As some smokers like to roll their own cigarettes and use different types of tobacco, so do some of vapers as they feel the need to customize their experience to the maximum. E-liquid mixing is fairly straight forward and almost anyone can do it by following the guide to eLiquid mixing below.
There is a chance that you already mixed some eLiquids without paying much attention to this matter, like if you have ever combined two pre-mixed e-liquids or even accidentally added a different liquid to a half full cartomizer.
It is very important to understand what the eLiquid is in fact. It mostly consists of three things: a nicotine base, PG and/or VG carrier liquid, and flavorings.
The nicotine base is what determines the concentration of the eLiquid. It’s not even close to 100% pure nicotine which would be very hazardous to handle, and it usually comes in concentrations of 5.4% with the remaining 94.6% being PG carrier liquid. In essence the nicotine base is a very strong ejuice but without any flavor. Do not ever consider vaping the concentrated nicotine base without diluting it further with a carrier liquid because it is very dangerous for your body!
Propylene Glycol (PG) and Vegetable Glycerine (VG) are two of the most common diluents used with the nicotine base. Propylene Glycol is great at carrying flavor while the Vegetable Glycerine is the one that produces lots of vapor. Most eLiquids combine the PG and the VG in different proportions in order to get the perfect balance.
Flavorings are the last ingredient to any ejuice and here is where the real magic happens. As a rule, any flavor you add needs to be at least “food grade†but you need to be careful as not all of these are safe to inhale like yeast extract or chili.
When it comes to strength, there is a simple rule you always need to take into account. Let’s just consider an easy mix. If you start with 5.4% nicotine base and mix it with two parts carrier liquid you will have a nicotine e-liquid strength of 1.8%, this is often called 18mg/ml. If you mix the same amount of 5.4% nicotine base with five parts carrier liquid you will have 0.9% strength. The rule generalizes depending on the initial concentration and the number of parts carrying liquid you wish to add.
So with the above principal in mind; get a 30ml empty bottle, add 10ml of 5.4% nicotine base, 10ml of PG and 10ml of VG. The resulting (unflavored) eliquid will have a nicotine strength of 1.8% with a PG/VG ratio of around 66/33 assuming that the nicotine base has been produced using PG as it normally is.
Having a greater proportion of PG/ VG will give better flavor and a low viscosity but will have a lower vapor production. By using more VG than PG your eliquid will make plenty of vapor but may need a greater percentage of flavoring to compensate for VG’s poor flavor carrying ability, you may also need to add some purified water to help lower the viscosity.
When it comes to flavor, only imagination is your limit when combining them but you need to keep in mind that generally the common amount added is 2% to 4% of the total solution. You may also notice that the flavor of your DIY e-liquid ‘matures’ over the two or three weeks after first being mixed, a phenomenon known as ‘steeping’.
Always remember, though, that you are working with chemicals and there are some necessary rules to follow: the nicotine base should be handled with extreme care, you should wear gloves and protective eyewear at all time. You must always dilute nicotine base with PG and/or VG liquid before using in order to lower the strength, it must never be vaped neat. Always store your DIY eLiquids safe from children and pets and always avoid exposure to direct sunlight.
