DIY Guide
Everything you need to know about DIY ("Do It Yourself").
DIY consists of preparing e-liquid using concentrate flavours, base and nicotine booster. The main advantage is that you can produce a large quantity of e-liquid at a reasonable price.
Use our DIY calculator to design your own juices safely and efficiently.
DIY instructions
To make a DIY e-liquid, you first need to select your concentrate flavour, then define the quantity of e-liquid you want and your nicotine strength. Then use our DIY calculator to work out the proportions of each component.
DIY e-liquids are often made with 50/50 VG/PG, but you can choose different ratios to suit your needs, and the calculator will adjust the flavour dosage (a higher level of VG requires a little more concentrate flavouring, as VG conducts flavours less).
To get started with DIY, we recommend that you equip yourself with at least..:
- large empty bottles to put your preparation in. To make 100ml of DIY, you need at least a 100ml bottle.
- small empty bottles (10 to 30 ml) to carry some of your mixture with you.
- at least one 5ml syringe to measure your flavouring quantity accurately. Ideally, you should also have larger syringes to measure out the base precisely.
- a needle to put at the end of your syringe, to take the base and the aroma. Take care to use a needle long enough to reach the bottom of the base bottle.
It's best to start by pouring in the base, then the nicotine booster and finally the flavourings. Remember to shake your bottle regularly to mix the flavourings correctly into the base and respect the steep time.
There are base + nicotine booster packs on the market to obtain a blend of 3 mg/ml, 6 mg/ml, etc. The disadvantage of these packs is that when you add your concentrate, the preparation is diluted and you no longer have the original nicotine strength.
It's better to use our DIY calculator and select your ingredients precisely, as this will give you a more accurate final nicotine strength.
Flavours
Concentrated flavourings are what create the taste of your DIY e-liquid. Often mixed with a 100% PG base, they are highly concentrated and should never be vaped undiluted. Each brand recommends its own dilution depending on the flavour chosen. You can increase or decrease the dilution percentage to suit your taste, bearing in mind that the recommended percentage should not be exceeded by more than 10%. For example: recommended dilution 15% = maximum dilution 25%.
Bases
The base is a neutral product (without flavourings or nicotine) made up of Propylene Glycol (PG) and Vegetable Glycerin (VG). It makes up the majority of your final liquid. It is available from various brands with different VG/PG ratios to enable you to make any type of e-liquid. The base has no special precautions and can be vaped pure for a neutral-tasting liquid.
We recommend using Calumette brand bases, which are of the highest quality.
Nicotine
The nicotine booster is a 10 ml bottle with 20 mg/ml of nicotine (capacity and maximum rate under European regulations) to be used for DIY. Add boosters to your DIY preparation to obtain the desired nicotine strength of your e-liquid.
A nicotine booster is neutral in flavour, its role is to add nicotine to your mix.
Preferably use the same VG/PG rate for the boosters and for your base.
Warning: nicotine boosters must not be used without being diluted in a base or preparation. Avoid skin contact, and wear gloves and goggles when handling.
We recommend using Calumette brand boosters, which are of the highest quality.
Additives
Additives are used to enhance certain flavours or add an effect to your preparation. For example, freshness, sweetness, spiciness, etc.
Calumette refuses to sell additives, because when mixed with flavourings they can react with each other and create harmful molecules. Calumette strongly advises against the use of additives, for your health.
Steep time
The steep time indicates the time the e-liquid must be left to rest before being vaped. You will then be able to vape the e-liquid with perfectly restored aromas. Fruity and mentholated liquids generally have very short steep times, like 24 hours to a few days. Gourmand and classic liquids, on the other hand, require a much longer steep time, up to several weeks. Simply put, steep allows your liquids to improve over time, much as you would with wine.
Advice
Calumette makes responsible DIY: For Calumette, your safety is the watchword.
- No additives: You won't find any additives to add to your preparations with us. These additives (sweet, fresh, spicy, etc.) can react with your concentrates to produce unknown molecules that can be dangerous.
- No mixing of concentrates: We strongly advise you never to mix flavour concentrates, as they too can react with each other and produce undesirable molecules.
- Safe products: We only offer safe and controlled products, with a strong selection of brands.
FAQ
How do I make my own DIY e-liquid?
Start by selecting a concentrate and use our DIY calculator to get the right doses according to the quantity and nicotine strength you want. It's advisable to use at least a syringe and a graduated bottle to get off to a good start with DIY.
What safety equipment should I use for DIY?
We recommend using protective gloves and goggles when handling concentrate and nicotine.
Can I mix several concentrates?
We advise against mixing several different concentrates, as there is a high risk of creating undesirable molecules if the aromatic molecules react with each other.
Is it possible to overdose on nicotine?
This is a fairly common phenomenon in vape. Nicotine diffuses much more slowly than with traditional cigarettes, and you can sometimes take in too much nicotine because it takes longer to feel full. You may therefore experience headaches and dizziness, which are not dangerous but can be unpleasant. All you need to do is vape less or lower your nicotine strength for these effects to disappear.
Do you save money with DIY?
DIY can make real savings. As a general rule, the cost of 10 ml of DIY is around €1.5 to €2, depending on the nicotine strength and the type of concentrate.
What equipment should I choose to get started with DIY?
To get started with DIY, you'll need at least a graduated bottle to make your mix, and a syringe. We recommend a 5 ml syringe if you start by making small quantities. You'll also need a syringe needle with a diameter corresponding to the level of VG you're using. The higher the VG content, the larger the needle diameter you'll need.
How do I choose a concentrate?
Some e-liquid manufacturers offer ready-to-use e-liquids in concentrated flavours, so you can test a small quantity before buying your concentrated flavour. For the others, you'll have to test according to the flavours indicated on the product sheets. Vape is a world full of surprises, so don't hesitate to test!
How do I choose a DIY base?
It all depends on your equipment and your preferences. Bases are available in a range of VG/PG ratios, so if you have equipment that accepts VG rate of up to 50%, you'll need to opt for 30/70 or 50/50 bases. For equipment that accepts higher doses of VG, you can use 80/20 bases and why not 100/0, and you'll produce big clouds!
Is an error in flavour dosage dangerous?
A dosage error of 1 to 5% will affect the flavour to a greater or lesser extent. On the other hand, if you add more than 10% too much to your mix, your e-liquid is likely to be too strong and aggressive. You'll either have to dilute it with base or simply start again.
