Beginner's Guide To E-liquid

If you've been smoking disposable cigarettes for a while or just prefer variety you may want to get into more advanced vaping. Disposable cigarettes are easy to use and are generally good for anyone looking to use e-cigarettes to quit smoking, but if you want to take on vaping as a hobby then investing in vape pens and box mods that can take in e-juice might be for you. Here I'll tell you the basics of what you need to know to start juicing up your vape life.

First you'll want to know the main ingredients of vape juice to determine if you should be using it. The main ingredients in most vape juices are nicotine, propylene glycol, vegetable Glycerin and various flavourings. While most of these ingredients are relatively harmless (with the obvious exception of nicotine) the chemicals in some of the flavourings may contain harmful chemicals which it is important to look out for. Some studies have found that ingredients like benzaldehyde and vanillin are known to be respiratory irritants. If you care for your health remember to treat vape juice like food and check for harmful ingredients. While you've probably gotten used to this from smoking e-cigarettes it doesn't hurt to be sure.

Second you'll want to get a vaporizer pen or box mod to use in the e-juice. It's a good idea to browse brands to see what you like and take what you liked about your brand of e-cigarettes and ask on forums or ask more experienced friends. The vaping community is very new so a lot of material is spread through word of mouth.

When picking flavours for the first time always buy small bottles as most vendors don't do returns on the basis of not liking a flavour. When choosing your flavour it is important to consider your base. The two main bases being propylene glycol and vegetable glycerine or PG and VG for short.

Propylene glycol or PG based e-liquids are often the more popular choice for those looking to avoid frequent maintenance.  It's also been a lot better researched and proven to be safe for inhalation. PG based e-liquids are more viscous than VG which means it is thinner and far easier for the wick to absorb and for your vape to transfer throughout. This also means that it leaves behind less gunk. While being thinner would seem to imply less flavour this actually isn't true. Most of these upside have made PG the more popular choice of the two. This doesn't mean that it has no downsides.  PG based e-liquids have a stronger throat hit resembling an analog's and will dry your throat and mouth if used frequently. There is also a higher allergy risk for Propylene glycol based e-liquids so it would be in your interest to call your doctor or not be alone before/while trying them for the first time.

Vegetable Glycerin or VG based e-liquids are not as well researched as their more popular counterparts but they have a far lower allergy risk making them a good alternative. VG based e-liquids are a lot thicker than PG so they will leave more gunk. This means you'll need to clean your parts a lot more often than if you use PG based e-liquids. While it may seem like there are only downsides to      VG base e-liquids they actually produce a lot more vapour and are cheaper to buy than PG in small quantities.

Comparing these two bases might have you thinking "why not both?". A lot of e-liquids actually contain varying ratios of both. They can be mixed for different consistencies but most people start off with 100% PG especially those coming from using cigarettes. Though PG is slightly more popular. Try them both and you'll find your taste eventually.