Electronic Cigarettes have become a popular alternative to traditional tobacco cigarettes over the past two years. Many power users of e cigs like to buy e liquid to refill their electronic cigarette cartridges separately instead of buying pre-filled cartridges from electronic cigarette manufacturers. Some electronic cigarette users like to go further and make their own e liquid in order to have more control over the e liquid production process and to save additional money.
What is in E Liquid?
The basic ingredients of e liquid consist of water,flavoring,propylene glycol (PG) or vegetable glycerin (VG),liquid nicotine,and other additives. The propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin used for e liquid is the food safe variant of the liquid(s) that are currently used in food colorings,additives,medicines,cosmetics,toothpaste,mouthwash,and smoke machines. When used in e liquid,they are the ingredient that produces the visible smoke when you vape an e cigarette. Some people are allergic to propylene glycol and have to use e liquid that uses vegetable glycerin as an alternative ingredient to produce the vapor mist.
What Ingredients Do You Need to Make E Liquid?
The basic ingredients that you need to make your own e liquid are:
1 –Vegetable Glycerin or Propylene Glycol. These need to be the food grade version of the products when you purchase them. If they are not,then you should not use the chemical for your e liquid. If you need to purchase Vegetable Glycerin,or VG,they can typically be found through e liquid providers on-line in sizes ranging from 6 to 60 ML. Both PG and VG typically come without flavoring or nicotine.
2 –E Liquid Flavoring:You should only use candy flavorings for your e liquid. Lorann Oils and Capella Flavor drops produce flavorings that don’t contain oils which is said to help your e cig atomizer last longer. You can also find other flavorings to use in your e liquid through a variety of online and e cig companies.
3 –Distilled Water:You should not use tap water for your e liquid due to the additives that it contains. filtered drinking water can be ok to use,but distilled water is the best.
4 –Various Additives:to augment the flavor of your e liquid some people use herbs or other additives in their e liquid.
5 –Commercial Nicotine Liquid:Some people try to make their own,but there are no well-defined instructions for this on the web. Buying pre-made commercial nicotine liquid is the safest alternative for this component of making your own e liquid.
E Liquid Composition
If you are making e liquid without nicotine,a starting point for the proportions of you mix is:
- 15% Water
- 15% Flavoring
- 70% Propylene Glycol or Vegetable Glycerin
If using nicotine change the ratios to:
- 10% Water
- 10% Flavoring
- 60% Propylene Glycol or Vegetable Glycerin
- 20% Nicotine Liquid (50 mg)
Alternatively,you can take use 1/3rd nicotine liquid if already mixed with water,2/3rds PG or VG,and then add flavoring to taste. You should not use a greater percentage of nicotine liquid in either case. If you would like to have thicker smoke with your e liquid,then you can use less water with your mix. If you are going to use additives in your e juice,then you replace an equivalent amount of water with the amount of additive
The Danger of Nicotine Poisoning
If you are making a nicotine-based e liquid,the dangers of nicotine can not be over-stated. It is a poison and is toxic. You need to wear protective gloves and goggles when handling and make sure you keep it and your e liquid away from children or family pets since it can cause death if they get into it. For this reason,many e cig users that have children and don’t have a secure place to store their e liquid will use pre-filled cartridges from electronic cigarette manufacturers.
Experimenting With Your E Liquid Mixes
You will probably not get your first e liquid mix perfect. Most e cig users who make their own e liquid find that it takes several iterations to come up with a blend they are happy with. Once you have a mix you enjoy,you will be able to experiment further with flavor combinations.
Don’t Want to Mix Your Own E Liquid?
Many electronic cigarette users don’t want to muck around with making their own e liquid. A popular American-based e-liquid company is Johnson Creek who is one of the e-cig industry leaders in producing high-quality e juice with both PG and VG options.
Are there any recurring costs or is it “pay as you go”?
