The Beginners Guide To Vaping

Ready to ditch the cigarettes and switch to vaping? V2 Cigs UK strive to provide you with very best in premium quality vaping products – from essential vaping items such as e-liquids and e-cigarette devices to extra accessories and equipment, V2 Cigs remain committed to your cause in helping you realise your ambition to quit tobacco. Find out all you need to know about e-cigarettes and more with our beginner's guide to vaping.

What do you need, to switch to Vaping ?

Simple – all you need in order to get started vaping is a battery, a cartridge and e-liquid!

Which Kit?
If you’re new to vaping, it’s conceivable that you’ll be tempted into spending a small fortune on equipment. A veritable minefield of vaping paraphernalia exists, so you can be forgiven for any impending misspending.
However, the best advice we can give is to begin your vaping journey with a simple entry-level pack like the Vapour2 Starter Pack together with an assortment of flavours. Find your vaping feet so to speak and don’t spend a fortune.

Once you have got a good understanding of e-cigarettes and what you need to suit your needs, if necessary, you can choose to upgrade to a more advanced unit such as the V2 Pro Series 7 Vaporizer.
What Should an E-Cigarette Starter Kit Include?
Most starter kits will provide you with everything you need to get started straight away. At a minimum, your starter kit should contain:
• Your vape device.

• Any batteries that are not built into the vape (although most beginner devices will have the battery built into the casing).

• A charging cable that is compatible with your device (for safety reasons, you should only ever use the charging cable that comes with your device).

• Any necessary attachments, like tanks or coils, although again, most beginner devices will have this built-in already.

If you’re buying a pod device or device that can use pre-filled pods, you’ll probably get some e-liquid cartridges in your starter kit too. If you’re getting a device with a refillable tank, you’ll usually have to pick up your e-liquid separately.
Which Flavour?
Looking to buy pre-filled e-liquid cartridges for your e-cigarette device? Perhaps you prefer the money saving route of topping-up your own re-usable cartridges? Whichever way you choose to vape, Vapour2 provide you with the same variety of great tasting, full flavoured, premium e-liquid choices with no nasty aftertaste.
Finding a flavour that suits you, is one of the key steps to take in your transition to becoming a vaper and by finding a flavour that’s a fit with your senses, you’ll improve your chances of staying smoke-free and vaping happily.

From traditional tobacco and menthol flavoured e-liquids to sweeter options such as Cola, Cherry, and Grape – which will you choose?

Tobacco; Sahara. Gold, Red, and Congress

Menthol; Menthol, Peppermint, Green Tea Menthol, Bold Leaf Menthol

Sweet; Chocolate, Cola, and Coffee

Fruit; Cherry, Vanilla, and Grape
Which Strength?
In addition to the variety of e-liquid flavours to choose from, you’ll also be able to decide your desired nicotine strength from a choice of 0%, 0.6%, 1.2% or 1.8% options.
Providing you with the power to reduce and increase the nicotine levels you consume as you see fit, the percentages of nicotine found in e-liquid serve as a similar comparison to those found in the cigarettes of major brands. As your body transitions to a new method of absorbing nicotine, we would recommend starting with a slightly stronger nicotine strength, to begin with, and to reduce your levels thereafter.

If you find yourself wanting a cigarette or vaping more often, you’re likely to require a higher strength of nicotine in your e-liquid. Feeling a bit nauseous or hitting the back of the throat a little too hard? Simply go down a level.
What Can You Vape?
While many e-liquids look and feel similar to a few different household substances, it is so important that you only ever vape with purpose-made e-liquids. The base ingredients of all of your e-liquids, including PG and VG, are water-soluble, so oils and syrups won’t work in your vape, will most likely damage it and can be incredibly hazardous to your health. You should also never vape with water or water-based solutions like juice or soda, as this will simply evaporate into steam in your vape, so you don’t get anything good out of it, but is also very likely to harm you, as you would be directly inhaling hot steam. Any experienced vaper will tell you that you should only ever vape e-liquids made for your device.

What is Vaping?

How to Inhale a Vape - Our Guide
Once you have all your vaping equipment together, it’s time to start vaping! There are two ways to vape: Mouth-to-Lung (MTL) and Direct-to-Lung (DTL).
Mouth-to-Lung vaping is the most common style of vaping for beginners since it is the style most similar to smoking. Like when you smoke cigarettes, when you MTL vape, you inhale the vapour into your mouth, before breathing it into your lungs, hence the term mouth-to-lung! When you vape this way, you get a decent amount of throat hit and a strong nicotine rush, in much the same way as you do when smoking. When inhaling from your vape, this style of vaping feels a bit like sucking in air from a narrow straw, as it’s a fairly narrow airstream.

