Making your own e-liquid at home

Because it creates less waste and, above all, because it is more satisfying, making your own e-liquid is perfectly possible. You can end up with a home-made e-liquid tailored exactly to your taste. Here is how it works.

Why make a home-made e-liquid?

The first answer is probably a matter of quality: the user knows what is in the bottle and, above all, the e-liquid matches expectations precisely. Then there is the satisfaction, since doing something yourself is always rewarding. Next comes cost. Let us be clear: there is an initial outlay to buy all the ingredients, but it is quickly recouped. Finally there is the environmental side, as a home-made e-liquid limits waste as well as excessive consumption.

One step further in controlling nicotine

Making your own e-liquid also makes it easier to keep track of your nicotine intake, since you set the nicotine level of each bottle yourself by measuring out every ingredient. Between products that produce more vapour, those that never quite match the taste you want and those dosed too strongly or too weakly, mixing at home is the way to keep control.

How do you make your own DIY e-liquid?

First of all, you need the right equipment: an empty bottle, a syringe, a base of vegetable glycerine (VG), which is thicker, and propylene glycol (PG), which is runnier and brings out flavours while producing less vapour (it also preserves the atomiser), latex gloves, liquid nicotine (optional) and natural flavourings, flavour enhancers or additives. For each of the steps, refer to this very thorough article.

The method is simple: for 10 ml of e-liquid, mix 8 ml of base (50/50 VG and PG, or 70/30, 20/80 or 0/100) with 2 ml of flavouring, and add nicotine if required. The measurements must be precise for a good result and to keep the atomiser in good condition. A home-made e-liquid keeps in the same way as a commercial one.