The beginner’s guide to choosing the perfect vape juice

The beginner’s guide to choosing the perfect e-liquid

Your journey into the awesome world of vaping starts with an e-cig. After trying out a couple of devices, you finally come across the perfect one for you. Soon, you’ll discover that the liquid that comes with the e-cig doesn't last forever. And the e-cig quickly transforms from a very cool invention into a useless toy. Of course, you do not need to buy another e-cig to satisfy your cravings. All you need is a refill to bring your device back to life.

The e-liquid market is just as large as the e-cig market, if not larger. The sheer number of options available could leave you dazed. And we can bet you don’t want to start another round of trial and error. The following guide is designed to help you choose the vape juice that suits you best.

It’s all about the flavor

The very first thing you need to note when shopping for vape juice is the flavor. The flavor easily determines whether you'll like the juice or not. Even if the liquid has just the perfect strength of nicotine coupled with the right vapor production and PG or VG, you still won’t use it if you can’t stand the flavor. The good news here is that a wide range of flavors is available on the market, you simply have to find the perfect one for you. There are food flavors, fruity flavors, tobacco blends and virtually any other flavor you may want.

Beginners usually prefer the tobacco blend, particularly those that took up vaping in a bid to give up smoking cigarettes. The tobacco blends mimic the flavor of the popular cigarette brands so it makes the transition smooth. Some users also choose to experiment with flavors of foods or fruits they like. You could take your experimenting a step further by going for the mixtures. If you are looking for an alcohol-inspired cocktail, you’ll find flavors that are blends of brandy, wine, and bear. The bottom line is that you’re likely to find whatever you seek. But it is better not to get overly adventurous as a beginner. Go for flavors you know you’ll love and enjoy the vaping experience before you start thinking about experimenting.

Then the nicotine

Once you discover a flavor you’re in love with, the next decision you’ll want to make is how much nicotine your e-liquid would contain. E-liquids come in three different nicotine strengths and your choice as a beginner would be largely influenced by how much cigarettes you used to smoke.

• Low strength- contains 6mg nicotine or less

Ideal for light smokers who do not smoke more than half a pack daily

• Medium strength- contains 9 mg to 16 mg nicotine

Ideal for average smokers who go consume between half a pack and a full pack daily.

• High strength-  contains 18 mg to 36 mg nicotine

Ideal for heavy smokers who go through more than one pack daily

If you find out that the drag you’re getting from your vape juice is too strong, you probably need to step down on the nicotine strength. The reverse is the case when you feel the drag is too light. It is important to get the vape juice with the perfect nicotine strength for you. Too high and you may get nagging headaches, too low and you’ll find yourself vaping more frequently that you should.

PG or VG, or both

This is the last major ingredient you need to consider when choosing the ideal vape juice for you. The base or vehicle of your e-liquid could be pure Propylene Glycol (PG), pure Vegetable Glycol (VG) or a mixture of both vehicles. PG is renowned for its flavor while VG is known to emit thick vapors. Your choice would largely depend on what you want from your e-liquid. If you are in it for the flavor, an all PG-base vape juice would be good for you. And if you are a sucker for the vapor, there’s no need to think twice before going for all VG-base. Often, users want a mixture of both. Manufacturers heed this call by producing a mixture of PG and VG in varying ratios.

Juices containing 40% PG and 60% VG appear to be the most common. It is imperative to note here that some people are allergic to Propylene Glycol. If you find yourself reacting to a PG only vape juice or the mixture, you should switch to VG only. Common presentations of the reaction include hives, itching, and difficulty breathing.

Sample before purchase

If you’re purchasing your vape juice in a physical store, there’s a high chance you’ll have a chance to sample the available flavors before making a choice. This makes it easy to determine the flavor, nicotine strength and base that’s best for you. If you’re buying online, however, such luxury may not be available. Alternatively, you can order for a ‘tester pack‘- a pack that contains small quantities of various flavors. Once you find the one you love the most, you may then go ahead to buy the bigger bottles.