Highbrow News — e-liquids

If you’re a vaper whose main priority is replicating the experience of smoking a cigarette as closely as possible, you’re probably a fan of tobacco flavors.  And, you’ve probably been considering grabbing a pod mod system so that you can enjoy the effects of salt-based nicotine. As you probably know, nicotine salts give you a stronger throat hit and a more potent nicotine experience, meaning that you’ll likely find that your cravings are perfectly satisfied whenever you hit your mod.

But, if you’re a tobacco flavor connoisseur, you might be wondering how the taste of your e-liquid will differ whether you’re using a pod mod system or the box mod setup that you’ve been using.  As you’ll see, the answer is a little, well, complicated.

Freebase vs. Salt-Based Nicotine: Do They Taste Different from Each Other?

First, let’s get one thing straight: both salt-based and freebase nicotine are flavorless and odorless.  Therefore, if your e-liquid tastes different since you made the switch, it’s not because of the flavor of the nicotine itself.  Neither of these types of nicotine have an effect on the flavor of your juice.

Pod Mod Systems Do, in Fact, Affect Your Flavor Experience

However, the fact that you’re using a pod system may be the culprit.  If you’re used to using a box mod kit, you’ve been enjoying your vape juice at a high wattage with a low-resistance coil, not to mention other unique output attributes.  Now that you’ve switched to a pod kit, you’re using a low-wattage device with a high-resistance coil. The output settings and the resistance level of your coil can most definitely alter the taste of your e-liquid.

This is because of how heat affects flavor.  Different output settings heat your e-liquid to different temperatures.  And, different temperatures bring out unique flavor notes in your liquid.

Mouth-to-Lung Vaping Creates a Stronger Flavor

There’s also the fact that pod mods are MTL devices.  When you’re using this type of device, you’re inhaling differently.  With box mods, you’re sucking the vapor straight into your lungs without giving it much of a chance to sit on the palate.  Meanwhile, with pod systems, you’re inhaling the e-liquid vapor into your mouth, letting it sit on the taste buds for a moment, then drawing it into your lungs.  Believe it or not, those few seconds during which the vapor is still in your mouth can give you a much stronger flavor experience overall. Luckily, most vapers view this as a good thing.

Throat Hit Changes Everything

The throat hit that nicotine salts provide can definitely influence the taste experience that you’re having while you vape.  That hit to the back of the throat provides you with a much stronger flavor simply because of the potency of the pull.

The E-Liquid Brand May be to Blame

Another factor to consider is the brand that made your tobacco-flavored e-juice.  If you only vaped one brand’s tobacco flavor when you were using a box mod, and now that you’ve switched to pod vaping, you’re trying a new brand, the flavor will be different.  After all, no two juice companies use the same recipe.

Bottom Line…Find Your Taste

If you’ve been thinking that your tobacco flavor tastes a bit different since switching to a pod mod system, you’re probably not imagining it.  As you can see, there are a few reasons why this may be the case. The good news is that your tobacco flavor shouldn’t taste unpleasant in any way.  So, you can continue to enjoy that rich, smoky taste while you enjoy the many benefits of salt-based nicotine and pod mods.

Have you ever left your tank somewhere for a few days, only to come back and find that it’s half empty?  If so, you probably allowed the e-liquid to evaporate.  Believe it or not, your juice can most definitely evaporate in your tank if it sits there long enough.  But, luckily, there are some things that you can do to prevent this from occurring so that you don’t end up wasting e-juice.

Why Does E-Juice Evaporate in a Tank?

E-juice is a liquid, and any liquid is prone to evaporation.  However, certain factors can make your e-liquid evaporate at a fairly rapid speed.

You’re Not Vaping Frequently Enough

One culprit is that you’re simply not vaping frequently enough.  If you fill your tank and then leave it for a few days before using it, you’re going to find that your e-liquid is evaporating simply because you’re not going through it quickly enough.  Once your vape juice is in a tank, it will begin to evaporate because a tank is exposed to a lot of oxygen.

Too Much Light or Heat Exposure

Another factor to consider is how much heat and light your tank is exposed to.  Both heat and light speed up the evaporation process.

How to Prevent Your E-Liquid from Evaporating in Your Tank

Now that you know why vape juice evaporates in a tank, it’s time to figure out how to prevent that from happening in the first place.

Pour Your E-Liquid Back into the Bottle

The best thing that you can do is pour the vape juice that’s in your tank back into your bottle when you’re not using your device.  Sure, this can be tedious, but your bottle is really the best place for it to be.