Hi John,
It just depends on what you are doing. If making your own e liquid,you will be paying as you go or if choosing a retailer like Johnson Creek e juice. Some of the more popular e cigarette brands such as South Beach Smoke e cigarettes let you choose between signing up for recurring deliveries of cartridges for your e cig or pay as you go along. Others like Green Smoke e cigs are a pull system where you must order the cartridges as you need them.
Enjoy vapor smoking!
I thought vegetable glycerine and propyline were different things according to this article it sounds like that are the same. I also thought the vegetable glycerine was used when people had a reaction to the propyline glycol. I am looking for the cartridges for the electronic cigarettes that have the vegetable glycerine in them.
Hi Darlene. I’ll clean it up some so its clear to you that they are different but both create similar vapor smoke. Johnson Creek offers e liquid (or smoke juice) that has VG in that you can check out.
hello. i just bout some glycerin from wal mart. it says GLYCERIN USP. SKIN PROTECTANT. is this the safe stuff to use? i also went to the baking aisle and got some McCormick flavoring extracts…will this stuff work? thanks.
Hey Stan,
I recommend using VG purchased from one of the e liquid merchants you can find online such as Totally Wicked or JuicyLiquid.com to ensure you are using the right grade and quality for rolling your own e juice. Let me know if you have more questions or need help! I would not use the glycerin you bought at Wal Mart to be safe!
Hello. Do I have to buy a different cartridge other than the one that comes with the starter kit so that it’s safer?
Because I want to buy that e-cig,but I want to smoke as SAFE AS POSSIBLE,and I will buy an e-liquid WITHOUT nicotine BUT I can’t find a liquid that has vegetable glycerine only,the ones they sell at Johnson Creek actually have Propylene Glycol too,and I did some research and found out that it’s not safe.
I need some help finding an e-liquid that is safe for me,at Johnson Creek I was able to find liquids without nicotine but,what about the vegetable glycerine? (I don’t care about flavor or price that much)
Hi,
No,but different cartridges that come with the various starter kits out there will have varying levels of difficulty in refilling.
If you take a look at Johnson Creek again,you’ll see that their Red Oak link of e liquid has VG instead of PG.
Best of luck!
Cheers,
William
Also I needed to add,if you buy the Glycerin at a Pharmacy store,CVS,Rite Aid,Walgreens,etc. it is usually found in the beauty supplys where the anti-wrinkle creams and lotions are found. I got a 6 oz. bottle for $5.49
ALSO>>>>>>>>MAKE SURE THE BOTTLE OF GLYCERIN HAS THE LETTERS ”USP”ON IT OR YOU WILL BE BUYING THE WRONG KIND.
Thsi is probably a stupid question but can you consume the liquid that’s in cartridges? Like…drink it? I got a bit of it on my hand and my fingers got numb
Leo,
No. You do not want to consume the liquid. Nicotine in its liquid form can be fatal to small children and pets,and cause significant harm for adults. If you consume e liquid,you should seek medical help immediately!
where can the nicotine liquid be purchased if a person wanted to make it themselves ?
The glycerin USP that you buy at the drugstore –is that VG or PG ? Thanks
Rick,
It is normally PG.
How about glycerin used for cake icing? can that be used?
It is never PG
glycerin USP is NOT PG
glycerin USP = VG
Propelyene Glycol = PG
Kev,
Thanks for the correction!
admin i think with the ability to buy pure nicotine
off the internet some one try and make this mix as stated on this page.
If using nicotine change the ratios to:
- 10% Water
- 10% Flavoring
- 60% Propylene Glycol or Vegetable Glycerin
- 20% Commercial Nicotine Liquid
Commercial Nicotine Liquid should be changed to read 50mg nicotine liquid as if they do use pure Commercial Nicotine Liquid(1000mg per ml)
they will end up with a 200mg mix and this could kill them
For your flavoring what do you use? flavoring extracts for your local super market?
can we buy flavored cartridges with no nicotine?