Direct-to-Lung or DTL vaping is a style that is more commonly used by more advanced vapers using low nicotine, high-VG e-liquids and low resistance coils. DTL vaping feels quite different to smoking or vaping mouth-to-lung, and some vapers describe it as being much more “open” when you inhale. Imagine inhaling through a large milkshake straw, for example. You still need to actively inhale, but DTL vaping does feel a bit more like simply “breathing in” the vapour. DTL vaping is popular as it is very smooth, comfortable and can create brilliant, impressive and voluminous clouds of vapour! If you ever hear the term “cloud-chasing”, which refers to vapers whose main priority is to create the largest, thickest and fluffiest clouds of vapour possible, they’ll probably be vaping direct-to-lung.

You should be particularly careful if you’re trying to vape direct-to-lung with a nicotine-containing e-liquid. It can become painful or uncomfortable to vape high nicotine and high-PG e-liquids, as the throat hit is intensified with this style of vaping.
Where Does Vapour Come From?
The vapour in your e-cigarette is made by heating the e-liquid using a heating element. This takes place in the tank of your vape device. Some tanks will be removable and replaceable (usually in more advanced devices) while others will be permanently housed in the device casing. Within your vape tank (sometimes called a vape atomiser), you’ll find space for e-liquids, a heating coil, and an absorbent wick which transports your e-liquid to the heating coil. If this all sounds very confusing, not to worry! Most vapers, particularly beginners, don’t really need to worry about their vape tank at all, but if you’re looking to get into more advanced vaping, it’s something you’ll want to have a good understanding of.
For beginners, all you need to know is that your e-liquid saturates the wick and is then heated by the heating coil. This heats the e-liquid to the point where it turns into a gas (the vapour!), but not so hot that it burns! E-liquids aren’t water-based, so the vapour doesn’t evaporate like water would, instead giving you plenty of time to inhale from your vape.

If you have a device with removable or interchangeable coils, you should make sure to change your coil regularly - while it won’t stop working or blow up, it will stop performing as well and you might see a decline in the amount of vapour you’re inhaling and the intensity of its flavour if you haven’t changed you coil in too long.
Your Vape Power Source
No matter what kind of vape you choose, whether it’s a vape pen, vape mod, pod vape, cig-a-like or box mod, it will almost always be powered by batteries, though the shape, size, configuration and power can vary pretty widely between devices. Lithium ion batteries are the most commonly used as they are rechargeable, just like your phone or laptop. Some more advanced vapes will have the option to add your own batteries, or to add multiple batteries to the device for more power, while most beginner devices will simply have their batteries enclosed in the casing.
It’s very important that whatever kind of battery your vape has, you only ever use the charger that came with it, or another compatible one from your vape manufacturer. Using different chargers can damage the battery, which not only risks damaging the other parts of your vape, but is also very unsafe. If your vape has removable batteries, you should also take care when transporting them and always use a case so they don’t get shaken, scratched, dented or bumped in a bag or pocket.

Why Vape with V2 Cigs and VSAVI?

E-Liquids
Stay safe in the knowledge that all e-liquids sold within the UK and EU have been approved for sale in accordance with the Tobacco Products Directive of 2014 that was fully implemented in 2016.
Vapour2 e-liquids use the very best ingredients to create authentic tasting premium e-liquid that is rich in flavour, with no nasty aftertaste.

• 15 vapelicious flavours to choose from

• Same flavour choices for pre-filled cartridges and e-liquids

• 4 strengths of nicotine (0%. 0.6%, 1.2% and 1.8%)

• Quality taste and premium flavour

• Vapour2 e-liquids leave no nasty aftertaste

• Made from the best ingredients to provide you with a quality vaping experience
Devices
Here at V2 Cigs we only sell you first and second generation devices. Stylish and simple to set up and use, these devices are the ones that Public Health England based their significant findings on - that e-cigarettes are up to 95% less harmful than tobacco cigarettes.
Returns Policy
Our policy is designed to keep you vaping - Trading Standards refer to ours as ‘generous’.
Customer Service
Your health is at the heart of what we do here at V2 Cigs and we are committed to keeping you smoke-free. Need a hand or help with your device? Get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.
Delivery
Looking to get more e-liquid or replacement products quickly? Our delivery service is fast and efficient to suit your daily vaping needs.

