How Long Does E-Liquid Last?

You’re probably thinking that your supply of e-liquid might survive longer than its expiration date, but will it be any good to use?

It’s well known the shelf life of most products depends on the use by date or the expiry date, and how they’re stored. How does this all apply to e-liquids? This guide answers those questions and helps you get the most use out of your e-liquids.

Firstly, it’s always a good idea to find the manufactured expiry date on the bottle, by checking the bottom or the label.  Then, it’s important to understand what the contents of your e-liquid is made of, how long it lasts will depend on a few factors, including when it was made, and the ingredients used. Different flavours use different chemicals, and this can result in varying shelf lives. Most have several food-based ingredients which we know this doesn’t last forever, such as VG (vegetable glycerine).  Typically, most e-liquids ranges between one and two years. However, it’s worth noting the date is only an estimate of the time that the contents inside the bottle are no longer guaranteed to be of the same quality as the time it was purchased and that’s providing, they are stored in the right conditions.  

Storing e-liquids

If stored correctly, you can prolong the life of your e-liquids, especially if they are expensive or you might find that the flavour starts to degrade after a few months if not stored correctly. Lastly, and most importantly, the actual nicotine strength will disappear over time. The right conditions are those that do not expose the e-liquid to direct sunlight, too much heat or air.

• For maximum longevity, the number one tip is to keep it cool and in a dark place these are the perfect conditions. 
• Are your bottles sealed correctly? Once opened, oxidation process starts, and the flavour will slowly fade away.
• You can transfer the e-liquid into a tinted glass bottle

Another way to prolong your e-liquid is Steeping, leaving it for several weeks for the flavour to develop, think for it like a fine wine.  Again, if you store it in the proper conditions, you can enhance the flavour without it getting bad.

How to Determine if Your e-liquid has Expired

Usually, there are signs that you can check to see if your e-liquid is good to use or not, like discoloration, a loss in flavour, lack of vapour, and loss in nicotine.

• Smell, if there is a change (smells terrible) then time to say goodbye and bin it.
• Any nicotine-containing e-liquids will have a slight change in colour (usually darker) over time because nicotine is oxidative, changes in the colour to show that it has gone bad.
• Check to see if the e-liquid has separated or become solid.
• Flavour, if you can’t taste in then time to throw it away.

Using e-liquid that’s Gone Off

If you do end up using an expired e-liquid, you’ll probably be disappointed with the experience as you won’t get the full flavour or nicotine you’re looking for.  Time to shop for a new flavour and check out our range of products, we’re sure you’ll find something intriguing that’ll you’ll enjoy. Shop our Nasty Shortfill range here.