What Are Nicotine Salts?

Since the newest trend in vaping has become more popularized, we have been asked the question “So what is nic salt?” on more than a few occasions. So we’re here to give you a brief review of what nic salts are and perhaps answer if nic salts could be the right choice for you.

Covering the Basics

What makes nic salts any different from standard (free base) e-liquid?

  • Nicotine is a base. In nic salts an acid, typically benzoic acid, is added to the solution to create a neutral PH value. The end result is a less irritating, smoother, less harsh hitting vape experience.
  • Nicotine salts are vaped at a much lower wattage because of the high concentration of nicotine. Devices such as Pulse mods or Juuls are the industry standard for vaping nic salts.
  • Because nic salts are created with higher concentrations of nicotine, vaping salt liquids results in vaping less liquid per puff, resulting in typically more cost efficient vaping.
  • Freebase nicotine is the purest form of nicotine. Mixing free base nicotine with propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin results in the industry’s standard e-liquid, separate from nic salt products.

Reasons to try nic salt flavors:

  • Quitting Smoking
    As mentioned earlier, nic salts are created for use in low wattage devices. Vaping from these devices gives a similar draw of a cigarette versus the high wattage free base products that produce high heat and significantly larger clouds.
  • Subtlety
    Although some may prefer to blow giant clouds with each puff, others may prefer to keep their vaping habits discreet. Nic salts allow the consumer to enjoy a vaping experience with very little cloud production.
  • Price
    Because a higher concentration of nicotine is inhaled with nic salt e-liquids, the consumer can take a few puffs from the salt nic device and feel satisfied with the nicotine intake. This is especially positive for those who have just begun to wean themselves off of cigarettes. Prices of salt nic devices are also typically less expensive than the 100+ watt devices used for free base nicotine e-liquids.

We highly recommend committing to some of your own research before making the switch or including nic salts into your routine. There is a healthy variety of helpful blog entries and websites that share further chemistry insights as well as explain the pros and cons of nic salt vaping depending on your current status as a smoker or vaper.