapidly absorbing water molecules). Its taste is sweetish; it is also a food additive and functions as a preservative, even suitable for cosmetic use.
• Vegetable glycerin (glycerol). It is a viscous, dense and transparent natural molecule, widely used in cosmetics and, of course, in the world of electronic cigarettes. As propylene glycol, it is a hygroscopic substance that absorbs and retains water molecules.

Propylene Glycol and Vegetable Glycerin have a different taste and a different density, and their relationship affects the sensations experienced during vaporization.

You must know that most of the liquids for electronic cigarettes available on the market have a ratio between these substances equal to 70/30, 50/50 or 30/70 (aromas and possibly the liquid nicotine are then added to these substances). Those who are allergic to propylene glycol, normally just use vegetable glycerin, but the effect is very different from the mix between PG and VG.

Once you have chosen the ratio between the two substances, you simply need to combine them and shake them. Initially the mixture has a milky appearance, but if it is left to rest for a few hours it returns to a normal state and so becomes transparent.

Read also: Macerated flavours: what they are and how they are produced

How to choose the perfect ratio between propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin?

In order to choose the perfect PG VG ratio you must mainly consider the characteristics of the two substances, and adjust their percentages according to your needs. The perfect ratio of propylene glycol to vegetable glycerin does not exist, but you can choose the best one for your taste after reading the following information:

• Greater amounts of vegetable glycerin increase vapor production during the vape. Using only glycerin, however, makes the vapor too dense.
• Propylene glycol gives a stronger HIT (throat hit) than vegetable glycerin.
• Vegetable glycerin is more viscous than glycol, so it takes longer to soak the cotton of the coils. If you take a “puff” when the cotton is not soaked in liquid enough, you will have an unpleasant taste. The presence of propylene glycol also helps you avoid this problem.
• Propylene glycol makes the liquid tastier as it carries the molecules of vaping aromas better than glycerin.

Anyway, our advice is to start with identical percentages of PG and VG and then possibly change it according to your tastes.

Read also: Liquids for electronic cigarettes, in UK the UFI code is mandatory

How is an e liquid UK made starting from a neutral vape base?

Basically, there are three steps to follow when preparing an e cigarette liquid, or just two if you don’t use nicotine shots. The steps are:

1. Prepare the base liquid ecig composed of propylene glycol and / or vegetable glycerin, with percentages of your choice. Shake.
2. Add eventually liquid nicotine (or skip this step if you want an e liquid without nicotine). In general, liquid nicotine is not purchased pure, but already diluted in a solution of maximum 10 ml of propylene glycol and glycerin (or just glycerin). To make a liquid with the nicotine percentages appropriate to your needs, it is necessary to further mix the nic shots with adequate amounts of glycol and glycerin. For example, with a 10 ml bottle with 18 mg / ml nicotine and 50/50 of PG VG you can obtain a liquid of 130 ml to 1.4 mg of nicotine by mixing 60 ml of propylene glycol, 60 ml of vegetable glycerin and 10 ml of ready-made base. Shake again.
3. Add e liquid flavours to the PG / VG solution (plus nicotine, if you want). After the last shake, the liquid is ready to be added to your electronic cigarette!

If you like to experiment, our advice is to create large amounts of e liquid base and then divide it into different bottles, which you will then mix with different e cig flavours.

Don’t wait any longer: buy the best products for electronic cigarettes on Terpy now!