For Beginners 3

Introduction

You’ve chosen your device. But open any online store and you’ll face a wall of bottles labelled with mysterious numbers: 50/50, 70/30, Salt Nic, 20 mg, 3 mg. Choosing the wrong e-liquid is the second biggest reason beginners abandon vaping – they either cough, don’t feel satisfied, or waste money on flavours they hate. This chapter breaks everything down into simple terms, so you can buy your first e-liquid with confidence and actually enjoy the experience from the first inhale.

1. What Is E-Liquid Made Of? The Three Core Ingredients 

Every bottle of vape juice contains three main ingredients, plus optional nicotine:

•  Propylene Glycol (PG): A thin, flavour-carrying liquid that gives the “throat hit” – that slight scratch at the back of the throat familiar to smokers. High-PG liquids are thin and work well in small MTL coils.
•  Vegetable Glycerin (VG): A thicker, sweeter liquid that produces visible vapour clouds. High-VG liquids are smoother on the throat but can be too thick for tiny pod coils.
•  Flavourings: Food-grade concentrates that give each e-liquid its taste, from tobacco to fruits and desserts.
• Nicotine (optional): Available as “freebase” or “nicotine salt,” explained below.

No oil, no tar, no carbon monoxide. The vapour you see is mostly PG and VG, which are widely used in food and medicine.

2. PG/VG Ratio: What Do 50/50 and 70/30 Mean?

The numbers on a bottle – e.g. 50/50 or 70/30 – tell you the percentage of PG and VG.

• 50/50 (50% PG, 50% VG): The gold standard for MTL pod systems. It’s thin enough to wick properly in small coils, delivers a satisfying throat hit, and produces modest vapour. This is what most beginners should buy.
• 70/30 (70% VG, 30% PG): Thicker, smoother, and cloudier. Designed for sub-ohm (DTL) devices with larger coils and higher power. Using this in a small pod will likely lead to dry hits and burnt coils.
• Simple rule: If your device has coils above 0.6 Ω (MTL), choose 50/50. If it’s below 0.5 Ω (DTL), you can use 70/30. For the vast majority of beginner pods, 50/50 is the safe, correct choice.

3. Nicotine Types: Freebase vs. Nicotine Salt

This is where many beginners stumble. The two forms feel very different, even at the same strength.

• Freebase Nicotine: The original, most common form. It delivers a strong throat hit that some smokers crave, but at higher strengths (above 6 mg/ml) it can feel harsh, almost peppery. Best used at 3–6 mg/ml in DTL devices.
• Nicotine Salt (Nic Salt): A more modern form where the nicotine is bonded with benzoic acid. It’s much smoother, even at 20 mg/ml, and absorbs into the bloodstream faster – mimicking the nicotine delivery of a cigarette. This makes nic salt the top choice for MTL beginners who want to curb cravings without the harshness.
• Recommendation: For MTL pod systems, use nicotine salts at 10–20 mg/ml. If you’re a light smoker, start at 10 mg/ml; heavier smokers, 20 mg/ml.

4. What Nicotine Strength Should You Start With?

Match your current smoking habit:

The EU TPD limits nicotine to a maximum of 20 mg/ml. All our e-liquids strictly comply with this cap, ensuring you get a legal, consistent dose.

5. Flavours: How to Find Your All-Day Vape 

Everyone has an “all-day vape” (ADV) – a flavour they can happily vape for hours without getting tired of it. Here’s how to find yours:

•  Start with two profiles: One familiar (e.g., tobacco, mint) and one experimental (e.g., berry, vanilla custard). This covers your comfort zone and your curiosity.
•  Avoid “palate fatigue: Heavy dessert flavours can taste amazing at first but become overwhelming after a full tank. Lighter fruit or menthol blends often work better for ADV.
•  Sample before committing: Buy small 10 ml bottles before investing in a bulk 50 ml shortfill. It saves money and prevents a drawer of unloved liquids.
•  TPD-compliant flavours: All our flavour concentrates are sourced from EU-approved suppliers, containing no diacetyl or vitamin E acetate.

6. Common E-Liquid Myths Debunked

1.  “Higher VG means more flavour”: False. PG carries flavour better. VG just makes clouds.
2.  “Nic salt is only for heavy smokers”: False. It’s for anyone who wants a smooth throat hit at a satisfying nicotine level. Light smokers can use 10 mg/ml nic salt.
3.  “Clear liquid means pure, dark means old”: Colour means nothing. Some flavourings naturally darken over time due to steeping and oxidation, which is perfectly normal.

7. Your First E-Liquid Shopping List 

To go from purchase to a satisfying first experience, buy:

1. 50/50 Nic Salt E-Liquid in two flavours:One default (tobacco/menthol), one fruit. Nicotine strength matched to your smoking habit.
2. Small 10 ml bottles for the first run.
3. A spare pack of pods/coils(flavour testing can wear coils faster).
4. Optional:A 0 mg/ml shortfill of the same flavour to dilute if you decide to reduce nicotine later.

End of Article CTA

Now you have the device and the liquid knowledge. Next, we’ll cover how to keep your kit in top shape: charging habits, coil swapping, cleaning routines, and battery safety. Go to Chapter 4 for the daily skills that extend your gear’s life.

Go to Chapter 4: Daily Use & Maintenance → [Link]