DIY vape juice uses the same raw materials as commercial versions but with the freedom to blend. Amid widespread smoking bans and market instability, making your own is cost-effective and creative. For example, California has banned flavored vape juice, hinting at potential future shortages. This guide will cover materials, ingredients, and mixing methods, recommend calculators, and share steeping tips. I quit smoking through DIY vape juice. My device couldn’t handle 70VG juice, and local options were scarce, so I started with 50/50 blends. After five years of experimenting, I’ve mastered the process and achieved self-sufficiency.
The Simple Entry-level Method for Making Vape Juice
In simple terms, the core step of making DIY vape juice is to mix its main components: the base liquids of propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG), nicotine, and flavor concentrates. If you prefer nicotine-free or even flavorless vape juice, you can choose not to add the relevant components. At first glance, this process may seem daunting, but in fact, the actual operation is not as complicated as it seems, and you don’t need profound chemical knowledge. If you have experience in mixing cocktails, making vape juice won’t be a difficult task for you either. The following is a simple operation method for making vape juice:
Go to online DIY vape stores, such as Ecigexpress, Wizardlabs, etc.
Purchase an appropriate amount of VG and PG (or directly buy a bottle of pre-made base material). It is recommended to buy at least 100 milliliters of each, and the cost is usually only a few dollars.
Add several 50-milliliter plastic bottles and plastic pipettes to the shopping cart.
Browse the DIY vape juice flavorings and select a few flavors you like.
After receiving the package, use a pipette to drop about 10-20 drops of flavoring into an empty bottle.
Fill the bottle halfway with PG first, and then fill the remaining space with VG.
Shake the bottle and let it stand for several hours until the bubbles dissipate.
Try the homemade vape juice and adjust it according to the taste.
You’ve successfully crafted 50 milliliters of vape juice! While the flavor might be basic, it’s a creation of your own and worth savoring. If you plan to add nicotine or experiment further, this simple method won’t suffice—precision is key. Avoid estimating nicotine by eye; instead, explore recipes and precise mixing techniques for better results.
Mixing Methods for DIY Vape Juice: The Weight Method and the Volume Method
There are mainly two methods for mixing DIY vape liquid, each with its advantages and disadvantages.
Mixing by Weight
Use an electronic scale to accurately weigh each component and add them to the mixture according to their specific gravities. You should know that the weight of 1 milliliter of VG is heavier than that of 1 milliliter of PG or 1 milliliter of flavoring. But you don’t need to delve into the complex scientific principles behind it. With the help of a vape juice calculator, it can automatically perform these complex numerical calculations, making the blending process much easier.
Mixing by Volume
This method involves using large syringes (ideally one per component) to measure each liquid volume. It’s beginner-friendly since it mirrors everyday liquid measurement, but it’s less accurate, requires more consumables, and involves tedious cleaning. A calculator is necessary for volume mixing to convert percentages to milliliters and precisely determine the nicotine base needed for the target concentration. Remember: never eyeball nicotine when making vape juice!
Essential Materials for Making Vape Juice
Regardless of which production method you choose and what your final flavor preference is, the following vape juice raw materials and DIY supplies are indispensable.
Base Liquids
That is, vegetable glycerin (VG) and propylene glycol (PG). As the core components of vape juice, the base liquids finally form flavorless and nicotine-free vape juice. You can directly buy base liquids pre-mixed in a ratio of 50/50 or 70/30. However, if you want to flexibly control the final ratio of the vape juice, it is recommended to purchase 1 liter of VG (vegetable glycerin) and 500 milliliters of PG (propylene glycol), and make sure they are of USP grade to ensure they are pure enough for mixing vape juice.
Vape Juice Concentrates
This component defines the vape juice’s final flavor. Use only concentrates made for vaping—avoid essential oils or other oils. Thousands of concentrates exist, and they can be blended to create endless recipes. Brands vary in flavor and potency (see my recipe guide for examples). For beginners, start with well-reviewed recipes and buy the necessary concentrates. Alternatively, try pre-mixed one-time concentrates, which are beginner-friendly and offered by many major manufacturers.
Nicotine
Nicotine is optional to add and its concentration should match your preference and device compatibility. Beginners typically find a 100ml bottle with 36-48mg/ml concentration sufficient. Nicotine is usually suspended in a PG solution, but other concentrations are available with some effort. Handle with care, wear gloves, and keep it out of children’s reach to avoid contact with skin or face.
Storage Bottles
Store the base liquids separately in squeeze bottles with nozzles, which is convenient for adding them to the homemade vape juice. Several 100-milliliter flavor bottles are a good choice. If you use nicotine, it should be stored in an amber or cobalt blue glass bottle. The dark and sturdy glass material helps to slow down the degradation of nicotine.
Vape Juice Bottles
In the early experimental stage, you can buy some 10-milliliter plastic bottles for testing recipes, and then prepare some 60-120-milliliter plastic bottles for making a large amount of your favorite homemade vape juice. PET and HDPE plastic materials are suitable for long-term storage, and LDPE plastic is also applicable. These plastic bottles are affordable and easy to purchase.
Ingredient Taboos for Making Vape Juice
The following are some ingredients that people often wonder whether they can be used for making vape liquid, but in fact, they are prohibited:
Any flavorings that are not widely used in the DIY field of vape juice (there are potential dangers).
Essential oils and any types of oils (definitely dangerous).
Any household items that seem feasible (actually not usable).
Extremely high-concentration nicotine (unless operating in a professional laboratory environment).