Finish Your Tank’s Worth Before Switching to Another Setup

If you’re prone to switching between different setups regularly, consider finishing the vape juice in your tank before putting it away for another mod system.  Otherwise, you’re just allowing that e-liquid to sit in the tank until you’re ready to use it again.

Leave Your Setup in a Cool, Dark Place

As we said, heat and light speed up the evaporation process.  So, when you’re not actively vaping, try putting your setup in a location that’s cool or dark such as a closet or a bag.

Keep These Tips Handy

While e-liquid is capable of evaporating more quickly when left in a tank, there are some easy steps that you can take to prevent losing too much.  After all, e-juice can get expensive. And, who wants to go to vape, only to find an empty tank? Follow these tips so that you can enjoy your juice purchases to their fullest.

Vaping is one of the fastest growing pastimes and hobbies in the world.  As it continues to expand, more people are exploring what our industry has to offer.  With that said, there are certain unwritten rules one should follow in order to have some safe, fun and productive vape sessions.  This list will imbue you, regardless if you’re a novice or "professional" vaper, so let’s get right to it.

Rule #1: Safety

E-juices consist of 4 ingredients:

• Flavoring
• Propylene Glycol (PG)
• Vegetable Glycerin (VG)
• Nicotine (though some juices contain 0%)  

For your own health and safety, seek out juice manufacturers that pledge to use only natural ingredients in their batches and make sure to figure out what ratio works best for you.  What we me mean is, for example, if you have a PG allergy, your best bet is to vape an e-liquid that is MAX VG.

Rule #2: Nicotine Strength
Nicotine levels in your e-liquid depend on your personal preference.  Heavy cigarette smokers trying to quit should start at the highest doses (typically 24/28g per hit) and wean themselves down as they see fit.  Nicotine can be toxic in high doses, so use these higher levels cautiously.

For very light-smoking users, vaping at a lower nicotine strength between 3mg-6mg is recommended.  Vaping at too high of a level that you’re not accustom to could have some negative effects. If you’re uncertain as to the nicotine content of your e-juice, for your safety, it is recommended you get new juice entirely.

Rule #3: Using Your Vaping Device
Read the manual that comes with your electronic cigarette, mod, vaporizer or even pod system!  There are so many means to vape today, that it can be difficult to gauge otherwise how to properly use your device.  In a unit that has modular temperature settings, the VV/VW applied are very important: too low, and you'll get no vapor.  Too high and the juice will burn, or worse, you'll blow out your coil.

Coils are replaceable, but coil blowouts can be a major frustration.  However, they can also be entirely avoidable, if you know how to properly use your device; meaning how far you can set the wattage level to and the kind of coil being used.  Also, the type of e-liquid being vaped with and the tank that it’s in make a difference. These are just some of the many factors that must be taken into consideration before vaping with a fresh new coil.

Rule #4: Being a Respectful Vaper
As we all know, vaping offers the user, and even the environment a better alternative to traditional cigarettes, but some people are still upset by vapers, especially from mods that billow out heavy clouds.  It’s always a good idea to ask those around you if they mind if you vape. If they do, or there are posted signs that unfortunately include no vaping in the establishment, you may need to step outside in order to vape. However, vapers aren’t confined to the length of a cigarette’s time when it comes to being outside, so you should be back indoors pretty quickly.

Also, always vape in a well-ventilated area and try and clear the air when you're done.  Be courteous and thankful when you’re allowed to vape indoors. Take note, do not vape near areas where it is restricted such as school zones.

Keep These Rules in Mind

By keeping these tips handy, you’re on your way to becoming the perfect and respectful gentleman vaper. 

If you’re trying to watch your weight, you might be wondering how your vaping hobby is affecting your weight loss attempts.  After all, e-liquids come in sinful flavors like cake, candy and cookies.  It’s not crazy to wonder if these sweet flavors are filling your body with unwanted calories.

The good news is that vaping won’t sabotage your weight loss endeavors.  As you’ll see, the way in which e-liquids affect your body can actually help you lose weight rather than add inches to your waistline.

Truth about Calories in E-Liquid

As it turns out, e-liquids contain approximately four to five calories per milliliter.  If you go through 2mL of juice a day, you’re getting about ten or so calories. Those calories come primarily from the flavoring agents that are used in the batch.  These flavoring agents make up only about 10%.

Needless to say, ten or so calories a day is absolutely not going to have an effect on your weight.  That amount is far less than even a small cup of coffee or a little glass of fruit juice. So, you really have nothing to worry about.  Even if you’re a chain-vaper who can’t put their mod down for more than ten minutes, you’re really not going to gain weight from the calories that are in vape juice.

