The Vapour Man - Blog

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How to Make Your Own E-Liquid

DIY E-Liquid

The vaping community is all about creating a personalised vaping experience and the best way to do this is through your choice of e-liquid or e-juice. There is a huge variety of flavours available so whether you are new to vaping, or you are an experienced vapour you will eventually be able to find an e-liquid to suite your tastes. While you are progressing through your vaping journey trying to find your perfect e-liquid taste sensation do you ever think “I wish I could just make my own flavour”? Well now you can and listed below is exactly how you can achieve this.  

What You Will Need

When creating a DIY e-liquid it is similar to following a recipe to one of your favourite dishes. You will need a list of ingredients as you would a recipe, the necessary tools and equipment, and instructions to follow. Once you have these you will have everything you need to start experimenting with your personal e-liquid flavours and save yourself some money.  

E-liquid Ingredients

Propylene Glycol or Vegetable Glycerin – Often abbreviated to PV or VG. You will need to choose one of these to dilute your e-liquid for a better vaping experience. So either of these will be the carrier fluid to make up the majority of your formula.

PV and VG - There are differences in PV and VG. They have different thickness, tastes, and throat feel when vaping. A lot of e-liquids have a mixture of both PG and VG often presented as a ratio. Both PG and VG are fine to use for vaping, however you may want to try out a few different ratios to find the one that suits you.

           - PG is widely used in food, personal care products, and tobacco as it is                an organic chemical compound. PG will not alter the flavour                                    concentrates as much as VG. If it is an intense throat hit you are after,                  then PG will deliver a stronger hit then VG.

           - VG is slightly thicker and sweeter than PG and takes a bit longer to                      soak into cotton wick. VG e-liquids alter the flavour concentrates slightly              but that may not be a problem depending on your individual taste                        preference. Higher VG concentrates are often preferred by drippers as                it has a smother throat hit and produces a more visible vape cloud.

Flavours - You will need some e-liquid flavour. There are a huge variety of e-liquid flavours out there all available from different sources. So it’s up to you to get creative and make your own flavour sensation.

Diluted Nicotine – You can choose to add nicotine to you e-liquid or leave it out its entirely up to you what you prefer.  It is better to use a diluted nicotine. 100mg/Ml is generally used within the industry as it is safer to handle than pure nicotine and easier to control the specific volume you use in your e-liquid. You should take into consideration that diluted nicotine can alter the flavour of your e-liquid as it has a flavour of its own. It is important to take safety precautions when handling and storing diluted nicotine.

 Equipment

Bottles – You will need some bottles. Plastic drip tip bottles are the most common bottle used when experimenting with your e-liquid as they are a more cost effective option as it is better to not re-use bottles when creating new flavours. It is easier working with larger bottles of 50ml as oppose to 10ml when creating your e-liquid as you are already working with small quantities.

Syringes – Syringes or pipettes are ideal for measuring the precise amount of PG/VG and nicotine you need to create your own e-liquid and transfer it into the mixing container.  This will help you replicate or alter this formula so the e-liquid is to your personal taste.

Containers – If you are making large quantities of e-liquid then you will need some measuring cylinders or beakers. These are helpful in preventing cross contamination in your e-liquid.

Gloves – As nicotine can be absorbed through the skin it is important to wear gloves in case of the occasional spill. If you can, use powder free gloves to prevent contamination of your e-liquid.

Recipe

Listed below are step by step instructions to create your very own e-liquid. It is important to make sure your recipe is reproducible so that when you create an e- liquid flavour that you love you can make it again. It may take a few goes to create the perfect flavour for you but once you find it is important that you wrote down the exact process and measurements of ingredients you used to create it so that you can reproduce your e-liquid over and over.

Step 1

The first step to creating your own e-liquid is to figure out the strength of nicotine you want to use in your e-liquid to determine how much nicotine you will need. If you are creating your own nicotine free e-liquid, then skip straight to step 4. It is important to get the maths right to avoid an unpleasant e-liquid experience.

Determine how many milligrams of nicotine you need for your e-liquid.

(Strength in mg/mL)(Volume in mL) = Amount of nicotine in mg.

Example: You want to make 50mL of 8mg/mL e-liquid. So you need 50 x 8 = 400mgs of nicotine for your 50mL formula.

(Amount needed)/(Strength of diluted nicotine) = Volume to use.

