E-liquid, like any other product, has an expiration date. But how long an e-liquid lasts before it deteriorates depends on several factors. If you've always wondered how long your Juice actually lasts or wondered about what happens when e-liquid expires, if nicotine has an expiration date, or if heat affects the shelf life of e-liquid, then you are in the right place.
In this article, we will delve deeper into the question of e-liquid expiration, how to distinguish expired e-juice from e-liquid that is still usable, and even answer the question of what happens if you use e-liquid. -expired liquid.
Has the expiry date of the e-liquid passed?
Yes, e-liquid expires. But not like food or other products you might consume. It mainly loses its strength because its main ingredients slowly break down and lose their potency. If you are a regular vaper, you know that e-juice contains specific ingredients: nicotine (optional), vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol, as well as natural or, more often, artificial flavors.
As expected, nicotine, propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin have a shelf life, and it is this shelf life that most manufacturers use to decide the expiration date of their e-liquid. It is important to note that this point of degradation is reached slowly and does not happen overnight, meaning that the e-liquid can last a very long time before degrading.
How long does an e-liquid last?
Almost all e-liquids can last between one and two years before starting to degrade, since that is approximately the shelf life of nicotine, propylene glycol, and vegetable glycerin. But this is only sometimes the case. Here are some critical factors to consider that can affect the lifespan of an e-liquid:
- How is e-liquid stored?
- The ratio of ingredients
- The flavors used
The most important factor of all is how the e-liquid is stored. E-liquids that are poorly stored will reach the point of degradation more quickly and may even degrade before a year. The proportion of ingredients used in the e-liquid is also essential, because the less nicotine there is, the less likely it is to go bad. Finally, the type and quality of flavorings used are essential, as they also degrade over time.
As you might expect, natural flavors degrade more quickly, while artificial flavors are created to last longer. Some vapers even claim that single flavors lose their taste more quickly (think fruity and single-flavored e-liquids), while multi-flavored e-liquids, like desserts, last longer.
Can e-liquid deteriorate?
Yes, e-liquid can deteriorate. Five factors are generally at the origin of this phenomenon:
- Heat
- Light
- Air
- Mouvement
- Materials
- When a chemical breaks down, it is almost always because the chemical bonds that hold the compound together are breaking down. Heat, light, air and movement excite the particles and break these chemical bonds. Plastic, which allows heat, light and air to pass through, is also a factor. Some types of plastic are more permeable than others. PET is generally considered a better choice than PE or other similar types.
- It's usually a combination of these factors that causes vape juice to go bad before its expiration date. Leaving your e-liquid in the car in summer, storing it in a cabinet or cupboard near a window, or opening and closing it too often speeds up the degradation process. The e-liquid ingredient most likely to degrade is nicotine – your e-liquid may start to lose some of its strength, but further degradation can lead to your juice becoming darker and even whether it smells and/or tastes fishy.
How to store e-liquid so that it lasts longer?
If you recently purchased bulk e-liquid and don't plan to use it right away, we recommend storing it properly so it lasts as long as possible. To do this, we recommend that you store your e-liquid in a cold, dark place away from air, preferably in dark glass bottles. These conditions are also ideal for steeping, which will not only allow you to delay degradation, but also to obtain a tastier e-liquid!
Many vapers opt for a small refrigerator, which provides the ideal environment for storing bulk e-liquid that you don't intend to use immediately. This is particularly useful for storing nicotine, or even nicotine salt in high concentrations, because, as noted above, nicotine is the ingredient most likely to degrade.
How do you know if the e-liquid is expired?
In the vaping industry, two types of expiration dates are commonly used in labeling: expiration dates and dates of manufacture or birth (keep in mind that labeling requirements vary from one country to another).
Best before dates tell you exactly when the e-liquid should be used, while manufacturing dates tell you when the e-juice was created or manufactured. Checking these dates on the label can help you know if the e-liquid is “unofficially” expired or not.
If the e-juice bottle does not have an expiration date, the following will help you know if the e-juice has expired:
- different colors : Small color changes are expected. But if the bottle was clear and is now dark brown, it may be a sign that the e-liquid has gone bad.
- Nauseous odors : If the smell from the bottle indicates that it is a vanilla smell, but instead it is foul or completely different, do not think about it and throw it away.
- Viscosity changes : If the e-liquid has become thicker or thinner and there is a clear change in viscosity, it is time to change the e-liquid.
- Cluster accumulation: If there are any weird accumulations of indeterminate clumps at the bottom or floating at the top of the bottle, shake it to see if the ingredients recombine again. If not, don't take the risk.
- Change in taste : If the e-liquid no longer tastes the same as before and several months have passed since purchase, it is time to consider purchasing a new juice.
What happens if you use expired e-liquid?
The vaping community seems to agree that nothing bad will happen if you vape juice that has passed its expiration date. In most cases your juice will be good. Worst case scenario, it will be disgusting.
If your juice is indeed expired, it will be an experience you will not want to repeat. But there are no recorded cases of people falling ill after vaping expired e-liquid. However, out of caution, we do not recommend vaping expired e-liquid.
To summarize
Yes, e-liquid expires. However, because the shelf life of nicotine, vegetable glycerin, and propylene glycol is relatively stable, e-liquid can last up to two years before starting to degrade. As this degradation process is slow, some e-liquid flavors can last even longer, depending on how they are stored. The ideal is to keep the e-liquid away from light, air, heat and movement. If you store it properly, your juice will likely last beyond its expiration date.
Although expiration dates are the best way to determine when you should vape or use e-liquid, not all manufacturers use expiration dates and labeling requirements vary from country to country. other. So don't forget to check the smell, color and viscosity of the e-liquid. No cases have been recorded where expired e-liquid has been found to be harmful, so if it passes the eye and nose test it is probably still good to vape.