Plus, scientists can’t really prove that those calories affect your weight on a biological level.  While the calories we digest do affect our weight, e-liquids aren’t digested. If the calories in the juice only sit in the lungs for a brief period of time, it’s unlikely that they trigger fat production at all.

How Vaping Can Actually Help You Lose Weight

Nicotine

If you’re vaping an e-liquid that contains nicotine, your chances of losing weight are higher than your chances of gaining weight.  Nicotine is a known stimulant that increases your metabolism while gently suppressing your appetite. Many people who vape regularly don’t feel the need to binge on snacks throughout the day, because nicotine keeps them satisfied.  

Another fascinating thing about nicotine is that it reduces insulin levels.  Therefore, it can actually curb sugar cravings as it doesn’t cause the user to desire sugar in order to get a boost of energy.  This is part of the reason why people who quit cigarettes cold turkey tend to pick up addictions to candies and other sweet snacks.

Goodbye to Cravings

Another way that vaping helps people lose weight has to do with all of the sweet flavors that are available.  Many have found that simply vaping a sweet flavor helps them ward off sugar cravings. If you’re the type of person who can’t control themselves around a box of cookies or a bag of candies, vaping might actually be helping you avoid engorging yourself.  

The Skinny on Vaping

Simply put, it’s clear that vaping will not sabotage your weight loss efforts in any way.

If you’ve just gotten into salt nic e-liquid, you’re probably wondering about the role that the VG/PG ratio plays in terms of your overall vaping experience. Those who have been using sub-ohm systems for a while are used to the fact that the ratio has an enormous effect on everything from cloud production to the intensity of an e-liquid’s flavor. When it comes to vaping a salt nic e-liquid using a pod system, things are quite different.

Salt nic vape juices have slightly different formulas that affect the way in which the liquid is turned into vapor. Plus, they’re used with pod systems, meaning that the size of the clouds, the throat hit, and other aspects of vaping are largely affected by the device itself.

Before you start getting nit-picky about the ratio of your nic salt juice, allow us to explain exactly how the ratio affects your pod-based vaping experience. You may be surprised.  

Up until recently, vapers could only purchase e-liquids that contained freebase nicotine.  This type of nicotine is chemically altered in order to be more potent. However, it wasn’t created for systems that reach high wattage levels. As a result, those who wanted to take in a good amount of nicotine experienced throat irritation when using powerful devices.

Now, thanks to salt-based nicotine, vapers can enjoy a potent nicotine hit without burning their throat. This type of nicotine has revolutionized the vaping industry by providing intense satisfaction to those who crave that buzz.

Because salt nic e-liquids must be used with pod systems, they must contain a fairly strict ratio of ingredients. While freebase nic e-liquids tend to come in a wide variety of VG/PG ratios, salt nic e-liquids are typically only available in 50/50 ratios with the occasional exception.

So, how does the same ratio differ?

Throat Hit

Many people who vape a high PG freebased e-liquid do so because they enjoy the strong throat hit that comes with more propylene glycol (PG). When you’re vaping a salt nic e-liquid, you’re going to get a stronger throat hit no matter what due to the nature of nicotine salts. Therefore, you don’t necessarily need to go for a PG level that’s above 50 percent.

Flavor

Another advantage is a more pronounced flavor. However, salt nic e-juices are only compatible with mouth-to-lung (MTL) pod systems. These pod devices have set output levels and coil resistance levels that already promote a stronger, richer flavor.

Cloud Production

Because of the nature of nicotine salt e-liquids and pod systems in general, your cloud-chasing abilities are a bit limited. Therefore, even if you were to vape a nic salt juice with a very high VG level, you wouldn’t get the same clouds that you get with a big sub-ohm device. Plus, nic salt liquid requires a certain PG level in order to vape properly, meaning that a high VG nic salt juices would probably not deliver a satisfying vape.

See Which One Works for You

It’s safe to say that the ratio is less important when it comes to vaping a salt nic e-liquid with a pod system. However, you should still feel free to experiment if you believe that playing around with the ratio will allow you to find your unique sweet spot.

Now that we’re deep into the cold winter season, many of us are yearning for seasonal pick-me-ups that remind us of our favorite wintertime treats.  Thanks to Highbrow Vapor, you can indulge in yummy winter-inspired e-juices that warm the spirit and elate the taste buds.

