What is vape juice made of? Every ingredient, explained

Vape juice, e-juice, and e-liquid are three names for the same product: a liquid that a vape turns into vapor. Most formulas start with vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol, add nicotine or leave it out for 0mg, then add flavoring. The ratio and flavor source create most of the difference between bottles.

Black Note’s tobacco e-liquid has a published five-ingredient recipe: natural tobacco extract, tobacco-derived nicotine, vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol, and purified water. The flavor comes from cured tobacco leaf rather than a lab-formulated tobacco flavoring.

If you want help matching a formulation to your device, the Vape Quiz can narrow it down.

Vegetable glycerin, or VG, is the thicker of the two carrier liquids in standard e-liquid. It adds viscosity and produces more vapor. A bottle with a higher VG share is thicker than a bottle with more PG.

The ratio on the label tells you how much VG is in the base. A 70/30 e-liquid contains 70 percent VG and 30 percent PG, while a 50/50 liquid uses an even split. The right ratio depends on the device, which is covered in the 50/50, 70/30, and salt e-liquid guide.

Black Note lists USP Kosher vegetable glycerin in its published ingredient panel.

Propylene glycol, or PG, is the thinner carrier liquid in the e-liquid base. It carries flavor and contributes more throat hit as its share rises. That is why a 50/50 liquid feels and flows differently from a higher-VG 70/30 liquid.

PG also helps a thinner liquid move through the smaller channels used by many pod and mouth-to-lung coils. Device fit is a separate decision from flavor, so check the manufacturer’s coil guidance and the VG/PG format guide before filling.

Black Note lists USP Kosher propylene glycol with a minimum purity of 99.7 percent in its published ingredient panel.

Nicotine is optional, and the terms on a bottle describe two different questions. Freebase and salt describe the nicotine form. Tobacco-derived and synthetic describe its source.

Freebase is the standard nicotine form in most 50/50 and 70/30 e-liquids. Nicotine salt is made for use at higher strengths in low-power pod devices. Neither term tells you the VG/PG ratio, so the ratio and nicotine type need to be read separately. The format guide shows those two axes side by side.

Black Note uses tobacco-derived nicotine. Its 0mg freebase options leave nicotine out while retaining the same VG/PG base and natural tobacco extract.

VG, PG, and nicotine are familiar parts of many formulas. Flavoring is where the identity of the liquid changes. In tobacco e-liquid, that flavor can come from a lab-formulated tobacco flavoring or from real cured leaf.

Black Note uses naturally extracted tobacco. Cured tobacco leaves steep cold for six to eight weeks in a process called cold maceration. The natural tobacco extract that comes from the leaf supplies the flavor in the finished liquid.

This is a composition difference, not a health claim. It tells you where the tobacco taste comes from and why the ingredient panel says natural tobacco extract instead of artificial tobacco flavoring.

Black Note publishes five ingredients for its tobacco e-liquids:

• Natural tobacco extract
• Tobacco-derived nicotine
• Vegetable glycerin
• Propylene glycol
• Purified water

Menthol blends add mint extract from Menthe Arvensis. Across the published Black Note formula, there are no sweeteners, no artificial flavors, no synthetic nicotine, and no diacetyl. You can verify the full panel on the Black Note ingredients page and read the separate evidence review in the diacetyl-free vape juice guide.

That answers what is in Black Note. For the separate avoidance question across the category, see the guide to seven vape juice ingredients to avoid.

Read the label in four passes.

1. Find the VG/PG ratio. This tells you the thickness of the base and helps you match it to the device.
2. Identify the flavor source. Look for a named extract or a flavoring system, especially when the product claims a specific tobacco style.
3. Separate nicotine type from nicotine source. Freebase or salt tells you the form. Tobacco-derived or synthetic tells you the source. The strength is listed separately.
4. Verify maker-specific claims. A published ingredient page is more useful than an unexplained front-label phrase.

Composition is only one part of bottle care. Once a bottle is open, the vape juice storage guide explains how light, heat, and air affect the liquid over time.

The information in this blog post is for educational and informational purposes only and is not health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions about a medical condition or your health.

This content discusses nicotine and vaping products intended solely for adult use. Nicotine is an addictive chemical. Black Note and its affiliates assume no responsibility for actions taken based on this content.