Continuing our example

If you have 100mg/Ml of Diluted Nicotine, you will need 400mg/(100mg/mL) = 4Ml If you have 25mg/mL of Diluted Nicotine, you will need 400mg/(25mg/mL) = 16mL

Step 2

First you need to put on your gloves so you can safely transfer the nicotine into your bottle. If you are using a 50ml drip tip bottle and want to make 8ml you should use a syringe/pipette to extract exactly 16ml from your container of nicotine. To ensure you get an exact measurement make sure there are not air bubbles and fill the syringe/pipette slightly over 16ml so you can push out the excess leaving the exact amount you need to put into your bottle.

Step 3

Push the syringe/pipette so it squirts directly into your 50ml drip tip bottle for your e-liquid.

Step 4

Now you need to choose an e-liquid flavour combination you would like to use.

Step 5

The recommended dilution of e-flavours is around 10%, so if you are making 50ml then you 5ml of flavour. Make sure you use a clean syringe/pipette when transferring the e-flavour to the e-liquid bottle just as you did the nicotine. It will just be trial and error getting the right mix of flavour and concentration for your e-liquid.

Step 6

Now you need to measure and add your PG/VG to the bottle you are creating your e-liquid in. So if you have used 16ml of diluted nicotine and 5ml of flavour there is a total of 21ml so you will need 29ml of PG/VG to make it up to the 50ml e-liquid you are creating.

Step 7

Now you have all your ingredients in the bottle put on the drip tip lid and shake for several minutes to allow all the ingredients to properly mix together.  Then it’s time to try out your new e-liquid.

You may not get the flavour you were hoping for on your first attempt to keep altering your recipe until you get it right then you can vape away with your perfect e-liquid flavour.

If you are interested in creating your own e-juice flavour then contact us on 0151 203 5844 or visit our website www.thevapourman.com 

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(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGqi0t4NGjQ)

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E-cigs and Weight Loss

Smoking is an appetite suppressant so when you quit your appetite increases and your taste buds return back to normal so your food tastes a lot better, so what often happens is people replace cigarettes with food. This can lead to gaining a few extra pounds! Using an electronic cigarette could be the answer to avoiding the weight gain when you pack in the cigarettes.

A study has shown that nicotine alone is an appetite suppressant, so when you start using an e-cig the nicotine in the e-liquid gives you the same appetite suppressant that ordinary cigarettes do but without the harmful chemicals. You can also control your nicotine intake and gradually reduce it until you are nicotine free which gives your body time to adapt to the change reducing the chances of weight gain through an increased appetite.

If it is the idea of gaining weight that is putting you off stopping smoking then it may shock you to learn that you retain more weight the more you smoke. This is because insulin resistance is increased by heavy smoking causing fat to be stored around the waist. So even if you just use your electronic cigarette to reduce the amount of cigarettes you smoke you could also benefit from losing a couple of pounds.

There was an article published in Vice about how one vaper James Price lost weight when he switched 20 years of chewing tobacco for vaping because he also replaced his favorite snacks with the similar flavour e-liquids, so he basically stopped snacking when he started vaping. There are many similar stories to this one out there on vaping forums. There are that many different flavoured e-liquids out there you can get the flavours of all your fave snacks and enjoy the flavour sensation while reducing your waistline.

When you smoke ordinary cigarettes it is very expensive meaning if you are on a tight budget you may find it hard to buy the healthier foods or pay for a gym membership, e-cigs are a lot cheaper than traditional cigarettes so having a healthier bank balance could mean you can live a healthier lifestyle as well as saving your body from the harmful chemicals from tobacco smoke.

So even if you do gain a few extra pounds the long term health effects from quitting smoking make it worth it and using an e-cigarette can help you get there by reducing nicotine levels and even possibly replacing snacks with tasty e-liquid flavours for your e-cig.

For more information on electronic cigarettes visit www.thevapourman.com

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Is Change a Good Thing? - my thoughts on Prop 56

So, if your moderately into vaping you’ve probably heard of PROP56.

Perhaps you’ve read it on one of your Californian import liquids labels, perhaps social media or even word of mouth? But how does it exactly affect us all the way over the pond?

Well the answer isn’t exactly simple.

Proposition 56 tobacco tax (Prop 56) is now Californian law. It doesn’t affect the rest of the US and it doesn’t affect us Brits either, at least not directly. What it essentially does is levy a 70% tax increase on tobacco products. So if a carton of cigarettes cost $10 it now costs just under double at $17.

How does this affect vaping? Well, the odd thing about Prop 56 is that it classifies E-Liquid/mods/equipment as tobacco products.

