How to choose your e-liquid?

It is a question every beginner vaper will inevitably ask themselves: how do you choose the right liquid for your e-cigarette? Find our guidance to best orient your choice!

I - Everything you need to know about e-liquid

- The composition of the e-liquid

What is an e-cigarette liquid actually made of? Four solutions primarily make up e-liquids:

• Propylene glycol (PG): the base that carries flavors, the PG level acts as an emulsifier and ensures good delivery of the flavors present in your e-cigarette liquid. PG also provides a good throat hit, depending on the nicotine level associated with it.
• Vegetable glycerin (VG): colorless, viscous, transparent, sweet, odorless, and non-toxic, vegetable glycerin also makes up e-cigarette liquids. VG allows for the production of more abundant vapor.
• Nicotine: while you can perfectly choose a nicotine-free e-liquid, it can however be included in the composition of your final product. To determine the right nicotine concentration for your e-liquid, it is necessary to take several criteria into account, as defined below.
• Flavorings: sweet, menthol, or even similar to the tobacco taste of regular cigarettes, the flavorings you choose can be natural or artificial depending on your preferences.

- How to choose PG/VG levels?

The propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin levels will be balanced according to your needs and expectations. Indeed, if you want a good flavor delivery and a pronounced throat hit, without significant vapor production, then you will need to choose a liquid with a PG level much higher than the VG level. Conversely, if you want to produce clouds of vapor while limiting the throat hit and reducing the nicotine level, you should opt for a VG level higher than the PG level.

II- Selection criteria

If the vast majority of vapers turn to the e-cigarette, it is very often to move away from regular cigarettes and tobacco. If the e-cigarette is therefore used as a smoking cessation product, it makes sense to opt for e-liquids suited to the smoker's needs. If cravings are not satisfied, the urge to return to the old and harmful habits represented by tobacco and regular cigarettes may arise. This is the very specificity of an e-cigarette and it is precisely one of the main reasons why a vaper will remain loyal to it over time: the importance of choosing the right liquid is therefore paramount. Would you like to embark on the adventure but don't know what to choose from the multitude of products available on the vaping market? Several criteria should be taken into consideration to best guide your choice:

• What nicotine level will you need in your e-liquid?
• What flavor(s) would you like to favor?
• What will the composition (VG/PG ratio) of your e-cigarette liquid be?

1- Nicotine dosage and the ideal throat hit

If you have decided to switch to vaping, it was certainly to break away from regular cigarettes and the harmful effects that come with them. To successfully quit, you will therefore need to find complete satisfaction in the e-cigarette, and more particularly the e-liquid, that you choose.

The throat hit:

Indeed, the nicotine present in your e-liquid not only helps smokers satisfy a real need and fill a potential gap when quitting tobacco, but it also provides a particular sensation known as the "hit." What is the hit? It is simply the sensation that the contraction movement in the throat produces when vapor passes through, comparable to the sensations provided by tobacco with a regular cigarette.
Do you enjoy what is called the throat "catch"? Of course! But to achieve the ideal hit, it is necessary to adapt the nicotine level based on, among other things, your equipment (see the explanation below).

The importance of the right nicotine dosage:

Your former tobacco consumption habits and your needs will determine the nicotine level that would be best to add to your e-liquid. Nicotine concentration is expressed in milligrams per milliliter (mg/ml). The nicotine concentration is therefore a key factor in making the experience as suitable as possible. Indeed, if:

• The nicotine concentration is too low: the vaper will not find it satisfying and their needs will not be properly met.
• The nicotine concentration is too high: quite unpleasant consequences can arise from a nicotine overdose, such as headaches and sometimes even nausea. Furthermore, the "hit" felt will itself become unpleasant and may cause coughing with every puff.

These are the reasons why, before purchasing an e-liquid, you will need to precisely determine your needs beforehand.

What nicotine concentration for which profile?

Thanks to the specialized questionnaire more commonly known as the "Fagerström test," you can roughly determine your level of nicotine dependence and, thus, the amount you need to meet your requirements. Available online, the test asks 6 different questions related to your consumption habits:

• How long after waking up do you smoke your first cigarette?
• Do you find it difficult to refrain from smoking in places where it is prohibited?
• Which cigarette of the day would you find hardest to give up?
• How many cigarettes do you smoke per day on average?
• Do you smoke more heavily in the morning than in the afternoon?
• Do you smoke when you are sick, to the point of having to stay in bed almost all day?

The data collected will allow you to be placed in one of the smoker profile categories. As a result, on average:

• A nicotine dosage between 16 and 18 mg/ml corresponds to "heavy smokers," who consume more than 20 cigarettes per day and are seeking a pronounced throat hit.
• A nicotine dosage between 11 and 12 mg/ml suits "average" smokers, who consume between 10 and 20 cigarettes each day.
• A nicotine dosage of 6 mg/ml is more suited to very moderate smokers, whose cigarette consumption does not exceed 10 cigarettes per day, and who will prefer flavors over a pronounced throat hit.
• A nicotine dosage of 3 mg/ml targets so-called "occasional" smokers, whose cigarette consumption does not exceed 5 per day. This dosage is aimed at new vapers who want a small nicotine intake while enjoying the intensity of flavors in the mouth.
• A nicotine dosage of 0 mg/ml: for vapers seeking flavorful vapor, without any nicotine concentration.