HI,can someone please tell me if the ingredients in the e-cig filters cause cancer.Also,I purchased the 0mg filters ..and are the safer? I have been reading many articles online and am very confused..thank you
If you are going to mix it with a pure nicotine mix…. Use an e-liquid calculator that can help you figure out what you need to mix. Like in a 10ml bottle you only need about 3 drops of pure nicotine. yes 3 drops not like 2ml…. sheesh that would kill ya.
What I was wondering is that I do have some Pure Nicotine and when I mixed it up it tastes like crap. I was wondering is there a step I’m missing other than combining the Nicotine PG VG and flavoring. Then Agitating. Injecting into my e-cig and it tastes horrid. If someone,anyone,could help me with it I sure would love to hear back from ya
CAn i use pure glycerine???
This whole thing is too f-ing complicated for me I need a complete chemistry lab to make it.
For all you noobies here –visit The Electronic Cigarette Forum. Read. Learn. Be wise as you mix your own juice,vape,and stop smoking!
And to really save $$,buy direct from China –your suppliers do..
Only my opinion and experience.
“Vape Tha Planet –Smoking SUCKS”
i”v been thinkin abuot making your own flavours? i dont mean your own e liquid but how to get a flavuor like Palmal . i get this idea as the Palmal flavuor i buy and enjoy seems to have a taste of coffe in there ,Prince”another flave i like seems to have an Almond taste? it cant be to hard?.
Hi is their a difference health wise between pg and vg if so which one is healthier and why is the other not as good
nobody tells you what is in FLAVORING on line.
i looked in my spice cabinet and found some lemon flavoring,it contains PG and Lemon OIL.
i thought you could not use “OIL”.
since flavoring contains oil,i should be able to use pure essential oil diluted in water?
30% water
1 drop essential oil
70% VG
for the nicotine free blend !
what do you think?
i forgot to mention
the one drop of essential oil will change depending on how many ounces you blend at the time!
Can you use the propylene glycol you use to hydrate a cigar humidifier?
FOOD GRADE Propylene Glycol
If you’re using anything else you’re going to hurt yourself.
What if I just want to change the flavor of the cartriges I already have? Is it as simple as just adding drops of flavoring or do I still have to make the whole thing?
Hey guys,
Actually it is not as difficult as you think.
I have no idea about any specific flavor. But what I did was,I bought a FOOD GRADE Vegetable Glycerin.
Then I mix 20% Appleton Rum and 80% Glycerin. It works like a charm.
I also bought some essential oil and will experiment over the weekend.
About nicotine,well. Lets put it this way. Nicotine got me Emphysema. Not to mention about cigarettes. I can’t even smoke weed anymore. I am not going to experiment using nicotine. I use E-cigarette along with patch. But personally,I would still be a pothead if I never smoked cigarettes. So GL with that.
Hey everyone here is what I created
finding Food Grade Vegtable Glycerin can be found at High Health for about 5 bucks. Candy Oil for flavor mint,cherry,vinilla,cinnamon etc. can be found at Michaels for about 5 bucks
Distilled water 75cents.
I started with a small amount 7 drop of vg 2 drops of candy oil 2 drops of water.
My first test was mint to get a menthol effect the VG puts off a great vaport but I found that the flavor lick i was looking for I needed to increase the candy oil by a additional drop of candy oil when i made my secound batch.
the 3rd batch I changed it up and used cinnamon…this provided a even better kick….the process is very easy and since i have no interest in nicotine but i enjoy the vapor experance makein my own batchs for about 11 bucks will provide me with well over a years worth of vapor. Using a almond and Mint give a nutty menthol cig taste …. Hope this info helps you all ….Grumpy
ps…. even though the candy oil says the word oil on it,its really not a oil based product…read the packaging of the candy flavoring that you are planing to purchase….
The vegetable glycerin that you need must be food grade,not pharmaceutical grade.
Bakers,confectioners and chefs all use it for mixing and thinning paste food colours.
The kind you get at baking supply houses and in the baking isle will probably be safer than the stuff your talking about getting in pharmacies,and there will be no worry about whether its food grade or not,you’ll know it is.