If you’re new to vaping, the names and uses for different types of e-liquid can be confusing. What are nicotine salts? What is the alternative to them? Is it important to know the difference?
If you don’t already know the answers, you’ve come to the right place. Today, we’re going over exactly what nic salts are, and why you need to know.
What are nicotine salts?
Nicotine salt, often simply called nic salt, is a type of vape-liquid, created specifically to be smoother to vape even at particularly high volumes of nicotine. Nicotine salts are also generally thought of as a more stable way of delivering nicotine than regular e-liquids, which are called freebase.
Freebase nicotine e-liquids have been the standard for those looking to vape nicotine for years. Freebase nicotine is a pure pharmaceutical extract form of the nicotine compound, and the process for creating it hasn’t changed much in the last five decades. ‘Freebase’ simply means that the nicotine is in a pure state, which turns potent when it reaches a certain temperature.
Only recently have nic salt liquids begun to grow in interest. Nic salts are sought after because they deliver nicotine from the vape to your body quicker, and they don’t need to be vaped at temperatures as high as standard freebase nicotine e-liquids. This is due to the way nicotine salts are created. By combining the nicotine compound, which has a basic pH, with an acid—usually Benzoic Acid—this helps your body absorb the nicotine more efficiently. Ultimately, this means you can vape less overall in order to meet the level you want, and it also makes it a much smoother hit.
This is an advantage for ex-smokers who vape in order to quit cigarettes. It’s much more difficult to get the same level of nicotine through vaping, and smokers trying to avoid the more harmful chemicals in tobacco cigarettes can struggle with freebase nicotine. This is because freebase nicotine can only achieve smooth hits on lower nicotine levels—going higher than around 18mg is fairly unrealistic. However, nic salts can reach nicotine levels of between 30-50mg while maintaining the kind of smooth texture that you can expect from a freebase e-liquid with a nicotine level under 10mg.
Should you be using a Nic salt vape juice?
If you’re an ex-smoker looking to find a nicotine level that you’re more accustomed to, then nic salt e-liquid could be for you. It’s engineered specifically to be vaped in lower power systems. So, if you prefer a more portable vape or something with a similar tactile feel to cigarettes, nic salts are probably worth looking into at least, as they could help you hit the nicotine level you’re after without chain vaping all day.
That said, freebase-liquids still have their place. If you’re a high-power, sub-ohm vaper, nic salts won’t work for you. Freebase-liquid is designed to be better for lower nicotine levels, and that’s why it has a much wider range of flavors.
Want to know more?
Interested in trying a nicotine salt e-liquid? Why not talk to the experts in everything vape NZ-wide? The team here at Kiwicig know vapes inside and out, and we’re here to help you out. Get in touch today!
