How To Make Vape Juice? Step-By-Step Tutorial

Key Takeaways

• Making your own vape juice allows you to customize flavors, control nicotine levels, and save money. It’s also a way to avoid harmful additives found in some commercial e-liquids. Want to learn how to make vape juice step-by-step? Check this article!

• To make vape juice, you’ll need four main ingredients: propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerin (VG), flavor concentrates, and nicotine (optional). Proper equipment like bottles, syringes, and gloves is essential for accuracy and safety. Discover below for specific tools and ingredients you need.

• Steeping your vape juice enhances flavor, while maintaining the right PG/VG ratio ensures a balanced vaping experience. Experimenting with flavor combinations can make your homemade juice uniquely yours below!

How to make vape juice. Source: Foggy Gorilla

Create your ultimate vaping experience with high-quality products from Black Coral Vape.

Why Consider Making Your Own Vape Juice?

Why consider making your own vape juice? For starters, it gives you full control over what goes into it.

By making homemade vape juice, you can:

• Customization: You can customize the flavor and nicotine levels to suit your exact preferences, something that’s not always possible with commercial e-liquids. Whether you prefer a fruity taste or something different, you’re all in charge.

• Cost Savings: Buying e-liquids regularly can add up, but making your own can be more affordable in the long run. With a few basic ingredients and tools, you can create your own supply and potentially save money.

• Control Over Quality: Can you make your own vape juice with better ingredients? Absolutely. Making it yourself allows you to choose high-quality, food-grade components and avoid harmful additives like diacetyl.

See more: Best Geek Bar Pulse Flavors In 2024 | Black Coral's Ultimate Guide

Essential Ingredients In Vape Juice

Making homemade vape juice requires a few key ingredients that work together to create a satisfying vaping experience. Here's what you need and why they're important:

1. Nicotine Shots

These are concentrated forms of nicotine, usually in strengths of 18-20mg per milliliter. They allow you to control the nicotine level in your vape juice. 

You’ll need a measurement for accuracy and gloves for hygiene and safety. Customizing nicotine levels gives you the flexibility to suit your needs, whether reducing nicotine intake or achieving a stronger hit.

Be selective when it comes to choosing quality nicotine shots. Source: My Vapery

See more: How Much Nicotine is in a Lost Mary Vape: A Complete Breakdown

2. Propylene Glycol (PG)

PG is a thinner liquid that carries flavors well and provides a stronger throat hit. It’s a key base ingredient in vape juice, especially for users who prioritize flavor intensity or a more cigarette-like experience.

3. Vegetable Glycerin (VG)

VG is thicker and creates dense vapor clouds. It’s ideal for those who enjoy a smoother vaping experience or prefer big vapor production. The ratio of PG to VG is customizable, depending on your device and style.

4. Vape Juice Flavor Concentrates

These give your homemade vape juice its taste. Available in endless varieties like fruity, dessert, menthol, or beverage flavors, they allow you to experiment and create unique combinations. 

Following recommended usage percentages is important to balance flavor intensity without overpowering the mix.

Can you make your own vape juice? Yes! 

By combining nicotine shots, PG, VG, and flavor concentrates, you can create personalized vape juice that suits your taste and vaping style. 

Add flavor to your vape with vape juice flavor concentrates. Source: eBay

See more: Top 10 Best Vape Flavors in 2024 | Black Coral's Ultimate Guide

What To Avoid

When learning how to make vape juice, certain ingredients might seem like a good idea, but they can be dangerous or ruin their quality, such as:

• Non-Vape Flavorings: Only use flavor concentrates specifically designed for vaping. Regular food flavorings or other DIY flavoring ideas might contain ingredients that are harmful when inhaled.

• Essential Oils and Any Type of Oil: Oils should never be used in vape juice. They are not safe to inhale and can lead to severe lung issues.

• Household Items: Avoid experimenting with items that aren’t intended for vaping, even if they seem like a creative solution. For instance, sugary syrups or non-vape liquids might damage your device or harm your health.

• High-Strength Nicotine: Unless you’re working in a controlled lab environment, avoid handling very high-concentration nicotine. It’s dangerous and requires specialized equipment to manage safely.

