E-Liquids come in a variety of different types, from short fills to nic salts to TPD liquid. E-Liquid Concentrates are one of the phrases that are used a lot, and today I am going to explain what they are and the positives and negatives of them.
What are Flavour Concentrates?
Flavour concentrates are the e-liquid flavouring, without the PG, VG and nicotine to turn it into a full e-juice, although it is usually diluted in PG. The aim is to simply buy the ready-mixed and perfectly balanced combination of flavourings and apply straight to your mixes instead of adding different flavourings to produce the right blend to replicate the taste of your favourite e-juice.
Since the product doesn't contain nicotine, concentrates do not come within the TPD's bottle size restrictions. You can get them in many different sizes, but 30mls are the most popular.
Concentrates For Vaping
One of the great advantages of using flavour concentrates instead of flavourings from other sources is that they are specifically designed for vaping. Although most home mixers use food flavourings that are repurposed for vaping, the businesses that produce them do it in the knowledge that people will vape them.
Many e-liquid concentrate brands go through a two-stage process to ensure that the e-liquid is of the highest quality possible.
In the first step, there is a scan for any products that may have carcinogenic, mutagenic, reproductive toxicity, and respiratory sensitization properties –basically anything that science tells us is harmful or likely to trigger an allergic reaction. In the second phase, toxicologists conduct a study of the rest of the ingredients to guarantee that consumers do not receive harmful chemicals by inhalation.
How to Use E-Liquid Concentrates
Directly vaping concentrates is a bad idea. Before vaping, always mix the concentrates with PG and VG. While vaping the flavour concentrates directly is not necessarily harmful, it will taste bad and you risk clogging up your wick and damaging your coil.
Using E-Liquid Concentrates is only recommended if you have been vaping for a while and know what you are doing. If you know how to mix e-liquids, simply make your e-juice as normal, but use the flavour concentrates instead of your normal flavourings.
If you've never mixed e-liquids before, it's going to be a bit more difficult, but it is easy to begin with. You will need a bottle of PG and VG and some nicotine "base" (i.e. concentrated nicotine), syringes with flat-tipped, large gauge needles and some accurate scales (optional). You should also get some bottles for your finished mixes, with dripper spouts and child-proof caps
The biggest challenge in mixing is ensuring you have the correct nicotine level and PG / VG ratio for your expected mix. Fortunately, there are calculators available online to help with this. Simply enter the bottle size you want to make, the nicotine base details (including the strength and whether it’s PG or VG based), and the nicotine strength and PG / VG ratio you want. The calculator then shows how much of each ingredient you need to add.
The key thing to remember is the significance of accuracy. Though it's unlikely to be a big issue if you're a little bit out, you should take care to weigh it all out as precisely as you can. That's why accurate scales are really helpful, but if you don't have one, use the markings on the side of your syringe, remembering to keep it straight while you calculate. Apart from that, you simply add the ingredients to an empty bottle, add the cap, mix it with a quick shake and then you are ready to go.
How Much Concentrate Should I Add?
It's not always easy to determine the right amount of concentrates for any particular mix. The strength of the mix is generally recommended by the companies that sell concentrates. Generally, though, 5 percent is deemed a low level of flavouring, 10 percent is a medium level, and 15 percent is a high level, but the best way to find out is to experiment and see what works for you.
The Benefits of Flavour Concentrates
- Great mixes, everytime.
- Simple to use.
- Cheaper than directly buying an e-liquid.
- Replicates the flavours you like.
- Made for vaping.
The Downsides of Flavour Concentrates
- Takes some of the creativity out of e-liquid mixing.
- Takes more effort than purchasing pre-made e-liquid.
- Need to spend money on mixing equipment
Making e-liquids is fun, but e-liquid concentrates make it easier to make the perfect flavours you want. Pick up some concentrates today, and happy vaping!