NicNic Vapes

NicNic at VapeShopOnline: What This Collection Actually Is

NicNic is a nicotine-shot brand, not a flavour range and not a device maker. Every listing on this page is a bottle of concentrated nicotine base that you mix into nicotine-free e-liquid yourself, so the products are closer to an ingredient than to a finished vape. If you arrived looking for ready-to-use e-liquid, a pod kit or a disposable, this is not that page, and it is better to know that before you buy.

There are five listings in the range here:

• NicNic Nic Shot 50VG, 18mg, a 50% vegetable glycerine base that is thinner than the others and carries a slightly firmer throat hit.
• NicNic Nic Shot 70VG, 18mg, the thicker base that matches most 70/30 shortfills.
• NicNic Nicotine Shot 100VG, 18mg, a full-VG base for very thick, low-PG mixes.
• NicNic Nic Ice Shot 70VG, 18mg, a 70VG shot with a cooling note added.
• NicNic Nicotine Salts 50VG, 20mg, a nicotine salt shot at the UK maximum strength, aimed at low-power devices.

All five sit at the low end of the price scale, typically well under a pound each at the time of writing, although prices and stock change, so check the individual listing before ordering. Pack size, nicotine strength and VG ratio are printed on each product page. Read them rather than assuming, because the 18mg and 20mg shots are different products with different uses.

The rest of this page covers the legal background, how the five listings differ, the arithmetic of turning a shot into a usable strength, which devices suit mixed liquid, how to mix and store a shot safely, what shots cost against other routes to nicotine, and how to check that what arrives is genuine. Nothing here is medical advice. Nicotine is addictive, vaping is for adult smokers and existing vapers, and if you do not smoke there is no reason to start.

What a Nicotine Shot Is and How UK Rules Shape It

A nicotine shot is a small bottle of nicotine dissolved in a PG and VG base, with no flavouring. UK rules cap nicotine-containing e-liquid at 20mg/ml and cap the bottle size at 10ml, which is why shots come in 10ml bottles at 18mg/ml or, for salts, 20mg/ml. Those limits come from the Tobacco Products Directive, carried into UK law as the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016. The same regulations cap refillable tanks and pods at 2ml and require child-resistant, tamper-evident packaging and a nicotine health warning on the label.

Those limits explain the whole shortfill system. E-liquid with no nicotine is not subject to the 10ml bottle limit, so retailers can sell it in 50ml, 70ml, 100ml or 200ml bottles, deliberately left with empty headroom. The headroom is where the shot goes: you add one or more shots, shake, and you have a larger bottle of nicotine liquid at a strength you chose. Mixing for your own use is a long-established part of UK vaping. The legal point to hold on to is that the shot itself is sold within the 10ml and 20mg/ml limits, and NicNic's 18mg and 20mg strengths sit at or below that line.

The 20mg/ml cap applied to disposables too, alongside a 2ml pod limit, and in the old 600-puff format that combination is what most UK vapers got used to. That market has changed. Since 1 June 2025 the sale of single-use vapes has been banned across the UK, and more adults now use refillable kits and pods, which is exactly the group that buys nicotine shots. If you are moving from a disposable at 20mg/ml, a freshly mixed liquid at a few milligrams in a sub-ohm tank will feel very different, so read the strength section below before you settle on a number.

Age rules are strict. Nicotine products can only be sold to adults aged 18 or over, and every order here is age verified before dispatch. Keep shots out of reach of children and pets. A concentrated bottle is a poisoning risk if swallowed and an irritant if it gets on skin.

The Five Listings Compared

The five NicNic listings differ in only three ways: the VG/PG ratio of the carrier, the cooling addition on one of them, and the type of nicotine. Everything else, including the unflavoured character of the base, is shared. Here is how each behaves in practice.