Getting Started & Staying on Track

Read the Manual
Paramount advice for any new device you may procure – always read the manual. Devices and their set up instructions will invariably differ, so do due diligence and get your device set up according to those in the know. Questions or queries? Phone our support line on 01733 555 555
Charging Your Device
Before using your V2 Cigs or VSAVI e-cigarette or vaporizer for the first time, we recommend fully charging your device. Simply screw your battery (or connect with magnetic cable) into the USB charger provided, either into a USB port on your computer or wall adapter.
During charging the LED light on your device will blink intermittently. Once fully charged, depending on the device, the LED light will give a constant glow of green or blue.

A fully charged e-cigarette or vaporizer will last from two days to a week depending on your frequency of vaping. You’ll know when it’s time for more power when you begin to produce less vapour and a tasteless flavour.
Enjoying Your Vaping Device
Once charged, your device is ready to be set up. Screw your prefilled or refillable cartridge to your battery and get ready to vape away.
Kickstart new cartridges in your e-cigarette, with a few short sharp pulls in quick succession – by doing this you’ll prime the atomiser to produce a consistently thick vapour. Simply purse your lips to the tip as you would a cigarette, inhale, and watch the e-cigarette glow like a hot ember of tobacco would.
Maintenance
To maintain both your batteries and cartridges longevity, unscrew the two items between vaping.
Always store e-liquid in a cool dark place and keep out of direct sunlight or near direct heat.

Wipe clean any e-liquid spillages with a clean tissue.

Learn More About Vaping

The Economics
Whilst you’ll make an initial investment in a battery (£19.99 - £114.95 with a 6 – 8 month lifespan), the cost of pre-filled or refillable cartridges and e-liquid will be making up the majority of your ongoing purchases.
Each disposable cartridge (i.e. Classic Cartridges/Catromizers) containing e-liquid will cost on average £1.95 & much less if you buy multipacks. The contents of this cartridge is the equivalent to approximately 20 cigarettes, which would typically cost you anything up to £12.

Refillable cartridges and tanks are a great way to keep vaping affordable and depending on your choice of cartridge or tank, will enable you to get around 15 refills per cartridge (£4.99 - £8.31 per cartridge average price).

As we’ve mentioned, the cost of devices and e-liquids can vary, but in comparison to your usual purchasing of tobacco products, you’ll find that the cost is firmly in favour of e-cigarettes.
How Much Will Vaping E-Cigarettes Cost?
The range of vaping products available is an ever growing one. From affordable entry-level e-cigarette devices like the Vapour2 Starter Pack (£19.99) to the more expensive sub-ohm vaporizers such as the Vapour2 Pro Series 7 (£109.95), it’s important to pick a product that aligns with both your pocket and your penchant for nicotine.
At first glance, the cost of a device might seem startling but take into consideration that this is a rechargeable battery that is going to last between 6 to 8 months, and such an investment quickly fades into the ether like the vapour from an e-cigarette itself.

E-liquids are available in a variety of bottle sizes and packs; from individual bottles of premium quality e-liquid (£5.99 for 10ml) to larger multipacks (£27.45 for 5x10ml), the cost of e-liquid can vary depending on whether you bulk buy or purchase individual bottles.

A tricky path to navigate if you’re not in the know, the temptation to buy what your peer's purchase, may not end up being a device or e-liquid that suits your needs which, if you’re not careful, may put you off the idea of vaping altogether.

In all cases we would recommend starting with an entry level starter pack, finding an e-liquid flavour and nicotine strength that suits you, and evolving your vaping from there, based on your desires and needs.
Tips to Get Started
1. Find the right flavour
Finding your preferred e-liquid is paramount to your vaping experience. By finding a flavour and nicotine strength that you enjoy, you’ll increase your chances of e-cigarettes becoming a mainstay in your life and make the smoking of tobacco cigarettes, a thing of the past.

E-cigarettes and vaporizers are designed to simulate smoking traditional cigarettes, though there are of course a few differences to be mindful of.

2. Long steady puffs

You shouldn’t vape your e-cigarette as you would smoke a tobacco cigarette - simply take 3 – 4 long, slow and steady puffs and this should curb any nicotine cravings you have. Not feeling satisfied? Take a look at our strength guidelines further down for more information.

When you vape for the first time you may cough – fear not for this will only be temporary and will pass in a few days once your body has become accustomed to inhaling vapour as opposed to smoke.

3. Increase water intake

Depending on how much you vape at first, you may experience a dry mouth, dry nose and dry throat. This is a common occurrence that vapers experience which can be remedied by increasing the amount of water you drink and staying hydrated.

