DIY projects have become increasingly popular in recent years. Individuals are gradually discovering the flexibility and the insane customization options attached to doing things themselves. This trend cuts across many industries, including the vaping scene. Vapers are making e-liquids at the comfort of their homes. 

This can be attributed to the high cost of purchasing ready-made vape juice coupled with the ever-changing legislation around vaping. If you are here, you are most likely tired of buying e-juice and are interested in becoming your own supplier. This piece breaks down the process of making e-liquid in simple steps. 

Advantages associated with DIY vape juice 

Homemade e-juice comes with a high level of autonomy, meaning you have full control over factors such as the nicotine strength, the flavors to use, and the base liquid ratio. Additionally, DIY vape juice is cost-effective over time. Infact, the overall cost comes to a fraction of what you would spend when purchasing ready-made e-liquid. 

The process of making your vape juice 

To start, you will require a number of tools and ingredients. You can go at this in either two ways: purchasing a DIY e-juice starter kit or buying the supplies individually. The former option is the easiest, as the starter kits contain a bundle of all the tools required to make the vape juice. All you need is to make a purchase and start making your vape juice. If you decide to buy the supplies individually, here is what you will require;

Tools 

Buying theselab supplies will cost a substantial amount of money initially, but you can use them for a long time. This makes them a worthy investment. 

Bottles:you will use these to store your vape juice. The sizes will vary from 10ml to 100+ml, depending on how much vape juice you will be making and your preferred storage size. 

Measuring containers:these can be used to mix the ingredients together. They range from 100ml up to 1000ml. If you want to make big batches, get a container that is suitable.

Syringes or pipettes:although you dont need to be a chemist to make vape juice, you will be required to measure each ingredient for optimum results. The syringes/pipettes will help in getting the right among of VG/PG, nicotine, and flavor concentrate. 

Protective gloves:you are always advised to keep your hands protected. Ingredients like nicotine can be absorbed via the skin. The gloves also prevent cross-contamination. 

Tissues:In case of spills, keeping the working area dry is important. You can use tissues, a paper towel, or a dry piece of cloth. 

Labels:these are essential as they will help you keep track of important information, such as the ratio of base liquid, nicotine percentage, flavor combinations, etc. In case you need to replicate the same results, you will have the labels. 

Ingredients 

PG:VG:these are the building blocks of vape juice. PG or Propyl Glycol and VG or vegetable glycerin are safe, organic liquids that are responsible for holding the vape juice flavors. PG is a thin, odorless, colorless liquid that provides the strong throat hit associated with vaping. VG is a thick, sweet-tasting liquid that provides thick clouds. You can make the process easier by purchasing abase blend e-juice, whereby the base liquids are pre-mixed or you can buy the base liquids individually.

Nic shots:you can purchase freebase or salt nicotine nic shots, depending on your preference. The nic shots are available in high PG, or high VG, or 50/50 PG/VG base liquid. If you want to make nicotine-free vape juice, skip this ingredient. 

Flavor concentrate:there are hundreds of flavors available, ranging from fruity to dessert, menthol, and tobacco. You can purchase a singularflavor or blend two or more flavors, depending on your preferred taste. 

Step 1: determine the measurements of the ingredients

How do you like your vape juice in terms of thickness, nicotine strength, and quantity? Use an online vape juice calculator to help you figure out the correct measurements to get your ideal e-liquid. The calculator allows you to fill this information and provides the exact amount of each ingredient you need to add. Once you get the quantities required, go to the next step.

Step 2: mix the base liquid into the measuring containers

It's time to put your gloves on! Start by taking the syringe/pipette to measure the base liquids and add them to the measuring containers. If you intend to use the vape juice on a sub-ohm tank, the VG should be 70% or more. The PG levels should be 50% or higher if you have a mouth-to-lung tank.  Make sure you clean the syringes well to avoid future contamination. 

Step 3: add the flavor concentrate

The vape juice calculator does not include the flavor measurement, so the quantity used will be determined by how concentrated you want your vape juice flavor to be. Choose between 5% to 20% of the flavor for the best results. We have pre-mixed flavors to eliminate the need of measuring or calculating. Simply choose from our list of diy flavors to start creating your own delicious tastes.

Step 4: add nicotine

Nicotine is a sensitive compound that should be handled carefully. Too much of it can be quite overwhelming. 3mg nicotine concentration is enough to meet the needs of novice and experienced vapers but most people these days use salt nicotine, which is often available in 35mg and 50mg nicotine strengths. The calculator will provide the ideal amount of nicotine to add to the base liquid + flavor concentrate. Adding two 10ml shots of 18ml nicotine solution to 100mls will create 120ml at 3mg. To make the process much easier, we have a nicotine base that will allow you to simply add your own flavors to create perfect vape juice every time.

Step 5: mix all the ingredients 

Stir or shake (if the container has a lid) the ingredients to ensure consistency. Once this is achieved, use a syringe or pipette to transfer the e-liquid from the measuring container to the storage bottles. 

Step 6: steep the vape juice 

For fruit-flavor mixes, you can begin vaping your e-liquid immediately after step number 5. However, dessert and cream-based mixes require more time for the flavors to mix, settle, and intensify for the best experience. It is best to let the vape juice steep for 4+ days for optimum results. Store the vape juice in a cool, dry place with the lid open for the recommended days and enjoy!

Take away

I hope this guide has successfully simplified the vape juice-making process for you. All you need is patience, an online vape juice calculator, a few ingredients, and a number of tools, and you are good to go. Try it and have fun making new flavor blends!