• Distilled Water or Vodka: While some DIY enthusiasts have used these to dilute e-liquids, modern vaping gear makes them unnecessary. Adding water or vodka can cause issues like popping, spitting, or uneven performance, and they don’t significantly enhance flavor or usability.

The reason why you need to understand how to make vape juice with PG, VG, nicotine (if desired), and high-quality flavor concentrates is because they give you control over flavor, nicotine strength, and overall quality, offering a more customized and cost-effective vaping experience.

But first, let’s gather the necessary equipment!

Necessary Equipment For Making Vape Juice

If you’re wondering how to make vape juice at home, the right equipment is essential for safety, accuracy, and a clean process. Here’s what you’ll need to create homemade vape juice effectively:

• Bottles: Use clear plastic or glass bottles with child-proof caps to store your vape juice safely. Plastic squeeze bottles are beginner-friendly for easy mixing and pouring, while glass bottles are reusable and help preserve flavors over time. Having various sizes allows flexibility when making different quantities.

• Measuring Containers: Accurate measurements are crucial. Use clean, dry measuring cups or beakers for your propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerin (VG), nicotine, and flavor concentrates. These containers prevent cross-contamination and ensure precise ratios for consistent results.

• Syringes/Pipettes: These are essential for measuring small quantities of nicotine and flavor concentrates with precision. They ensure you get the exact strength and flavor balance for your DIY vape juice.

• Gloves: Always wear nitrile or latex gloves to protect your skin from potential irritation or harm caused by nicotine and concentrated flavors. Gloves ensure safety during the mixing process.

• Kitchen Roll: Keep a roll of kitchen paper handy to wipe spills and clean your workspace. It’s crucial for maintaining a tidy and safe environment when creating your vape juice.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Vape Juice

Step 1: Determine Measurements

When learning how to make vape juice at home, getting the measurements right is crucial for achieving the perfect balance of strength, flavor, and consistency in your homemade vape juice.

A vape juice calculator is recommended to input details like your desired nicotine strength, VG/PG ratio, and total volume. Then, use a digital scale for weight-based accuracy or clean measuring containers for volume. 

Stick to recommended proportions: nicotine for your chosen strength (e.g., 3mg or 6mg per ml), a balance of PG and VG depending on whether you prefer a thinner liquid with more flavor (higher PG) or thicker liquid with bigger clouds (higher VG), and flavor concentrates, typically 5-15% of the total volume based on how intense you want the flavor to be.

DIY vape juice making. Source: Riot E-Liquid

See more: What Chemicals Are In Vapes? (Shocking Reveal)

Step 2: Get Ready For The Base Mixture

When preparing the base mixture during the process of how to make vape juice, precision and safety are key. 

The base is made up of PG (propylene glycol) and VG (vegetable glycerin), which form the foundation of your DIY vape juice. The typical ratio is 50/50, but this can be adjusted depending on your preferences. 

Note: Higher PG provides a stronger throat hit and better flavor delivery, while higher VG creates thicker vapor clouds and a smoother experience.

To start, 

• Put on gloves to protect your skin from accidental contact with nicotine or other ingredients. 

• Use a vape juice calculator to determine the exact amounts of PG and VG you need for your desired ratio. 

• Use syringes or measuring containers, and accurately extract, and mix the liquids into a clean beaker. Ensure the syringes are rinsed thoroughly after use to prevent contamination.

If you’re adding nicotine, this is the stage to do it. 

Carefully measure the required amount using a syringe and mix it thoroughly into the PG and VG blend. Once the base mixture is prepared, you’ve laid the foundation for your homemade vape juice. 

Step 3: Add Flavour Concentrates

When adding flavor concentrates to your homemade vape juice, this is where you get to customize your vaping experience. At this stage, your base mixture of PG, VG, and nicotine (if used) is flavorless, and the concentrates are what bring it to life. 

Can you make your own vape juice with just the right flavor balance? Absolutely, and here’s how.

Start by measuring the required amount of flavor concentrate carefully using a syringe or pipette. While a vape calculator can guide you, the amount of concentrate often depends on your taste preferences. As a general rule:

• 5% concentrate gives a mild, subtle flavor.

• 15% concentrate provides a balanced, enjoyable taste.

