An e-liquid is the electronic cigarette's fuel. Without it, your device can't produce any vapour, nor can it provide you with the nicotine you want.
Made from propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and in most cases food-grade flavourings, it's a more or less viscous mixture that plays an important role in vaping. It shouldn't be chosen lightly, and you probably won't find your ideal juice the first time.
This product is available in many sizes, flavours, and nicotine levels. We'll explain a few things and answer the type of questions people like you ask us every day. That's the Arômes et Liquides spirit, to help out our fellow vapers, and you can contact us via phone, email or through our social networks. We're here to make sure your smoking withdrawal is successful and goes as smoothly as possible.
Discover everything you need to know about your e-liquid in this video !
The e-liquid's role
E-liquid plays a key role in your electronic cigarette as, without it, you can't produce any vapour and mimic the smoke of tobacco cigarettes. Yet, the whole point of vaping is that it replicates your smoking habits, as opposed to other nicotine substitutes. You keep your smoker's gestures, thus tricking your body and reducing the risk of any cravings, all while avoiding combustion-related toxins.
Therefore, your e-liquid transmits a lot of information to your brain, through its flavours and nicotine content. Indeed, when you vape, these two compounds send a pleasant signal to your brain, which then releases the dopamine molecule responsible for the happiness you feel. No other nicotine substitute can do this, that's what makes all the difference. Thanks to vaping and the e-liquid's properties, you no longer feel like quitting smoking is a constraint, but a pleasant experience instead.
The e-liquid's composition
In almost every case, your electronic cigarette e-liquid is made up of propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerin (VG), liquid nicotine if you want, and flavourings that give a specific taste to the whole.
Some exceptions exist, such as 100% VG e-liquids. They're entirely made from vegetable glycerin, which results in a thicker mixture that produces more vapour.
Vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol are common ingredients that are found in many everyday products. You can find them in pharmaceutical products like toothpaste and moisturizer, but also in foodstuffs such as sliced bread. The same thing goes for the flavourings, as they're always of food-grade quality. They're found in yogurts, syrups or pastries, among other products.
Thanks to these flavourings, your e-liquid can have an infinite variety of tastes. If you like fruits, you can opt for a strawberry, berry, pineapple, or mango e-liquid for example. If you prefer gourmet flavours, why not choose a pastry, crème brûlée, sweet, cookie, or custard cream recipe. Finally, there are many other tastes available to you, such as tobacco, drinks, cocktails, menthol and fresh mint. The world's your oyster!
The composition of an electronic cigarette e-liquid
How does an e-liquid turn into vapour?
The main component of your electronic cigarette e-liquid is a mixture of two ingredients, PG and VG, which evaporates at a low temperature. When your clearomizer's coil is heated by the battery, the liquid around it evaporates in a cloud of small droplets that looks just like cigarette smoke, which is then inhaled through the mouthpiece (drip tip) before being exhaled by the user.
The TPD legislation and what it means for e-liquids
Since January 2017, the manufacture of electronic cigarette e-liquids is highly regulated. Some of the famous brands like Alfaliquid or VDLV have always developed their e-liquids in laboratories, in compliance with the AFNOR standards, but now it's the Tobacco Products Directive that every manufacturer has to abide by.
This legislation stipulates that e-liquids with nicotine in them cannot be sold in packagings larger than 10mL, with a maximum dosage of 20mg/mL. Moreover, manufacturers must provide the exact composition of their e-liquids, as well as a safety data sheet for the product's traceability.
However, most brands have adapted themselves, in order to continue providing you with your favourite e-liquids. They often offer said e-liquids in packs of two or three 10mL bottles, at a competitive price.
The TPD is also the reason why nicotine boosters were created, small 10mL bottles that contain some base liquid with a 20mg/mL nicotine dosage. They allow you to prepare a large volume of nicotined base liquid, and subsequently gave rise to a new type of e-liquid, namely shortfill e-liquids. They aren't different from any other e-liquid, they're simply packaged in bigger bottles, up to 120mL. Of course, due to their size and the TPD regulation, they can't contain any nicotine. Thus, you can add one or more nicotine boosters into these bottles afterwards to obtain the desired nicotine dosage.
Why does my e-liquid turn brown?
Sometimes you wake up in the morning and you notice that your e-liquid has changed colour. It was completely transparent the day before and now has a dark brown tinge. This phenomenon is quite common and completely harmless, here's why.
Can I vape my e-liquid after its Best-By date?
On every bottle of e-liquid, you'll find a Best-By date printed on the label. As you may imagine, this tells you up to which date you can use the product, without it losing its intrinsic qualities. However, you can vape an e-liquid after its Best-By date without any risk to your health.
Why do some e-liquids wear my coils faster?
Is there anything more annoying than waiting several days for your brand new e-liquid to arrive, only for it to destroy your coil in a matter of hours?
No, of course. You love your new juice, its fruity power, and its sweet freshness. Yet, you've used up two coils in a week and like any good vaper, you hate the awful burnt taste that goes with it. In this article, we show you why some e-liquid flavours clog up your coils faster than others.
How do you change your electronic cigarette's e-liquid?
Every electronic cigarette has an e-liquid tank with a refill system. There are several types of tanks, but they all work in pretty much the same way, whether they're a rebuildable atomizer or a clearomizer. The only kits that may differ are the ones with disposable refills or cartridges. Here's how you change your vape's e-liquid, and what's the best time to do so.
Is there any diacetyl in my e-liquid?
If you stay up to date with vaping news, you may have heard about a molecule with a frightening moniker that could be in your e-liquid, going by the name of diacetyl. This molecule is often demonised, but is it really part of your juice's composition to begin with? Here are a few answers about the nature of diacetyl, its uses, and its consequences.
Find out more
- E-liquid: Which nicotine dosage should I start with? Better understanding the nicotine's role, in order to choose the right e-liquid for you.
- E-liquid: Which flavour should a beginner pick? Find the right taste for your e-liquid.
- Which PG/VG ratio should I choose for my e-liquid? Better understanding how base liquids work to get the best feeling.