How to Use Nic Salts
Nic salts are straightforward to use once you understand the two essentials: the right device and the right technique. This step-by-step guide covers everything you need from first fill to daily use.
Quick answer: To use nic salts, fill your refillable MTL pod kit with the nic salt e-liquid of your choice, let the coil prime for five to ten minutes, then take slow mouth-to-lung draws as needed. Do not chain vape. Do not use nic salts in a sub-ohm or high-wattage device. A 10ml nic salt bottle is a finished, ready-to-vape product that requires no dilution or mixing. Use at 20mg for ex-smokers and ex-disposable users. Use 10mg if you are a lighter user or stepping down.
What Makes Nic Salts Different to Use
Nic salts use benzoic acid to lower the pH of nicotine, which makes the liquid considerably smoother to inhale at higher concentrations and allows nicotine to absorb into the bloodstream faster than standard freebase e-liquid. This combination of smoothness and speed means a few puffs from a nic salt pod kit will satisfy cravings as effectively as a cigarette, without needing to take large draws or vape for extended periods.
The faster absorption and higher satisfaction per puff means nic salts work differently in practice to freebase e-liquid. You vape to satisfy a craving, not as a continuous activity. Once the craving passes, you put the device down. This pattern is more efficient in terms of both liquid consumption and nicotine delivery. It also more closely mirrors how cigarettes are actually smoked.
Step-by-Step: How to Use Nic Salts Correctly
Choose the Right Device
Nic salts are designed exclusively for low-powered MTL (mouth-to-lung) pod kits with coils rated above 0.8 ohm and wattage settings between 10W and 20W. Popular options include the Vaporesso XROS series, OXVA Xlim and Uwell Caliburn ranges. Any standard refillable pod kit sold in UK vape shops is suitable. Do not use nic salts in a sub-ohm tank, box mod or any device that produces large clouds at high wattage. Using 20mg nic salt in a high-powered device will deliver an overwhelming amount of nicotine per puff and is likely to cause dizziness or nausea.
Fill the Pod
A 10ml nic salt e-liquid is a ready-to-vape product. It requires no dilution or mixing. Open the fill port on your refillable pod (usually a silicone bung or side-fill port), tilt the pod slightly to reduce air bubbles and fill slowly until the liquid reaches the maximum fill line. Do not overfill. Seal the port firmly. If you spill liquid on the outside of the pod, wipe it away before inserting the pod into the device.
Prime the Coil
After filling a brand new pod or coil for the first time, leave it to sit for five to ten minutes before vaping. This gives the cotton wick inside the coil time to fully absorb the liquid. Vaping before the wick is saturated will cause a dry hit that tastes burnt and can permanently damage the coil, requiring you to replace it. This priming step is essential every time you use a new coil. Refilling a partially used pod does not require re-priming.
Vape Mouth-to-Lung
Nic salts are designed for MTL inhalation: draw the vapour into your mouth first, hold it briefly, then inhale into your lungs. This is the same technique used when smoking a cigarette. Take slow, steady draws rather than fast, forceful puffs. The draw should feel similar in resistance to a cigarette. If your pod kit has adjustable airflow, set it to a tighter, more restricted setting for the best MTL experience with nic salts.
Vape to Manage Cravings, Not Continuously
Because nic salts deliver nicotine quickly, you do not need to chain vape to feel satisfied. Take three to five puffs when a craving hits, then put the device down. The nicotine will absorb within a few minutes and the craving will pass. Chain vaping at 20mg can lead to dizziness or nausea from nicotine overconsumption. If you find yourself vaping continuously without satisfaction, consider whether your nicotine strength is correct or whether your device is functioning properly.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using Nic Salts in a Sub-Ohm Device
Sub-ohm tanks and high-wattage box mods produce large quantities of vapour per puff. Using 20mg nic salt in a sub-ohm device would deliver a massive amount of nicotine in each draw, causing an unpleasant and potentially dangerous nicotine overdose effect. Always use nic salts only in MTL pod kits with coils above 0.8 ohm. If you own a sub-ohm device, use low-strength freebase shortfills rather than nic salts.
Not Priming a New Coil
Vaping immediately after filling a brand new pod causes the heating element to fire on dry cotton. This produces a harsh, acrid burnt taste that ruins the coil instantly. The burnt taste does not go away even after the coil absorbs liquid. Always wait five to ten minutes after filling a new pod before taking the first puff. This is the single most common mistake new vapers make and it is completely avoidable.
Chain Vaping at High Strength
Taking rapid consecutive puffs from a 20mg nic salt without pausing is one of the quickest routes to nicotine sickness. Symptoms include dizziness, nausea, headache and a rapid heartbeat. Nic salts at 20mg are potent. Three to five puffs is enough to manage most cravings. If you need to vape more frequently than that to stay satisfied, try adjusting your device, switching flavour or considering whether 20mg is the right strength for your usage pattern.
Mistaking Nic Shots for Nic Salts
A nic shot is a small concentrated bottle of pure nicotine designed to be mixed into a shortfill. It is not the same as a nic salt e-liquid. A 10ml nic salt is a finished, flavoured, ready-to-vape product. You do not add anything to it. Pouring a nic shot into a filled pod of nic salt e-liquid would create an extremely high nicotine concentration. Always use a 10ml nic salt exactly as it comes from the bottle.
Important: Celtic Vapours nic salt e-liquids contain nicotine, which is a highly addictive substance. They are intended for adult smokers and existing nicotine users who are switching from cigarettes. They are not suitable for non-smokers, people under 18 or pregnant or nursing women. Keep all nicotine products out of reach of children and pets.
Shop Celtic Vapours Nic Salt E-Liquid
Made in Wales. TRPR compliant. Available in a range of flavours at 10mg and 20mg nicotine salt strength with fast UK delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A 10ml nic salt e-liquid is a finished, ready-to-vape product. You fill your pod directly from the bottle. Do not add water, VG, PG or any other liquid to it. A nic salt is not a nic shot or concentrate. Adding anything to it will dilute the nicotine and alter the flavour in unpredictable ways.
Five to ten minutes after filling a brand new pod or coil is the standard recommendation. This gives the cotton wick time to fully saturate with liquid. Some vapers add a few drops directly onto the exposed coil cotton before filling (called manually priming) to speed this up. Either approach prevents the dry hit and burnt taste that results from firing an unsaturated coil.
Yes. Any MTL vape pen or starter kit with a coil rated above 0.8 ohm is suitable for nic salt use. Most basic vape pens and starter kits sold in UK vape shops are designed for 50:50 e-liquids including nic salts. Check the coil resistance and the recommended e-liquid type in your device manual if you are unsure.
A burnt taste almost always means the coil is dry or has been used beyond its usable life. If it happens immediately after filling a new pod, you did not allow enough priming time. Wait ten minutes and try again. If it happens after a period of use, the coil has reached the end of its life and needs replacing. A coil in an MTL pod kit used with nic salts typically lasts one to two weeks depending on usage.
There is no fixed number. Three to five puffs is usually enough to address a craving when using 20mg nic salt. Take your puffs slowly and allow a minute or two for the nicotine to absorb before deciding whether the craving has passed. Avoid taking more than a few puffs in quick succession as this can lead to nicotine overconsumption at 20mg.
Explore the Celtic Vapours Nic Salt Guide
Our hub covers everything about nic salts including strength guidance, how they compare to freebase and whether they are right for new vapers.