Differences Between Salt Nic and Regular E-Liquids
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Time to read 9 min
Vaping has evolved significantly, offering various e-liquid options. This article delves in the distinct characteristics of salt nicotine and regular e-liquids.
With so many different varieties of vape juice out there, it can be confusing for an outsider to know what to pick. Nobody wants to go all the way out to the vape shop to pick a vape juice which is incompatible with your device and ruins your vaping experience. Just like buying the wrong type of refillable pods can ruin your day, so, too, can a PG high e-liquid in a sub ohm device… And we aim to help you eradicate that potential future with a little easy education.
Below, we will discuss the differences of salt nic vs regular e-liquids. There seems to be a growing divide amongst vape device users as to which is best and for what device. Let’s get stuck in to discovering the different forms of nicotine to begin with. Once you know the differences between the nicotine forms, you can easily work out which type is best for both your device and your vaping experience.
Nicotine Forms
There are more and more nicotine forms being discovered all the time. Think back to the eighties and nineties when your grandparents were still puffing on 40 cigs a day, unaware that in the future nicotine inhalation would be cleaner, greener, and even rechargeable. Nowadays nicotine takes many forms – from gum to spray to patches. Of course, vaping is the best way to get your daily dose of nicotine. We maybe saying that because we are biased. We do sell vape devices, after all. We will try to keep our info as impartial as possible, like always.
Knowing the different nicotine forms means knowing the difference in salt nic vs e-liquids. But it also means knowing that nicotine comes in many forms outside of what you find in e-liquid ingredients. Nowadays there are tablets, chews, sublingual drops – all with nicotine in them. All different delivery methods, some faster than others.
You can learn more about nicotine facts here if you are interested in setting the record straight. Nicotine isn’t necessarily as bad a player as you think it is. In terms of harmful ingredients in your cigarette, it is not even top ten.
If we look at the different nicotine forms specific to those found in your e-liquid, then there have been studies into this. Generally speaking, the e-liquid you use will be either protonated or freebase. In experimentation, the protonated nicotine was associated with faster absorption and a smoother experience of the sensory effects. Nic salts use mostly the protonated form of nicotine, meaning they potentially give a smoother, deeper vaping experience than the older freebase nicotine.
Both freebase nicotine and nic salts are extracted from the leaves of the tobacco plant using acids or chemicals. In the case of protonation, this means a proton has been added to each molecule, in other words, the nicotine is positively charged.
What are Nicotine Salts?
Nicotine salts are a type of e-liquid. Up until the last few years and since the mid 1960’s freebase nicotine was the norm. It is made from extracting nicotine from tobacco leaves using an acid which reduces it to salt. With freebase nicotine, this salt is converted back to its pure form. With nicotine salts, it is not.
Nicotine salts involve extraction using weak acids, so as not to damage the product. Benzoic acid, lactic acid, and levulinic acids are common. Once blended, nic salts can be dissolved into vape juice to produce a smoother throat hit at higher nicotine strengths.
The biggest difference between freebase nicotine and nic salts lies in that throat hit. Mixing nicotine with an acid allows it to carry flavour better with that higher nicotine strength. If you try to increase that nicotine strength to higher doses using the freebase nicotine, it gives a much harsher throat hit.
Those experienced vape device users who have been using a vape for a few years now will remember the early days of e-liquids. The throat hits were extremely harsh. As of around 2023 though, most manufacturers of UK vape juices have switched to using nicotine salts as their nicotine form of choice. Veteran vape users will have noticed the difference.
You can read more about nicotine salts in our past blog, here. Otherwise, you can find a great variety of Beginner E-Liquids via our online vape shop.
What is Freebase Nicotine?
Freebase nicotine is extracted from the leaves of the nicotine plant using ammonia rather than acids. Essentially – and scientifically – it is nicotine in its purest form. While this is great if you are a fan of organic e-liquids, it’s not so great if you don’t want that throat hit.
Since freebase nicotine is still used in the UK vape liquid industry, it is clear that it still has a place in e-liquids. Ex-smokers tend to prefer it, particularly at lower nicotine strengths. The throat hit recreates what they would experience when smoking a cigarette. This makes freebase nicotine a vital tool in helping smokers to replace cigarettes with vapes, thereby successfully quitting.
At high nicotine strengths, though, even the ex-smoker will struggle with the harsh and bitter taste of nicotine in their vape juice. Compounding this is the fact that if an ex heavy smoker uses a vape device with nicotine strength which is too low, they will end up taking more and more, not having a satisfying vaping experience.
Redeeming itself, freebase nicotine carries the most complex, layered, ultra-condensed flavours the best. It is also versatile. You can use freebase nicotine for every vape liquid, every nicotine containing product, and every NRT. Nicotine gum? That’s freebase. Patches? Freebase. You get the idea.
So yes: nicotine salts are not as pure as freebase nicotine. Yes: freebase nicotine has a harder throat hit. And yes: there is a need for both nicotine forms in the modern market.
Advantages of Nicotine Salts
There are plenty of advantages to using Nicotine salts.
Nicotine salts allow you to produce nice, smooth flavours at high nicotine strengths. This is the main advantage to choosing nic salts.