This is to be distinguished from the TPD’s preferable description ‘tobacco related product’ as technically tobacco and eliquid are linked via their common denominator, nicotine. A simple fact is that E-Liquid contains ZERO tobacco.

Therefore all vaping related products are now levied at 70% tax. Now vaping isn’t a feasibly cheaper, healthier alternative to smoking. The two variations have been put on a similar zero tolerance trajectory. Despite one being decidedly healthier than the other.

Obviously this has seen outrage from the worldwide vaping community, people have opposed this movement: YouTubers have voiced their opinion and encouraged the every man to act to oppose it. Organisations have been created to oppose it, demonstrations have taken place. All to no avail.

Personally I am in two minds of this change. Californian brass are attempting to prevent the new generation from starting to smoke. And while vaping is a far healthier choice I would never encourage a non smoker to pick up vaping. Now if you wanted to prevent a young would be smoker from smoking, what’s the easiest way to do this? Hit them where it hurts, the wallet. It’s practically unaffordable for adults as it is so it’s out of reach for most young people.

But what about vaping?

It’s now almost trendy and a socially “in” thing to be seen vaping, with relatively minor health implications and the satisfaction it provides, vaping is an obvious choice for the would be smoker. Therefore how can vaping not be included in the proposition? If the goal is to dissuade people from taking the habit up, it cannot be seen to be biased towards cigarettes only. You have to look at the bigger picture right? Its for The greater good right?

Or is it.

My other train of thought is simple. It’s all about money. Let’s face it the US government makes a verifiable fortune on tobacco, billions from cigarettes. Billions from the health care costs from smoking related illnesses. When added up its a trillion dollar industry across the nation, so this suggests other states may take Californias example. I guess time will tell.

A darker view is that America want people to smoke, they want people to vape, they want to make an insane amount of money from it whilst appearing to be the caring nation it isn’t. It’s in Americas interest to control it’s population (as it is in every other country) therfore this is a win/win/win on all fronts for America.

Smokers/Vapers - paying 70% tax on rrp - health industry costs - people dying from smoking related illness = a more self controlled population.

So those are my thoughts. And while I sit here vaping on a fresh build I know the future for vaping is uncertain. But do I intend to stop or let inertia let the same thing happen here?

Do I f**k.

Thanks for reading, leave your thoughts below.

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Where Can You Use E-cigs?

The electronic cigarette business is rapidly growing despite the debate on whether it is actually a healthier alternative to smoking tobacco, there are 2.1 million users and the business is valued at £1.7 billion and that's just in the UK. Despite this there is still uncertainty over exactly where you are allowed to use e-cigs. Legally you can vape anywhere as electronic cigarettes emit a vapour by heating up the e-liquid with an element called an atomizer. As it does not produce odour, fire or carbon-monoxide, it is not a hazard drug or banned substance. However there are various restrictions where you cannot use your e-cig, although you would only be breaking company policy not the law.

E-cigarette bans have caused a bit of a stir. In most cases it is due to the belief that other people will mistake them for a traditional cigarette thus making them feel it is appropriate for them to light up a cigarette themselves, as opposed to heath and legal concerns.

Electronic Cigarettes in The Office

A lot of offices have no policy on using e-cigs in the workplace as they don't view them as equivalent to traditional cigarettes, it all comes down to your boss so check with them first.

Pubs and Restaurants

There is no rule as such, most pubs will let you smoke an e-cig inside but it is worth checking first.

Hospitals

In England there is no ban however some hospitals do have there own policies that have stopped people smoking electronic cigarettes both inside and outside the hospital grounds.

Sports Stadiums

Most clubs have banned the use of electronic cigarettes in there stadiums, but some have sponsorship with e-cig and e-liquid companies, and have designated e-cig zones so it depend what stadium you are visiting.

Cinemas, Museums and Gallery's

The use of e-cigs are not allowed on any of these premises.

Public Transport

On most public transport services such as buses and trains the use of electronic cigarettes is not allowed.

E-cigs are banned on most flights and some countries have laws against them being in your luggage as they could pose a fire risk. E-cigarettes are forbidden on most flights but some companies such as Ryanair sell there own smokeless cigarettes that work like nicotine inhalers.

The legality of smoking electronic cigarettes is still very much up for debate with new laws, restrictions and guidelines coming into place all the time. The government in the UK are becoming more and more strict when it comes to the use of e-cigs in public but is also met by a lot of opposition by pro-vapers. The future of where and when one can smoke an electronic cigarette is still uncertain.

