What are the different types of e-liquids?
At first glance, there are so many different types of e-liquid it seems impossible to begin to work out what's what! Read on to learn about all of the different types of e-liquid and how to use them.
What does VG/PG ratio mean?
To understand the difference between types of e-liquids you must first understand the base ingredients, found in every e-liquid in different amounts. VG (vegetable glycerine) and PG (propylene glycol) are the base blend of any e-liquid, however different types of e-liquids feature different VG/PG ratios. For example, nic salt e-liquids balance the amounts of VG/PG equally, usually at a ratio of 50/50 whereas shortfill e-liquids use a lot more VG than PG, coming in at a typical ratio of 70VG/30PG.
What are nic salt e-liquids?
Nic salt e-liquids are available in 10ml bottles, this type of e-liquid has the following features:
- 50VG-50PG base.
- High nicotine content, often being sold strengths of 15-20mg (the legal maximum).
- Fast nicotine absorption due to the higher nicotine content.
- Smooth throat hit, even at higher concentrations of nicotine.
- Uses salt nicotine, a type of nicotine treated with benzoic acid
What are Shortfill e-liquids?
Shortfill e-liquids come in either 50ml or 100ml, shortfill e-liquids feature:
- A high VG base - usually at least 70VG-30PG.
- No or low nicotine content, most shortfills do not contain any nicotine and if they do it typically does not exceed 6mg.
- Slower nicotine absorption rate.
- Harsh throat hit if nicotine is present.
- Uses freebase nicotine (if applicable), this type of nicotine is not a salt.
- You can add your own nicotine (nicotine shots) to a nicotine-free shortfill e-liquid, tailoring it to your ideal strength.
What are nicotine shots?
Nic shots are concentrated shots of nicotine that can be added to nicotine-free e-liquids to tailor the strength. Nic shots feature:
- 10ml bottle.
- Added to 50ml or 100ml nicotine free e-liquids.
- Pure nicotine, usually a 15mg, 18mg or 20mg strength.
- Can use either freebase nicotine or nicotine salts.
- Available at a range of different VG/PG ratios, use a base that has the same as or a very similar ratio to the e-liquid you are adding to.
This depends on your vaping goals, those who have recently switched from smoking tend to prefer strong, nic salt e-liquids to keep cravings at bay. On the other hand, vapers obsessed with strong flavours and large clouds tend to opt for shortfills.
Nic salt e-liquids are 10ml e-liquids that feature a type of salt nicotine, treated with benzoic acid for efficient and fast nicotine delivery. This type of e-liquid usually features a higher nicotine strength (15mg-20mg).
Nic salts and nic shots are different, nic salts are usually ready to vape and feature a flavour whereas nic shots are flavourless and designed to be added to a shortfill e-liquid. However, both nic salts and nicotine shots come in 10ml bottles at high nicotine strengths of around 15mg-20mg.
Nic salt e-liquids are widely regarded as just as safe as any other nicotine used in e-liquid. However, it is important to start slowly as nic salts are absorbed faster than other kinds of nicotine and can sometimes take vapers by surprise.
Shortfill e-liquids are low or no nicotine e-liquids, with a high VG content (typically 70VG-30PG).You can add nicotine to shortfill e-liquids by mixing it with a nicotine shot.
Currently, shortfill e-liquids are not subject to any extra excise tax, apart from the standard 20% VAT already included in the price of all consumer products. However, in October of 2026 it is expected that this will change with the introduction of the new Vaping Products Duty. For more on this check out our informational blog on everything you can expect.
Mixing shortfill e-liquids and nicotine shots is fairly simple, just pour your shot(s) into your shortfill bottle, replace the cap and shake well for a minute or two. After mixing it is ready to vape but some vapers prefer to let it steep for a few hours before usage.
The number of nicotine shots you should add depends on your desired strength. For example, to make a 6mg 100ml shortfill e-liquid you would need to add 2 18mg nicotine shots.
Technically yes you can do this, as nicotine shots contain the same base ingredients as other e-liquids. However, nicotine shots are flavourless so it won`t be a very flavourful, exciting vaping experience.
To easily calculate how many nicotine shots you should use for your desired strength, you can use a nicotine shot calculator, available online on many different vape websites.