These flavors are guaranteed to keep you satisfied all winter long:

Winter E-Liquid Flavor #3: Clove

Consists of smooth, rich tobacco that’s been infused with warm and aromatic cloves. Each puff has a warming effect on the tongue thanks to the intensity of the spicy notes.  The tobacco is so velvety as it drifts across the tongue that you’ll find yourself salivating. At first, you’ll notice the warmth and richness of the tobacco that reminds you of an expensive cigar. The tobacco becomes sweeter and smokier as the glorious clove flavor starts to emerge. As you exhale, you’ll enjoy the smoothness of the flavor while the clove leaves you feeling invigorated.

Winter E-Liquid Flavor #2: Cappuccino Diablo

On a chilly winter morning, there’s nothing like a warm cappuccino. This is a flawless tribute to this iconic beverage, consisting of warm, nutty espresso, frothy, rich milk and the perfect amount of sweet sugar. Each puff of this flavor satisfies you on the darkest winter days. As soon as you inhale, you’ll notice the smooth espresso that’s extremely fragrant. The warmth of the espresso helps you forget that it’s cold outside. Then, a stream of creamy milk floods the tongue. The milk has a frothy consistency that satisfies like crazy. With each exhale, a sprinkle of sugar lands on the sweet tooth.

Winter E-Liquid Flavor #1: Buttered Rum And-Then-Some

No flavor is better suited for this time of year than this juice. This mouth-watering wintertime beverage consists of warm buttered rum that’s steeped with smooth vanilla, rich hazelnuts, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Its creaminess seduces your tongue right away. Slowly, the vanilla and hazelnut flavors appear on the palate. When you exhale, the nutmeg and cinnamon add warmth to the flavor profile.

Take Care of Those Wintertime Cravings at Highbrow Vapor

Each of these three winter-inspired vape flavors hits the spot on the coldest and darkest winter days. Thanks to the scrumptious seasonal flavors from Highbrow Vapor, you can satisfy your wintertime cravings without any of the calories.

If you haven’t noticed, we have entered the coldest stage of the winter season. For those who vape outdoors, it can be a bit tedious to bundle up just to get in a few satisfying hits. Believe it or not, the winter season affects your vape sessions beyond your level of comfort. In fact, cold weather can alter everything from the thickness of your fog to how well your batteries function.

However, just because it is cold out doesn’t mean that you have to run to the vape shop and invest in a whole new setup. There are a few very easy tips that you can take in order to get the most out of your wintertime vaping sessions.

Tip #1: Switch Up the VG/PG Ratio of Your E-Liquid

E-Liquid is composed of lots of different molecules that come from its various ingredients. Many flavoring ingredients consist of molecules that freeze when exposed to cold air. However, because vegetable glycerin (VG) and propylene glycol (PG) are compounds that are derived from alcohol, they’ll stop your juice from freezing into a solid mass.

However, because of those flavor molecules, your liquid will change in consistency.  Cold weather makes juice thicker, meaning that your vapor will be thicker. For those all about those massive, fluffy clouds, this might be good news. However, if you’re more into that strong throat hit, you’re probably going to want to increase your PG level in order to compensate for the cold.

Tip #2. Don’t Leave Your Vaping Hardware Outdoors

If you’re the type of vaper who leaves their device and/or hardware pieces outdoors or even in the car, you’re gonna want to be a little more careful during the winter season. When your mod is left outside on a cold day, its technological components can freeze, meaning that your unit just won’t work as well. Cold weather can damage your display screen as well as the internal mechanisms that keep it running smoothly.

This applies to your vape batteries as well. Batteries should never get cold because this can cause them to greatly decrease in capacity. When the weather is cold, a battery’s electrons move more slowly, meaning that the battery must try harder to power your device. This drains your batteries quickly and can permanently lower their capacity level.

If you can, store your hardware in a warm place indoors. While it doesn’t need to kept somewhere hot, make sure that it’s a place far away from any particularly drafty areas.

Tip #3: Treat Yourself to Seasonal Flavors to Get into the Winter Spirit

One of the best things about wintertime vaping is being able to indulge in winter-inspired e-liquid flavors. During the wintertime, we tend to crave richer desserts that keep us feeling warm during the cold months. If you want to watch your weight, you can satisfy your cravings with indulgent Highbrow juices that are inspired by the desserts that are abundant during this time of year.

Don’t Be Left in the Vaping Cold

By following these tricks, those freezing temperatures don’t have to ruin your experience.  You’ll be able to enjoy those smooth, flavorful hits no matter what’s going on with the weather.