In the DIY vape juice community, two ingredients, distilled water, and vodka, are quite controversial. In the past, people often used them to dilute vape liquid, but today’s vape devices have made this practice unnecessary. Some people firmly believe that water helps to enhance the flavor, but according to practical experience, water will cause problems such as bursting and splashing of the vape device. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that no other ingredients, except VG and PG, be used in the production of basic vape liquid.
Recommendations for DIY Vape Juice Sets
If you want to purchase all DIY supplies at once, there are many sets available on the market. Most entry-level DIY sets contain the necessary items to start the self-making journey. The vast majority of DIY sets adopt the volume mixing scheme, equipped with various syringes and necessary vape juice ingredients. If you are hesitant between the weight method and the volume method, you can buy an entry-level set and an electronic scale, so that you can try both methods and find the most suitable way for yourself. Even if you have decided to use the weight method for mixing, it is still a good choice to purchase a DIY entry-level set because many products in the set can be useful.
Vape Liquid Calculators: Essential Tools for Precise Mixing
If you want to achieve precise mixing and obtain repeatable ideal results, a vape juice calculator is essential. It can greatly simplify the entire production process and provide you with all the information you need, whether it is to determine the amount of nicotine required to reach the desired concentration or to calculate the specific amount of each component needed to prepare a perfect 70/30 vape juice. This process may seem challenging at first, but once you master it, it will become very easy. Many calculators run online, and some can also be downloaded and used on mobile devices or desktops.
Start Making: Embark on the Journey of Blending Vape Juice
After gathering all the necessary materials, begin the mixing process. While some prefer to mix by feel, it’s better to consult reliable sources first—check my [E-liquid Recipe Guide] or platforms like ELR and ATF for highly rated, verified recipes. For example, we’ll use ELR’s [TheJuiceFairy OhoSsOhO (Tribeca Style), a simple two-flavor blend: 3% FA Meringue (sweet caramel) and 10% FA Soho (nutty tobacco).
Open the ELR calculator and first fill in the volume of the final product, the nicotine content (in milligrams), the ratio of the base liquids, as well as the concentration and ratio of the existing nicotine. In this example, we are going to make 50 milliliters of vape juice with 60% VG and 6 milligrams of nicotine, using a 36-milligram 100% PG nicotine base liquid. Then add the percentage of the flavors to be used if you are using an existing ELR recipe, click the blue wrench icon and select “Adjust” to skip this step.
After Setting the Values, Put on Gloves and Start Mixing!
If you are using the mixing method by weight, operate according to the values in the “grams” column. Turn on the electronic scale, place the plastic bottle on the scale, and press the “tare” button to zero. Then add each component according to the listed weight in sequence, and press the “tare” button again after each addition. Generally, I add them in the order of nicotine, flavor, VG, and PG to reduce possible errors, but you can decide on the specific order according to your preference.
If you are using the mixing method by volume, use the values in the “mL” column. Ideally, use one syringe for each component. This recipe requires at least three syringes, which are respectively used for nicotine, VG/PG, and flavoring. When I mixed by volume before, I sometimes omitted to measure VG. If you know the actual capacity of the bottle, you can also do this. For example, my 50-milliliter bottle can hold up to 54 milliliters of liquid, so when I mix 50 milliliters of vape juice, I leave 4 milliliters of space at the top. This is not the most accurate mixing method, but it can save some time. After the operation, be sure to clean the syringes. It is recommended to wash them with distilled water and let them dry for some time.
After completing the above steps, put on the bottle cap and shake the bottle for several minutes. Congratulations, you have successfully made your first bottle of DIY vape juice! What should you do next?
Subsequent Steps after Mixing: The Finishing Work of Making Vape Juice
Labeling
Be sure to mark the following information on the mixed vape juice bottle: the ratio of VG/PG, the nicotine content, the percentage of flavors, and the production date. The labeling work should be done immediately. Many beginners often regret it later when they find a perfect recipe but cannot replicate it because they ignore this step. It is recommended to record the recipe in a notebook, an electronic spreadsheet, or on a website.
Steeping
This step often confuses beginners in DIY vape juice making. Most homemade vape juices contain multiple flavor concentrates and need a certain amount of time for the flavors to fully blend and settle. The steeping time varies for different mixtures. Generally speaking, multi-layered dessert or cream-like mixtures may take up to four weeks to reach the best taste, while simple fruit recipes may not require steeping. Most recipes will give recommended steeping times. In addition, although there are various methods to accelerate the steeping process, these methods have always been controversial in the DIY vape juice field.
Testing
After the vape juice has been steeped, it is time for the testing stage. It is recommended to use a high-quality dripper or a rebuildable atomizer for testing instead of a tank. This can help you feel the flavor of the vape juice more accurately, avoid wasting coils in unsatisfactory experiments, and enable you to try different vape juices more quickly. It should be noted that resistance and temperature have a significant impact on the taste.
Storage
Sunlight, high temperature, and oxygen will all have a negative impact on vape juice. Therefore, homemade vape juice should be stored in a cool and dry place and kept away from pets and children.
Practical Tips for DIY Vape Juice
Make full use of online tools and resources. There are many dedicated DIY sub-forums on Reddit, and e-liquid-related platforms offer more functions than just calculators. Their flavor libraries are very practical. After entering your inventory, ELR will list the vape juice recipes that can be made.
Adhere to the principle of “less is more”. Increasing the amount of flavoring does not necessarily improve the taste of the vape juice. In some cases, excessive addition will instead damage the original flavor of the vape juice!
