DIY tutorial: how to make your own e-liquid, what are the benefits?

What is DIY?

DIY is the English acronym for "Do It Yourself". DIY has gradually become an essential part of the vaping world. So much so that today, it can be found at all e-liquid product retailers (shops and websites). DIY offers vapers, both beginners and more experienced ones, the opportunity to create their own e-liquid by applying a simple recipe that consists of mixing several ingredients (base + nicotine booster + additives + flavourings) to obtain a unique e-liquid. Thus, given the vast range of ingredients available to you, the customisation possibilities are virtually endless. It is by testing different combinations that you will be able to obtain a vape liquid that perfectly matches your expectations in terms of flavours and sensation!

How to make your own DIY e-liquid?

Prerequisites

Rest assured, making a DIY e-liquid is relatively straightforward and requires no special skills. All you need to do is follow the few preparation steps we provide, if you want your first attempt to be a success.

Before you start making your blends, you will need to equip yourself with a few essential accessories. When making an e-liquid, do not forget that you are handling chemical substances and that it is therefore important to take all necessary precautions to minimise risks. Safety glasses and latex gloves are therefore required. Furthermore, in order to store your products and carry out your blends with ease, you will need to obtain bottles of different sizes according to your needs. You can thus equip yourself with larger or smaller bottles to store your e-liquid, depending on the quantity you wish to produce. You should also equip yourself with the ingredients necessary for making your e-liquid; namely, the neutral base, nicotine, flavourings, and additives. You will find everything you need in the DIY section of Vapoteur Discount.

In order to carry out your dosing in the best conditions, filling syringes and/or transfer pipettes are recommended. It is also possible to obtain graduated bottles, which are practical for taking your measurements simply and without additional handling. If you also want to be able to easily carry your DIY e-liquid on a daily basis, you have the option of equipping yourself with small bottles specially designed for this purpose. These generally feature a dropper system that allows you to easily fill the tank of your clearomizer or atomizer for maximum convenience. Finally, you can equip yourself with labels to stick on your bottles to help you keep track, noting the composition and, if applicable, their creation date.

Step 1: prepare the neutral base

First, pour the neutral base, previously chosen based on its ratio of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, into your preparation bottle. Depending on the PG/VG ratio you choose, you will get a more or less different vaping experience. Indeed, a higher PG ratio will give you a strong throat hit and a much better-reproduced flavour. Conversely, a predominantly VG ratio will provide a denser vapour. If you want to enjoy a balanced experience, opt for a 50/50 ratio. 

Optionally add a nicotine booster if you wish to obtain a nicotine e-liquid. Follow the instructions on the product to achieve exactly the desired level.

Step 2: add the flavourings to your preparation

Once your neutral base with or without nicotine is ready, you need to add flavourings to give it the taste you want. You can mix several flavours for original results. However, you will need to find the perfect balance to bring out the potential of each flavouring! Depending on the various existing flavours (tobacco, drinks, fruity, dessert, menthol, etc.), refer to the dose recommended by the manufacturer on each e-liquid label in order to correctly dose your preparation with flavourings.

Step 3: add additives

This step is not mandatory but allows you to enhance your flavouring combinations by adding a fresh, creamy, or fruity note according to your preferences! These additives are powerful and should not be overused if you want to obtain a blend that can be savoured.  

Step 4: let it steep and enjoy!

The last step in the preparation is to wait for the flavourings to blend harmoniously into the mixture; this is known as steeping. During this maceration phase, which can last from 2 to 6 days or more depending on the flavourings you have combined, you need to store the bottle containing the preparation away from light and mix it regularly. You can then enjoy your homemade e-liquid by filling the tank of your electronic cigarette!

The advantages of DIY

Knowing that a 10 ml bottle of ready-to-use e-liquid costs on average between €4.90 and €6.90, the first major advantage of DIY is the money it saves you! Indeed, you need to spend around €20 to obtain 200 ml of neutral base, nicotine, and flavourings; enough to vape at a lower cost and sustainably! 

Moreover, DIY allows you to obtain a fully personalised e-liquid from A to Z, which would be impossible to find elsewhere. You can indeed choose your flavourings, your PG/VG ratio, and regulate your nicotine level as you see fit. Furthermore, being able to choose all your ingredients gives you full control over the quality of your final product; which is a definite advantage over certain e-liquids found on the market whose exact composition is not always specified.

Feel free to visit our Levapoteur-discount page to buy your own DIY e-liquids.

The disadvantages of DIY

The main drawbacks that could be attributed to DIY are that it requires time and a certain amount of practice to produce a quality e-liquid you can be proud of. Indeed, the expected result is not always achieved; due to a lack of precision, experience, and equipment.

Furthermore, when you add the cost of the accessories that are absolutely necessary and possibly various additional materials to improve quality, the bill can quickly add up.