4. Switch your flavour frequently

If you’ve been consistently vaping the same flavour, you may find that you lose your sense of taste and smell. This is due to your olfactory sensors becoming oversaturated – again drink lots of water, stay hydrated and consider switching flavours on a regular basis to give your sensors some variety.
What is an Electronic Cigarette?
Vapour2 Electronic cigarettes (more commonly known as e-cigarettes) or Vapour2 Pro vaporizers are battery-powered devices that simulate the traditional tobacco cigarette experience.
Rechargeable batteries work to power an atomiser found within an e-liquid cartridge or tank, which heats a typically nicotine based e-liquid into to a vaporised state that is subsequently inhaled by you the vaper - this is known as vaping.

E-cigarettes and vaping devices come in a variety of shapes and sizes and there are a few different types to look out for and know about;
What is E-Liquid?
E-liquid is the component found within e-cigarette devices, designed to curb the cravings of withdrawal you may face when quitting tobacco. It is the essential accompaniment to your e-cigarette or vaporizer which, once heated by your device, is transformed into the vapour that you inhale.
E-liquid is available either as a prefilled cartridge that is disposed of once consumed or as a refillable e-liquid that is used in conjunction with a refillable e-liquid cartridge, which is then connected to your battery any time you fancy a vape. Refillable cartridges can be refilled between 10 and 40 times depending on the kind of cartridge you choose.

The contents of e-liquid can vary, though typically, it is a solution of pharmaceutical grade nicotine, water, vegetable glycerine (VG) or propylene glycol (PG), and a variety of flavourings depending on the product.

From tobacco to cherry and menthol to watermelon, the variety of flavoured e-liquids available are designed to help you combat the onset of a duality of cravings that include a noxious combination of nicotine and sugar (tobacco contains 20% natural sugar, roughly half a teaspoon per cigarettes).
PG vs VG E-Liquids
Alongside the flavourings and nicotine in your e-liquids, there is a pair of vital ingredients that most vape juices will contain: Propylene Glycol (PG) and Vegetable Glycerin (VG). These two ingredients make up the base of the majority of e-liquids on the market today, and the concentration of each in your e-liquid can make a big difference to your overall vape experience.
PG is the substance that gives e-liquids their classic “throat hit” sensation, which many smokers miss when they first try to quit. The “throat hit” is a kind of rough sharpness that smokers get in the back of their throat. PG is also a very effective flavour carrier. It’s also the better nicotine carrier of the two substances, so most high-nicotine liquids and liquids with complex flavours will have at least a 50% concentration of PG in their base formula. There is a small proportion of people who are sensitive to PG, and an even smaller group who actually have a PG allergy. If you have a PG sensitivity, you may feel that the throat hit is very uncomfortable, or you may have other common symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as a rash, hives or difficulty breathing. If you experience any of these while vaping, you should stop straight away. Fortunately for those with PG sensitivities, there are also many low or 0% PG e-liquids out there, though they’re more commonly known as high-VG or 100% VG e-liquids.

VG is a thicker, sweeter substance that helps to create those lovely thick clouds we’re all so familiar with! Like PG, it can carry nicotine and flavourings, though its natural sweetness makes it great for sweet, fruity and dessert flavours in particular. VG is also great for more advanced vapers who are looking to create bigger, thicker clouds of vapour when they vape, rather than using vaping as an aid to stop smoking.

For most beginner vapers, we recommend a 50/50 PG/VG mix to start with, and lots of beginner e-liquids and cartridges come with this mixture or something very similar. Then, as you become more experienced, you can pick e-liquids that fit your needs!
Nicotine Salt E-Liquids
Most e-liquids will contain some mixture of PG and VG, delicious vape flavourings and nicotine. In traditional e-liquids, this nicotine comes in its purest and most undiluted form, known as freebase nicotine. However, you can also get e-liquids made with nicotine salt, or nic-salts, as they’re often known.
Nic-salts are designed to give you more of an intense nicotine rush without the strong throat hit that you can get with highly concentrated freebase nicotine e-liquids. This results in a much smoother vape, but also a stronger nicotine hit with every inhale. Funnily enough, nicotine salts aren't actually a salt the way we’d normally think about it - there are no crystals and nic-salt e-liquids don’t taste “salty” - as it’s only a salt as far as the scientific definition of a salt goes. What that means is that nicotine salts are made of a base (the freebase or “pure” nicotine) and an acid - most commonly benzoic or citric acid. This makes the whole e-liquid more acidic, making it faster and easier for the body to absorb and resulting in that smooth, intense nicotine rush when you vape nicotine salts.