• 20% or more delivers a bold flavor, though it may be too strong or sweet for some.

Experimenting with different combinations of flavors is part of the fun when learning how to make your own vape juice. Try blending fruity flavors, desserts, menthol, or even mixing multiple profiles to create a unique e-liquid that matches your style.

Once you’ve added the flavor concentrate, mix it thoroughly with your base to ensure the flavor is evenly distributed. 

Step 4: Add Flavour Concentrates

When adding flavor concentrates to your homemade vape juice, this is where you get to customize your vaping experience. At this stage, your base mixture of PG, VG, and nicotine (if used) is flavorless, and the concentrates are what bring it to life. 

Can you make your own vape juice with just the right flavor balance? Absolutely, and here’s how.

Start by measuring the required amount of flavor concentrate carefully using a syringe or pipette. While a vape calculator can guide you, the amount of concentrate often depends on your taste preferences. As a general rule:

• 5% concentrate gives a mild, subtle flavor.

• 15% concentrate provides a balanced, enjoyable taste.

• 20% or more delivers a bold flavor, though it may be too strong or sweet for some.

Experimenting with different combinations of flavors is part of the fun when learning how to make your own vape juice. Try blending fruity flavors, desserts, menthol, or even mixing multiple profiles to create a unique e-liquid that matches your style.

Once you’ve added the vape juice flavors, mix it thoroughly with your base to ensure the flavor is evenly distributed. 

Step 5: Add Nicotine

Adding nicotine when learning how to make vape juice is an important step that requires careful attention to detail and safety. 

Start by determining the nicotine strength you want in your final vape juice. This depends on the total volume of the liquid you’re making. 

For example, adding a single 10ml shot of 18mg nicotine to 50ml of base liquid results in 60ml of vape juice at 3mg strength. Similarly, to make 180ml of vape juice at 3mg, you would need three 10ml shots of 18mg nicotine. 

When adding nicotine, always wear gloves to prevent skin contact, as nicotine can be absorbed through the skin. 

Use a syringe or pipette to measure the nicotine accurately, ensuring you don’t accidentally make the mixture too strong. Mixing should be done in a well-ventilated area to minimize exposure to fumes.

Fill nicotine into your vape juice. Source: Vape Shop

Consider the type of nicotine shot you’re using. Nic salts offer a smoother experience at higher strengths, while standard nicotine shots might be better for PG or VG-heavy mixes, depending on your preferences.

Step 6: Mix & Bottle

When finishing how to make vape juice, the final steps—mixing and bottling—ensure your e-liquid is well-blended and ready to use. Here's how to do it simply and effectively:

Once you’ve added all your ingredients—PG, VG, nicotine, and flavor concentrates—give the mixture in your beaker a good stir. This step ensures everything is evenly combined, so the flavor and nicotine strength are consistent throughout.

Next, use a clean syringe to transfer the mixed vape juice into sterilized bottles. If you’re dividing the juice into multiple bottles, stir the beaker well before pouring to maintain uniformity across each bottle.

Seal each bottle tightly and give it a vigorous shake. This helps the ingredients blend even further, creating a smoother and more balanced vape juice. Make sure to label the bottles with important details, like the flavor and nicotine strength, so you know what’s inside each one.

Store the finished bottles in a cool, dark place to preserve the quality of your homemade vape juice. Proper storage prevents the degradation of the flavors and nicotine over time.

Step 7: Taste Test (Steeping)

The testing phase in how to make vape juice is all about patience and preparation. 

At this stage, your vape juice is technically ready to use, but to truly enjoy the full flavor, you’ll need to let it steep.

Steeping is a process where the flavorings in your vape juice mix and intensify over time. Think of it like letting a fine wine age, which improves the taste and balance. 

To do this, store your vape juice in a cool, dark place, such as a cupboard. Some recommend leaving the lids off during the steeping process to let the juice "breathe," which can help the flavors develop further and darken the liquid.

On average, steeping takes 4-5 days, though some flavors may need more time to reach their peak. While it can be frustrating to wait, the reward is a more enjoyable and flavorful vaping experience.

If you want to test it right away, you can try it, but don’t be surprised if the flavor is mild or underwhelming compared to how it will taste after steeping.