Every vaper like you has likely amassed a collection of their favourite e-liquids. But have you ever wondered whether these bottles of flavours have a shelf life? A quick and straight answer is yes, vape juice does expire. Although the expired liquid doesn’t become dangerous overnight, the quality and overall vaping experience decline over time.
How Long Does Vape Juice Last?
The average life span of vape juice is 1 to 2 years, but manufacturers usually recommend using it within 3 to 6 months for the best flavour and nicotine strength. Further, it is important to consider storage practices and the ingredients used in its making.
The Science Behind the Shelf Life
The seven factors involved in the degradation of your vape juice are:
VG/PG Degradation
VG and PG are the primary base liquids in most e-juices. PG is relatively stable, but VG thickens and spoils over extended periods. This change in viscosity affects wicking and vapour production. Read our blog to learn more about PG and VG!
Nicotine Oxidation
Nicotine is susceptible to oxidation when exposed to oxygen, and UV rays further accelerate the oxidation process. This decreases the nicotine strength, resulting in a peppery or bitter taste.
Flavour Concentrate Breakdown
The organic compounds (esters, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols) break down (chemically) with time. This leads to liquid concentration and muted or altered flavour profiles.
Impact of Heat and Light
Storing your vape juice in warm environments or direct exposure to sunlight catalyses the chemical reactions. This results in degradation of all components, including nicotine and flavourings.
Contaminants
When you open a vape juice bottle, oxygen and airborne bacteria enter the liquid. This causes the PG/VG base to change consistency, degrades the flavour concentrates, and affects the nicotine quality, ultimately ruining the e-liquid's overall taste and quality.
Contamination from Vaping Hardware
Installing dirty coils leaves residue and contaminants in the vape juice within the vape pod and container/tank. This affects the flavour and accelerates the degradation process of the remaining e-liquid (if you pour it back).
Lower Quality Ingredients
The initial ingredients (flavour essences, PG, and VG) used in vape juice greatly increase the product’s shelf life. Lower-quality base liquids and flavourings degrade faster than their higher-quality counterparts.
How to Identify Expired Vape Juice?
There might be a "best by" date on your bottle (though not always), but here are some signs that your vape juice is not good for usage
Change in Colour: A significant darkening or unexpected colour change in the e-juice.
Change in Consistency: When the e-liquid becomes excessively thick or, in some cases, very thin.
Separation: If the e-liquid components start to separate and don't mix even after a good shake.
Muted or Off Flavour: When your vibrant flavoured vape juice starts feeling bland or like vaping a chemical.
Unusual Odour: When the liquids start to emit a strange or sour smell.
Sediment: The presence of particles or sediment in the bottle’s base.
Is Expired Vape Juice Dangerous?
Yes, vaping an expired e-juice is strictly discouraged because of the associated respiratory irritation and other damage to the lungs. Moreover, the altered chemical composition can result in off-flavoured vaping and reduced nicotine satisfaction. In some cases, degraded ingredients might produce undesirable byproducts when vaporised.
How to Extend the Lifespan of Vape Juice?
You can't stop the inevitable, but proper care significantly slows down the degradation process and helps your vape juice last longer. Some precautions to consider are:
Decent Storage: Avoid direct sunlight exposure and placement in extreme temperatures. A cool pantry or cupboard is an ideal storage choice.
Care for the Seal: Minimise exposure to oxygen by ensuring the bottle cap is always tightly closed.
Consider Smaller Bottles: Shop for smaller bottles so even if you don't vape a particular flavour, you can still use it before it expires.
Be Mindful of Your E-Liquids
To sum up, vape juice has a shelf life like any consumer product. The key to a joyful and consistent vaping experience is to identify the degradation signs and factors contributing to its expiration.
Proper storage techniques are also vital to maximising the life of your favourite e-liquids and avoiding vaping off-flavoured juice. Take a look at your vape liquids collection to see if it's time for a little spring cleaning!
Step into the world of vaping with Toby Jones, a "Vape Product Reviewer” of the VapeGala team in Liverpool. Toby
didn't just learn about vaping, he lived it, transforming his own life 12 years ago by leaving traditional
cigarettes behind. Now, he's here to cut through the noise, offer insights gained from countless customer
conversations and personal discoveries. From researching the latest product to sharing product reviews and
helpful guides, he makes sense of it all to help the vapers in the best way possible.