How Do I Choose The Right Eliquid Strength

When it comes to vaping, e-liquid strength refers to how much nicotine the liquid contains. If you're making the switch from smoking to vaping, making sure you choose the right level of nicotine in your vape is one of the most important parts of making a smooth transition. If you start vaping at too low a strength, you won't reach the nicotine hit you're used to when smoking, and you may return to cigarettes - which is not ideal if you're hoping to give them up for good. When buying an e-liquid, it pays to know what you're getting into with regards to its strength. Nicotine is one of just four ingredients in vape juice, and picking the right strength of e-liquid will also help you balance these other ingredients so you enjoy a smoother start to your vaping journey. In this guide, we will be talking about the difference between e-liquid nicotine strengths, as well as which one is the right amount of nicotine for you.

What is Nicotine Strength?

All e-liquids are different and have different strengths of nicotine in them. Strong ones contain a lot of nicotine, the lightest contain barely any or no nicotine at all. Nicotine is a chemical compound derived from the tobacco plant. As well as the tobacco plant, nicotine is also found in potatoes, tomatoes and aubergines - but in very tiny amounts compared to manmade inventions such as cigarettes and e-liquid. For example, there is about 20mg of nicotine in 1g of tobacco, compared to that of 0.0001mg per 1g of aubergine. Nicotine is an optional addition to e-liquid. There are plenty of nicotine-free options on the market, but if you're making the transition to vaping from smoking, choosing the appropriate nicotine content will help manage your cravings. The majority of e-liquids are available in the following strengths: 0mg 3mg 6mg 12mg 18mg Nicotine content is displayed on e-liquid labels either as a percentage or as milligrams. The lower the number, the less nicotine the e-liquid contains. For example a 6mg/ml is 0.6% nicotine. Want to know more about nicotine content? Check out our guide.

How does your e-cig affect your e-liquid strength?

The e-cig you use will also affect your e-liquid strength, as the device controls the amount of throat hit and therefore the effect of the nicotine content by raising up the output wattage or voltage. If you need a stronger nicotine hit, for example, you'll need to choose a more powerful e-cig to make sure you're making the most of your e-liquid. A sub-ohm atomizer may make a stronger nicotine strength too strong in most cases. The majority of e-cigs are variable output, which gives you greater control over throat hit and nicotine delivery by raising up your output voltage and changing the head resistance of the atomizer. The length of time the atomizer takes to heat up will depend on the height of the resistance. High resistance means less vapour, and the lower the resistance the quicker your atomizer will heat up, meaning increased vapour and throat hit. If you tried vaping in the past but didn’t get enough of a nicotine hit to find it satisfying, but the nicotine content should have been enough, the type of e-cig you use could have been the issue. In general, cigalikes are less satisfying than pod systems, and pods systems are less satisfying than mods or pod mods. So if you tried a cigalike but it wasn’t enough, getting a mod or pod mod may be the best idea.

What nicotine strength is right for you?

Put simply, this depends on your smoking habits. Were you a social smoker? Were you going through a pack a day? Or did your habit have you consuming more? The fact is, trying a stronger liquid might help you make the switch from smoking to vaping easier if you used to smoke more than occasionally. Once you’ve found the right strength for you, it's a good idea to gradually reduce it over time. Take a look at the comparison of the strength of e-liquid vs cigarettes: (nicotine for non-smokers, light smokers (1-5 a day), medium smokers (5-10 a day) heavy smokers (15-20 a day), and top strength (20 and higher a day)

How do you know if your nicotine strength is too high or too low?

How do you feel when you're vaping? If you feel like you are craving your vape more frequently throughout the day, then it may be that you need a higher strength of e-liquid. If, on the other hand, you experience the following, you'll know that your nicotine strength is too high: A cough Feeling dizzy An upset stomach or mild nausea A headache When this occurs, there is no need to panic. Simply stop vaping and any symptoms should pass quickly. If in doubt, err on the lower side of nicotine strength. It’s worth trying the lower version so you don’t overdo it and end up with a terrible headache, which may put you off vaping. Also, if the strength is lower, a few more hits will make you feel about right. Don't forget, vaping means nicotine absorbs into your system a little slower than smoking. Give it a few minutes when you first try it and see how you feel. If you still want the throat hit but the amount of nicotine in your e-liquid is too high, try an e-liquid with a 50:50 VG/PG ratio. The more PG (Propylene Glycol) there is, the more throat hit you'll get, and the more similar it will feel to smoking a cigarette. All in all, e-liquid strength doesn't matter as much as your decision to stop smoking. All in all, e-liquid strength doesn't matter as much as your decision to stop smoking. As long as you pay attention to how you feel, you'll be able to make the switch for good. Want to browse our comprehensive range of e-liquids? View all the flavours we have in stock. If you have any more questions, just get in touch with our team - we'll be happy to help.