Nicotine salt e-liquids are suitable for beginner vapers and are often available in prefilled pods or cartridges that you simply slot in and out of your e-cigarette for the easiest and most seamless vape experience.
What is Sub-Ohm Vaping?
Sub-ohm vaping, sometimes called just “sub-ohming” is a style of vaping that is very popular with intermediate and advanced vapers. We don’t recommend that beginners start off sub-ohm vaping, as it’s very different from the experience of smoking a cigarette, but if you’ve been vaping for a while and are looking to upgrade your skills, gear and experience, it’s a very popular style of vaping. If you’re a beginner vaper, you don’t need to know anything about sub-ohming to get started, so don’t let the technical side of things put you off making the switch!
Sub-ohm vaping is a style of vaping that allows you to create impressive clouds of vapour when you exhale, and is commonly associated with direct-to-lung vaping and high VG e-liquids. There’s a fair bit of science behind sub-ohm vaping that relates to the resistance of your vape coil, which is measured in ohms. Any coils with an ohm of less than 1.0 can be used for sub-ohm vaping, and the lower the number, the bigger your vape clouds.

If you want to find out more, check out our guide to sub-ohm vaping!
Why Vape rather than smoke?
If you’ve come to the end of your tobacco tether and you are looking to break away from a life of routine smoking, then e-cigarettes and vaping can provide a very real route towards you becoming smoke-free.
The habitual feeling of having something in your hands, combined with the inhaling and exhaling of vaporised e-liquid, replicates the unhealthy habit of smoking without the excessive harm that tobacco smoke has on the body.

If you’re serious about quitting smoking, then a healthy lifestyle in a post-tobacco world will be the main premise of your desire to ditch the cigarettes. The variety of nicotine strengths found in e-liquid means you can slowly adjust your levels to suit your lifestyle and potentially, eventually become smoke-free.
Where Can I Vape?
There are different rules around vaping in public in almost every country in the world, but in the UK, there aren’t any national laws or rules around where you can vape. With that said however, the majority of businesses, including bars, restaurants, cafes, gyms, shops and social clubs have rules against vaping indoors or around others, so you’ll probably find yourself in the designated smoking area. Most public transport networks also categorise e-cigarettes in the same way they do tobacco cigarettes, which means no smoking on trains, trams and buses, and lots of networks have rules against vaping at bus stops or on platforms too!
If you’re not sure about the rules in a certain area or location, err on the side of caution to avoid a (sometimes quite hefty) fine, and always try to be conscientious to others when you're vaping in a public place - a crowded square might not be the best place to try cloud-chasing for the first time!
Will Vaping Suit Me?
One of the most important things when it comes to your experience of vaping is your suitability to both devices and e-liquids alike. If fashion is your passion, then e-cigarettes and vaporizers are available in a number of designs and colour choices. If you’re looking for something sleek and discreet, choose one of V2 Cig's stylish matte black Vape Pens. For those who are looking for a more robust device, the V2 Pro Series 7 makes a great pick, as well as packing a punch when it comes to flavour and vapour.
When it comes to e-liquid, it’s important that your choice matches your nicotine needs and that ultimately you enjoy the flavour. If you don’t get on with the flavour or experience, then your chances of continuing to vape and become smoke-free will ultimately worsen.
Health Advice
It’s no secret that cigarettes are bad for you. In 2018, the NHS reported 484, 700 hospital admissions attributed to smoking and 77,900 deaths. A notoriously difficult task to undertake, the way you quit smoking can be as important as the act of quitting itself.
The official advice from the NHS is to avoid the ‘cold turkey’ approach. The physical and mental withdrawal from cigarettes can be a disruptive process for your lifestyle in the immediate aftermath – it’s best to treat your withdrawal with the care and attention it warrants as opposed to a complete eradication that can lead to additional stresses, which quite frankly you don’t want or need.

By heating an e-liquid and inhaling a vapour as opposed to burning tobacco and inhaling smoke, you have the potential to drastically reduce the damage you may be doing to your body. In 2015 Public Health England declared e-cigarettes to be up to 95% less harmful than tobacco and that they have the potential to help individuals become smoke-free.

Depending on your needs, it’s okay to start your journey to becoming smoke-free by vaping e-liquid and smoking cigarettes, just be mindful of increasing the amount you vape and gradually decreasing the amount you smoke.
Questions or Queries?
If you have any questions phone our support line on 01733 555 555 for help and advice.