Although there is a lot of uncertainty around the use of e-cigs in public spaces, as long as you respect the rules and are respectful of people around you there should be no problems.

For more information on electronic cigarettes Liverpool contact www.thevapourman.com

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E-cigarettes and Tobacco Harm Reduction

E-cigarettes and Tobacco Harm Reduction

Electronic cigarettes could potentially be beneficial to UK public health as they could be responsible for a reduction in disability's and deaths caused by smoking tobacco, this is shown in a new study by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP).

Smoking causes around 100,000 deaths a year and many more living with long term irreversible damage and diseases. Although there has been a decline in smokers over the decades, there still remains almost 9 million smokers in the UK.

It has been proven that nicotine causes little if any damage to health, it is in fact the carbon monoxide and other toxins that lead to the damage and diseases caused by smoking. With this fact in mind the RCP believe that switching to e-cigarettes offers the potential to reduce harm from smoking in society.

In the UK it is estimated that 2.6 million People use e-cigs most of which used to smoke and some do not smoke at all any more. It has been found that most adults in the UK are using electronic cigarettes to cut down or quit smoking all together.

E-cigs have been found unlikely to exceed 5% of the harm caused by smoking tobacco, as it is the nicotine in cigarettes is what makes smoking so addictive switching to an electronic cigarette can allow you to get the nicotine your body craves without the harmful side affects the carbon monoxide and other chemicals in tobacco causes.

For more information on how electronic cigarettes can help you quit smoking, visit our website www.thevapourman.com or contact us on 0151 203 5844

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How Electronic Cigarettes Work

E-cigarettes are electronic devices that many people are using in aid to stop smoking. They are made up of a lithium ion battery that is rechargeable, an atomiser (heating device), a cartridge that holds the e-liquid and most e-cigs have an LED light to indicate when the device is activated.

Electronic cigarettes work by heating up the e-liquid to turn it into a vapour, then the user can inhale it creating a similar sensation to smoking an ordinary cigarette. The e-liquids are made up of propylene glycol, glycerine, flavourings and most contain nicotine however non-nicotine solutions are also available.

The majority of e-cigs are re-useable with refillable cartridges, there are many different types of e- cigarettes known as clearomizers/tanks and mods. Clearomizers or tanks are used mainly in stater kits for people that are just starting out switching from ordinary cigarettes to vaping with e-cigs, there are many different types of tanks some are built for ease of use and convenience, others for intense flavour and some to produce lots of vapour. Mods tend to be used by the more experienced user. They have an impressive taste sensation and produce massive vapour clouds, However its down to the user to choose the e-cig that suits them best.

The health benefits of e-cigarettes are not yet proven although a report on the BBC stated that e-cigs are 95% less harmful than ordinary cigarettes, and an article on NHS choices states that e-cigs don't contain the harmful chemicals that can increase the risk of lung cancer, stroke and heart disease.

So if your considering stopping smoking or you want to upgrade your vaping experience why not visit our website at www.thevapourman.com

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Why People Vape with E-Cigs

The Vapour Man Takes a Look At Why People Vape With E-Cigs

There are many different reasons in which people choose to vape, we will take a look at a couple of them here.

 Alternative to Smoking

The majority of people that use E-Cigs started as an alternative to smoking ordinary cigarettes. After a while most of these people choose to vape full time instead of smoking traditional cigarettes. One of the main appeals of vaping is its appearance and function is similar to that of smoking cigarettes, our E-Cigs:

•         Look Similar

•         Give you similar throat and chest hits

•         Contain nicotine

•         Easy to use

•         Low Maintenance

•         Convenient

 More Advanced Vaping

After using E-Cigs for a while, vapers tend to lower their nicotine level and start using E-Cig Mods., also known as Box Mods. E-Cig Mods are battery powered devices with adjustable features, they are more complicated than E-Cigs however there are plenty of reasons people vape with mods, some are:

•         Customisable options

•         Collectable

•         Bigger vape clouds

•         Better taste experience

•         Massive social scene

•         ability to re-build coils on  some tanks

 These are just a few answers to the question “Why do people vape?” but overall everyone has their own reasons for vaping, so its up to the individual to chose their E-Cig and vaping preferences.

For more information on e-cig and vaping products please visit our website www.thevapourman.com 

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E-Cig and E-Liquid Shop Liverpool - Website Launch

Well The Vapour Man now has a beautiful new website where we showcase all our electronic cigarette and e-liquid products get over to www.thevapourman.com to check it out!