Why Make Your Own E-Liquid?
Making your own DIY e-liquid can reduce costs by up to 80% compared to commercial e-liquids. A 50ml DIY bottle costs 3 to 5€, versus 15 to 25€ for premium. You also have full control over:
- Nicotine strength (0, 3, 6, 12 mg/ml)
- PG/VG ratio (throat hit or big clouds)
- Flavor intensity
Step 1: Choose Your PG/VG Base
Propylene glycol (PG) provides the throat hit. Vegetable glycerin (VG) produces the vapor.
| Ratio | Throat Hit | Vapor | Ideal For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70 PG / 30 VG | Strong | Low | Ex-smokers, pods |
| 50 PG / 50 VG | Medium | Medium | All-purpose |
| 30 PG / 70 VG | Mild | Dense | Sub-ohm, cloud |
Step 2: Calculate Flavor Dosage
Concentrated flavors typically make up 5% to 20% of the total volume. For a 50ml bottle: 10% flavor = 5ml flavor + 45ml base. Always start at 5% and adjust gradually.
Step 3: Add Nicotine
Boosters come in 10ml at 20mg/ml. For a 50ml bottle:
| Desired Strength | Number of Boosters |
|---|---|
| 0 mg/ml | 0 |
| 3 mg/ml | 1 booster |
| 6 mg/ml | 2 boosters |
| 12 mg/ml | 4 boosters |
Adding boosters dilutes the flavor. Slightly over-flavor if adding a lot of nicotine.
Step 4: Steeping
- Fruity: 2-5 days
- Menthol: 1-3 days
- Dessert: 7-15 days
- Tobacco: 15-30 days
Store your bottles away from light. Open for 5 min/day for oxygenation.
Essential Equipment
- Empty 50ml or 100ml bottle
- Syringe or graduated pipette
- Nitrile gloves
- Neutral PG/VG base + concentrated flavor + boosters
Find all the equipment in our DIY collection.