September 8, 2026

How to Add Nicotine to DIY E-Liquid

Adding nicotine to DIY e-liquid is straightforward but requires precision and basic safety precautions. This guide explains how to calculate the right amount using 10ml nic shots, how to handle nicotine safely and how to verify your final strength.

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Quick answer: UK TRPR regulations limit nicotine shots to 10ml bottles at a maximum of 20mg. Use a free online DIY e-liquid calculator to determine how many millilitres of 18mg or 20mg nic shot to add for your target strength. Never estimate nicotine volume. Always wear nitrile gloves when handling nic shots. Add nicotine to the empty bottle first before other ingredients, then shake for two full minutes after all ingredients are combined. The standard result for a 50ml shortfill plus one 18mg shot is 3mg across 60ml.

Nicotine Safety: What You Need to Know Before You Start

Nicotine at the concentrations used in DIY mixing is a toxic substance that can be absorbed through the skin in quantity. A 10ml nic shot at 18mg contains 180mg of total nicotine. While this is far below the concentrations that were historically used in DIY mixing before TPD regulations (which can reach 72mg or higher), it should still be handled with appropriate care. Skin contact with multiple nic shots over a short period is capable of causing nicotine poisoning symptoms including nausea, dizziness and headache.

Essential safety rules for handling nicotine shots: Always wear nitrile gloves before opening any nicotine shot. If nicotine contacts your skin, wash immediately with soap and water for at least 60 seconds. Never handle nicotine near food, children or pets. Store all nicotine-containing bottles in childproof containers out of reach. Label every bottle immediately after mixing. Dispose of used gloves safely after each session.

UK Nicotine Rules for DIY Mixing

UK TRPR regulations set two limits on nicotine-containing e-liquid sold in the UK. Bottles may not contain more than 10ml of nicotine-containing liquid and the maximum nicotine concentration is 20mg per millilitre. This applies to commercially sold nic shots used in DIY mixing. The practical result is that UK DIY mixers use 10ml nic shots at either 18mg or 20mg to add nicotine to their recipes.

These limits apply to commercially sold products. Mixing at home for personal use is legal. You are permitted to mix multiple nic shots into a larger DIY batch for your own vaping. The regulatory limits are on the retail sale format, not on personal home mixing.

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Nic shots, flavour concentrates and diluents for DIY e-liquid mixing. Welsh quality for your home recipes.

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How to Calculate the Right Amount of Nicotine

The amount of nic shot needed depends on three things: the total volume of your batch, the strength of your nic shot and your target nicotine strength. A free online DIY e-liquid calculator handles this maths automatically. The formula below explains the calculation for anyone who wants to understand the numbers.

Batch Size	Nic Shot Strength	Target Strength	Nic Shot Volume Needed	Final Volume
50ml	18mg	3mg	10ml (1 full shot)	60ml
50ml	18mg	6mg	20ml (2 shots, remove 10ml first)	70ml
100ml	18mg	3mg	20ml (2 full shots)	120ml
30ml	20mg	6mg	10ml (1 full shot)	40ml at approx 5mg
50ml	20mg	3mg	8.8ml (partial shot)	58.8ml

The partial shot option in the table above illustrates why using a calculator and a syringe gives more control than adding whole shots only. A 10ml syringe allows you to measure 8.8ml of nic shot precisely for a cleaner 3mg result with a 20mg shot rather than the slightly higher 3.3mg produced by a full 10ml addition.

The Process: Adding Nicotine to Your DIY Mix

Run Your Recipe Through a Calculator First

Before handling any nicotine, enter your batch size, target strength, nic shot strength and PG:VG ratio into a free DIY e-liquid calculator (makemyvape.co.uk or vapinghardware.com). The calculator outputs exactly how many millilitres of nic shot to add. Write this number down or keep it visible throughout the mixing session. Never proceed without this figure confirmed.

Put On Gloves and Set Up Your Workspace

Put on nitrile gloves before opening any nicotine shot. Place kitchen roll on your work surface to catch any spills. Have the empty mixing bottle ready, labelled with your recipe name and target strength. A dedicated 10ml syringe for nicotine (marked clearly and never reused for other ingredients) is the most accurate way to measure partial nic shot volumes.

Add Nicotine to the Empty Bottle First

Measure the calculated volume of nic shot using your syringe and add it to the empty mixing bottle before any other ingredient. Adding nicotine first gives you the most control over the final amount because you handle it when the bottle is empty and the risk of over-addition is lowest. If you spill or add too much at this stage you can start fresh with a clean bottle without wasting your PG, VG or concentrate.

Add Remaining Ingredients Then Shake for Two Minutes

After adding the nicotine, add your PG, flavour concentrate and VG in sequence. Seal the bottle securely and shake vigorously for at least two full minutes. Nicotine is denser than PG and VG and settles unevenly without thorough shaking. Inadequate shaking produces peppery hot spots of concentrated nicotine in some areas of the bottle. Two minutes of vigorous shaking is the minimum. For larger batches or higher-VG liquids, extend to three minutes.

For the complete step-by-step process covering all four DIY ingredients together, read our guide to How to Mix DIY E-Liquid. The full Celtic Vapours DIY E-Liquid Guide covers every aspect of making your own e-liquid at home.

Freebase vs Nic Salt Shots: Which to Choose

Nic shots are available in two nicotine formulations. Choosing the right one depends on your device type and target strength.

Nic Shot Type	When to Use	Effect on Finished Liquid
Freebase nic shot	High-VG shortfill recipes for sub-ohm devices at 3mg	Standard throat hit at 3mg. Negligible difference from nic salt at this low concentration
Nic salt shot	50:50 recipes for MTL devices at 5mg to 6mg where a smoother result is wanted	Smoother inhale than freebase at the same concentration. Faster nicotine absorption

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I add too much nicotine by mistake? If you calculate the excess, you can compensate by adding more PG and VG to dilute the nicotine back down to your target strength. Recalculate using the actual volume now in the bottle and the actual nicotine volume added to determine how much base to add. If the excess is significant and the batch is already full, discard and start fresh. This is one reason to always add nicotine to an empty bottle first before other expensive ingredients.

Does it matter what PG:VG ratio my nic shot uses? Yes. The nic shot adds to the overall PG:VG ratio of the finished liquid. A PG-based nic shot added to a 70:30 VG shortfill increases the PG content of the final mix slightly. Most calculators account for this automatically if you enter the nic shot ratio. For a small single shot in a large batch the effect is minimal. For multiple shots in a smaller batch it can alter the finished ratio enough to affect wicking and performance. Match nic shot ratio to shortfill ratio where possible.

What strength nic shot should I use for DIY mixing? 18mg is the most common strength used in UK DIY mixing because it dilutes cleanly to standard target strengths. Adding one 18mg nic shot to 50ml of base produces 3mg. Adding two to 100ml also produces 3mg. 20mg shots produce slightly higher final strengths (3.3mg with one shot in 50ml) which some mixers prefer. Both are readily available from UK suppliers and both work correctly in DIY recipes.

How do I know if my finished liquid is the right strength? If you followed your calculator output precisely, the strength will be accurate. Signs of too-high nicotine include dizziness, nausea or a peppery throat sensation after vaping a small amount. Signs of too-low nicotine include continuing to crave nicotine after a normal vaping session. If in doubt, check your calculator inputs against what you actually added and recalculate.