DIY E Liquid Q&A
Wed 1 Jun 2016
If you’re experienced with DIY e liquid then you’ll know that the whole process is relatively simply and painless. However, when a vaper is considering making their own e liquid for the first time, a lot of questions come to mind.
Here at ELFC we’re always happy to help those new to DIY mixing, so here are some of the most common questions answered.
Question:
Why should I bother with DIY e liquid?
Answer:
There are 3 main benefits of DIY e liquid when compared to pre-mixed. The first is cost (we’ll get to that). The second is bottle sizes. Because of the TPD regulations, e liquid with nicotine will be limited to 10ml bottles but the DIY vaper can make as much as they like. The final reason is choice. You can make e liquid exactly the way you want it.
Question:
What do I need to get started?
Answer:
E liquid is made up of 4 main ingredients: flavouring, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine and nicotine. Most vapers use all of these, but if you’re someone who uses only nicotine free or max VG e liquid, then you may not need to buy them all. You’ll also need some empty bottles, syringes and possibly labels. Here at ELFC we sell all inclusive DIY Kits to suit most vaper’s needs.
Question:
How much money can I save with DIY e liquid?
Answer:
Absolutely loads is the simple answer. We’ve looked at this before on the ELFC blog, and you can see our calculations here. In a nutshell, those vaping 30ml per week can save over £400 per year, those vaping 50ml per week can save over £700 per year, and those vaping 120ml per week can save over £1800 per year.
Question:
Is DIY e liquid safe?
Answer:
Whilst drinking flavour concentrates, PG or VG is not advisable, it’s unlikely to cause you any real harm. The only potentially dangerous ingredient is the nicotine concentrate. Much like bleach or any other household chemical, keeping it away from from children and pets is a must. Also, if you spill any onto your skin during mixing, it should be washed off as soon as possible. If not, it may cause skin irritation. So yes, as long as some common sense is applied, DIY e liquid is safe.
Question:
What amount of each ingredient do I need to use?
Answer:
That depends on your flavour, PG/VG ratio, nicotine strength and bottle size. Decide what kind of e liquid you’d like, and use our DIY calculator to create a recipe. All of the flavour concentrates we sell have a recommended mix percentage.
Question:
What is steeping?
Answer:
Steeping is when an e liquid is left to mature and develop its full flavour. Some flavours are good to vape straight away, whereas others may take up to 4 weeks to fully mature. As a general rule, menthol and fruit flavours have the shortest steep times, and sweet and custard flavours have the longest. Always give freshly mixed e liquid a good shake to properly mix together all the ingredients. All of the flavour concentrates we sell have a recommended steep time.
Question:
Where should I store my DIY e liquid?
Answer:
Like pre-mixed e liquid, DIY e liquid should be stored away from sunlight and out of the reach of children and pets. This goes for nicotine concentrate, flavour concentrates, PG and VG too. Also, nicotine concentrate in both VG and PG can be stored in a freezer to prolong it’s life.
Question:
How long will my DIY e liquid last?
Answer:
As a general rule, DIY e liquid should be used within 2 years of mixing. It may be perfectly fine after this time, but it may also go bad sooner. If an e liquid turns black, or if nicotine concentrate turns any colour other than clear, light brown or pink, then it should be thrown away. Many of our suppliers put batch numbers and use by dates on their flavour concentrate bottles.
If you have any further questions about DIY e liquid, feel free to get in touch at info@eliquidflavourconcentrates.co.uk.
