These days it can get a little more confusing to pick which kind of e-liquid to use; especially with nicotine salts rising in popularity. Freebase nicotine has always been in e-liquid due to it’s ‘pure’ nature; it is just nicotine on its own, extracted from tobacco. However, recently nicotine salts are becoming more common due to their smoother throat hit and faster absorption rate. This is to achieve a nicotine rush more similar to that of a cigarette as nicotine salts more accurately represent how nicotine naturally occurs in tobacco.

We normally advise nicotine salts are best with mouth-to-lung tanks and pod systems due to their higher strength

The name ‘salt’ comes not from what is in the formulation, but actually, because it is the chemical name for when a base chemical (nicotine) is in combination with an acid (normally benzoic acid). While that sounds dangerous it is actually a more natural form for nicotine. The reason salts are smoother is that nicotine has a higher pH level than the human body. Once the nicotine has become a salt, it has a more neutral pH level so causes less throat irritation.