This in turn improves the vaping experience for ex-smokers, recently quit, who were extremely heavy smokers. With an improved vaping experience, they are more likely to stick with vaping and kick cigarettes for good. Given that vaping is much less harmful than cigarettes are, nicotine salts are the obvious choice for this bracket.
Nic salts evaporate at a lower temperature. This means that they are better for MTL vaping than freebase nicotine liquids. If you team a nicotine salt with a high PG:VG ratio you will have a tasty e-liquid which is perfect for MTL vaping. This type of e-liquid will satisfy your cigarette cravings.
Nic salts are absorbed into the bloodstream more quickly than freebase nicotine. Freebase nicotine might be the purest form, but it does not have the highest bioavailability. This advantage of nicotine salts makes it ideal for getting to those hard to reach nicotine cravings, faster.
Disadvantages of Nicotine Salts
Nicotine salts have their disadvantages, too. The smoothness of the vape hit is exquisite, yes, but it comes with a cost. The price? Ex-smokers tend not to feel that throat hit so harshly when they are using nic salts in conjunction with lower nicotine strength vape juices. This makes the combination unsatisfactory for ex-smokers.
Nic salts are also not really suited to all nicotine forms. For example, you wouldn’t use nic salts in a nicotine gum or to make patches with. When it comes to the big differences between the two, the versatility that comes from freebase nicotine is unbeaten.
Advantages of Freebase Nicotine
Similarly, there are advantages to using freebase nicotine. It can carry the flavour at higher temperatures. It can carry more complex flavourings such as vape juices with more than two strong flavours. It can also keep releasing that flavour at a high temperature where a nic salt would perhaps burn away too quickly.
If you use nic salts and you keep getting a dry hit, or a burnt taste to your vape, then you may need to up the power wattage of your device. It could be that the vape juice is burning away too quickly for the high heat given off by a powerful vape device. In this instance, freebase nicotine vape juices are the better option for your device.
Freebase nicotine dissipates at lower temperatures, meaning that it gives bigger clouds of vapour, particularly on the exhale. This is what cloud chasers look for when partaking in competitive vaping. If you have a sub ohm device, you probably want the freebase nicotine rather than the nic salts.
Disadvantages of Freebase Nicotine
Freebase nicotine isn’t all sunshine, either. It comes with its own set of disadvantages. Since it takes longer to be absorbed into the body, e-liquids containing freebase nicotine take longer to have an effect on you. And we all know that every precious second counts when you are suffering from nicotine withdrawal.
Another disadvantage of freebase nicotine is that it burns off those complex flavours at high temperatures. It becomes extremely harsh – and while your average ex heavy-smoker might like a throat hit, they don’t want to cough up a lung in the process.
Freebase nicotine is harsher and takes longer to kick in. This leads to you taking more hits to no avail, only for all of that nicotine to hit you at the same time. This can lead you to feel queasy or sick.
Which One is Safer?
Although both freebase nicotine solutions and nic salts contain nicotine and are therefore harmful to your health, there is a little speculation over which is safer. Scientists believe that the rapid transfer between cells which makes nic salts hit faster could put those cells in greater danger as a result. However, this is largely speculative so far.
Freebase nicotine and nic salts are both bad for you in the same way. They are both an addictive toxin. However, vaping is still safer than smoking, regardless of which nicotine form you choose to use with your vape. Ultimately, a vape device is a better way to ingest nicotine than cigarettes and should be used as a tool, just like NRT.
Nicotine Salt vs. Freebase Nicotine
When it comes to the different Types of E-liquids, what you like best will be whatever improves your vaping experience. This depends on why you vape, what you enjoy about it, and which type of vape device you use.
If you want to imitate smoking, pick a higher PG ratio nic salt. If you have only ever vaped, then freebase will give you the traditional experience that you may have been missing in your life.
Hobby vape device users tend to favour freebase. It is better at producing big clouds of vapour which is a large part of the reason people vape to begin with. Those who favour a more discreet, dedicated-to-nicotine-delivery experience should opt for nic salts. They are better suited to the former cigarette smoker. Also, you can manage a cheeky wee draw now and then when you are not supposed to.
Examples of vape liquids using freebase nicotine:
· Vampire Vape produce freebase e-liquids in Heisenberg and Pinkman flavours
· V4Pour are freebase nicotine e-liquids. Get all the basic flavours like Blueberry or Mint.
· Ohmbrew also do brilliant freebase liquids, including Rhubarb and Custard flavour.
Examples of vape liquids using nic salts:
· Riot S:ALT available in such flavours as Blue Burst and Cherry Fizzle
· PUNX nic salts available in such flavours as Mango, Pineapple and Peach and Strawberry, Raspberry & Blueberry flavours.
· Bar Juice Salts Blueberry Sour Raspberry or Strawberry Ice flavours.
Conclusion: Preference is Personal Between Nic Salts and Freebase Nicotine E-Liquids
The versatility of freebase nicotine will always set it as the front runner. However, the arrival of nic salts won’t be the end of this story. Scientists will keep researching and developing new technology, including new ways to extract nicotine from tobacco leaves. With vaping still relatively new and cleaner, greener times on the horizon, it is highly likely that we will be back here discussing the next nicotine form in the near future. Watch this space.