• 50VG, 18mg. Roughly half PG. PG carries nicotine's throat hit well and keeps the mix thin, so this one suits vapers who find high-VG liquid heavy, and it is the natural match for 50/50 liquids and for devices with small wicking ports.
• 70VG, 18mg. The shot most buyers of shortfills need. Most 70/30 shortfills are made for sub-ohm tanks, and a 70VG shot leaves their ratio unchanged, which keeps the liquid's thickness and flavour balance intact.
• 100VG, 18mg. Thick, with almost no PG. It nudges a 70/30 liquid towards a higher VG ratio, which suits max-VG mixes and people who are sensitive to PG, but a thicker mix can wick slowly in a small coil.
• 70VG Ice, 18mg. The same base as the plain 70VG with a cooling note on top. It will chill a fruit or dessert liquid and can mute some of the sweetness. Once mixed it cannot be taken out, so try it on a small amount of liquid first.
• Nicotine salts 50VG, 20mg. Different chemistry: nicotine salt rather than freebase nicotine. Salt nicotine is gentler on the throat at higher strengths, which is why pod kits and low-power mouth-to-lung devices usually use it. At 20mg/ml it sits at the UK maximum. It is intended for those low-power set-ups, not for high-wattage sub-ohm tanks.

If you remember one rule, match the shot's VG ratio to the base liquid's, and match the nicotine type to the device. A freebase 18mg shot into a sub-ohm shortfill, and a salt shot into a nicotine-free liquid for a pod, are the two standard pairings. The ice variant is a flavour decision rather than a technical one.

Choosing a VG Ratio and Matching It to Your Base

VG and PG are the two carriers in every e-liquid. VG is thick and smooth and produces larger clouds. PG is thin, carries flavour sharply and gives the throat hit that many ex-smokers look for. A shot brings its own VG/PG ratio into your bottle, so it shifts the final ratio a little. The size of that shift depends on how much of the finished bottle is shot.

Take a 50ml shortfill at 70VG in a 60ml bottle with one 10ml shot added:

• A 70VG shot leaves the mix at 70% VG, exactly as before.
• A 50VG shot brings it to about 67% VG, a change most people will not notice.
• A 100VG shot takes it to 75% VG, a little thicker and slightly softer in the throat.

In a larger bottle the shift is smaller still, because the shot is a smaller share of the total. In a 200ml bottle with four shots added, the shots make up one-sixth of the mix, so the same logic applies, just spread across more liquid.

The practical test is the device rather than the arithmetic. Sub-ohm tanks with large wicking slots and mesh coils cope comfortably with 70VG and above. Small refillable pods and fine-wicked coils prefer thinner liquid around 50/50, and thick liquid can starve the coil and cause a burnt taste. If you are unsure, the VG ratio printed on the base bottle is your starting point, and a shot of the same ratio is the safest match. If you like a slightly sharper throat feel, use the 50VG shot; if you want it smoother, use the 100VG.

Working Out Strength: Shots, Bottles and the Arithmetic

The sum is simple. Multiply the number of shots by 10ml and by the shot strength to get the total milligrams of nicotine, then divide by the total volume of the finished bottle. A single 18mg/ml shot holds 180mg of nicotine. Some common results with an 18mg shot, assuming a nicotine-free base:

• 50ml liquid in a 60ml bottle, one shot: 180mg across 60ml, so 3mg/ml.
• 70ml liquid in an 80ml bottle, one shot: 180mg across 80ml, so about 2.25mg/ml.
• 100ml liquid in a 120ml bottle, one shot: 180mg across 110ml, so about 1.6mg/ml. Two shots across 120ml gives 3mg/ml.
• 200ml liquid in a 240ml bottle, four shots: 720mg across 240ml, so 3mg/ml.

For the 20mg salt shot, equal volumes make the sum easy. One 10ml salt shot plus 10ml of nicotine-free liquid gives 20ml at 10mg/ml. One shot plus 30ml of nicotine-free liquid gives 40ml at 5mg/ml. For this you need an empty mixing bottle large enough for the total.

As rough orientation, high-power sub-ohm vaping usually sits between 0mg and 6mg, with 3mg the most common. Freebase in mouth-to-lung devices tends to sit higher, around 6mg to 12mg. Salts in low-power pods are typically 10mg to 20mg. These are starting points, not rules, and everyone settles at a different level.