Power and nicotine level: 

However, it should be noted that these figures are established on average, without taking into account all the factors inherent to e-cigarette use. Indeed, the correspondence between the nicotine concentration in a regular cigarette and the nicotine level in an e-cigarette can differ according to certain criteria, such as, in particular, the power of your e-cigarette.

Indeed, a beginner vaper using an e-cigarette with a lower or moderate power, i.e. less than 20 watts, will more easily be able to rely on the correspondences mentioned above. On the other hand, a vaper choosing more advanced equipment, with a higher-powered e-cigarette (over 30 watts), will certainly need to somewhat readjust their nicotine concentration to avoid a throat hit that is too pronounced and becomes almost unpleasant.

To better understand, you should know that the higher the power of your e-cigarette, the greater the vapor production. More vapor means… a much higher nicotine concentration, as it is released in greater quantities. This is why you need to balance things out according to the equipment you use.

E-liquid consumption vs. number of cigarettes: 

For a smoker seeking to quit, it is important to get an idea of the amount of e-liquid that will be needed to satisfy the nicotine need previously met by regular cigarettes. That said, while it is not possible to define the exact equivalence between the number of cigarettes smoked in a day to satisfy one's nicotine need and the amount of e-liquid required, online calculators can provide you with an estimate of the ideal consumption. To obtain this result, you will need to enter:

• The number of cigarettes usually smoked each day.
• The nicotine level per cigarette.
• The nicotine level in the e-liquid you are considering choosing.

Discover how long a bottle of e-liquid lasts.

2- The type of flavor you are looking for

There are currently five main categories of different flavors. There are e-liquids that are:

• Menthol: highly popular, mint e-liquids are among the "must-haves" in vaping. Fresh and pleasant, menthol flavors are not unlike the menthol cigarettes found in tobacco shops.
  Example: The Fresh Mint by Le Vapoteur Discount — between soft and intense mint.
• Fruity: Peach, kiwi, strawberry, pineapple… All flavors exist in nature and, above all, in your e-liquids! Treat yourself to something different and you are sure not to get bored. You can even mix flavors together. It is all a matter of calculation and balance!
  Example: the Red Fruits e-liquid by Le Vapoteur Discount is one of the best-sellers in the catalog.
• Classic (i.e. with a "tobacco" flavor): this is the flavor most commonly recommended to beginner vapers who wish to quit real tobacco. Indeed, an e-liquid with a "classic tobacco" taste allows newcomers to gently and simply get used to the new vaping experience they are embarking on.
  Example: The TB USA by Le Vapoteur Discount with its highly appreciated classic American flavor.
• Gourmet: having recently arrived on the vaping market, so-called "gourmet" flavors offer original tastes to vapers in search of novelty and, sometimes, exoticism! From all kinds of cakes to the most beloved sweets, treat yourself to the pleasure of a flavorful vapor every day.
  Example: The Spé'culos by Le Vapoteur Discount and its cinnamon speculoos flavor.
• Drink-inspired: Coca-Cola, bourbon, mojito… Treat yourself to anything you like!
  Example: the Café Mocha by Le Vapoteur Discount.

Can you mix e-liquids?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions: can you mix e-liquids together? The answer is yes!
And, for two reasons:

• To offer yourself a new taste, a personalized flavor. Nothing stops you from mixing a strawberry flavor with a menthol flavor, for example! These e-liquids already exist on the market, such as the fresh fruity options from the The Raid or Fruity Fresh range by Le Vapoteur Discount.
• To adjust a nicotine concentration: you bought an e-liquid with a nicotine level of 12 mg/ml and find it too strong in the end? On the other hand, you have a second e-liquid at 6 mg/ml, but it turns out to be too light for your taste? No need to throw away your e-liquids — simply rebalance them properly. To do so, you can mix the two together in equal doses and volumes to obtain a rebalanced concentration of 9 mg/ml!

III- Warnings

E-liquids must be handled with care. Whether you make your own e-liquids via DIY, or opt for a pre-made e-cigarette e-liquid, you need to protect yourself from direct contact with it in certain cases.

• If your e-liquid contains no nicotine: no need to worry, you are not at great risk. The PG/VG levels contained in the e-liquid are safe for your skin as they are already used in everyday products such as cosmetics.
• If your e-liquid contains nicotine: be careful. Nicotine can be somewhat harmful to the skin, even if its risk is limited thanks to the PG/VG concentration with which it is mixed. If your skin has come into contact with the product, simply take the time to rinse it off with clean water!

What does it mean to be a customer of Le Vapoteur Discount? 

Being a customer of Le Vapoteur Discount is the guarantee of buying at the best price and benefiting from optimal quality service.

It is also access to a catalog with the best e-liquid brands at tiered pricing. 

Happy choosing, and see you soon!

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