Two cautions. First, only add as many shots as the bottle was made to take. The headroom is deliberately limited, and forcing in extra shots means spills and a mix that is stronger than you meant. If you want more than one shot in a 50ml bottle, use a larger empty bottle rather than overfilling. Second, if you feel dizzy, nauseous or get a headache after vaping, you may be taking in more nicotine than you are used to. Stop, take a break and use a lower strength next time. Mix in small steps and write down what you added.

Who NicNic Suits, and Who Should Look Elsewhere

Nicotine shots are a tool for a particular kind of vaper, and they are not the right starting point for everyone.

• They suit adults who already own a refillable sub-ohm tank or refillable pod, buy nicotine-free shortfills and want to set their own strength.
• They suit vapers who adjust their nicotine up or down over time and prefer to do it with a bottle rather than buying another flavour in a new strength.
• They suit buyers who want an unflavoured nicotine source to mix into their own 0mg liquids, including bulk mixers who care about keeping the unit cost low.
• The salt shot suits users of low-power pod devices who want a higher strength with a smoother throat feel.

New to vaping? If you are an adult smoker switching for the first time, mixing your own liquid adds avoidable ways to go wrong: the wrong strength, the wrong VG ratio, an untidy spill. A ready-made 10ml bottle at a printed strength, or a refillable pod kit with pre-mixed liquid, is simpler for the first few weeks. Once you know what strength settles your cravings, moving to shots is an easy step and a sensible way to cut your running costs.

Experienced vapers will find shots straightforward. The thing to get right is the match between shot, base liquid and device, which the earlier sections cover. If you already know your preferred strength, you can work out your own quantities in a minute.

Look elsewhere if you want a flavoured nicotine product, a device, a ready-to-vape bottle, a sealed pod, or a disposable. Disposable vapes are no longer legal to sell in the UK, and shots cannot be used in sealed pre-filled pods, heated tobacco devices or nicotine pouches. Browse our shortfill, 10ml and pod kit ranges instead.

Devices and Coils: Where Mixed Liquid Works

A mixed liquid only works in a refillable device. That covers three broad groups, and the right shot depends on which one you own.

• Sub-ohm tanks. Coils typically run from roughly 0.15 to 0.6 ohm at higher wattage and need a thick, low-nicotine liquid. Use a 70VG or 100VG shot, aim for 0mg to 6mg and expect to refill often, since a UK tank holds no more than 2ml.
• Mouth-to-lung refillable tanks. Coils around 1.0 ohm and above at low wattage. These work better with a thinner liquid and a higher strength, so the 50VG freebase shot or the salt shot is the more natural choice.
• Refillable pod kits. Usually open fill, low power and small coils. Mixed 50/50 liquid with a salt shot is the common pairing, at roughly 10mg to 20mg depending on the device. Check the maker's guidance on VG ratio before filling, as some small pods wick poorly with thick liquid.

Where it does not work: sealed pre-filled pods, proprietary cartridges that need the maker's own refill, heated tobacco sticks and nicotine pouches. Those formats use their own consumables and a shot has no place in them.

On coil care, a mixed unflavoured shot adds no sweeteners of its own, so it should not make coils gunk up faster than the base liquid already does. A coil that tastes flat or burnt, gurgles, or leaves you with weak vapour is nearing the end of its life. Depending on use, coils commonly last from one to a few weeks. Swap the coil rather than raising the power to compensate, and do not leave a tank empty and firing, since a dry hit is unpleasant and shortens the coil's life. A shot adds nicotine but no flavour, so a mixed bottle can taste slightly thinner than the original shortfill. A day or two of rest usually helps.

Mixing Step by Step, Safe Handling and Storage

Mixing a shot takes a couple of minutes. Work on a clean, flat surface, ideally over a tray or kitchen paper, and keep the bottle away from where children or pets can reach it.

• Check the label on the shot: strength (18mg or 20mg), VG ratio and bottle size.
• Open the shortfill bottle and, if you want, tip out a tiny amount to leave room for the shot.
• Squeeze or pour the shot into the bottle. Stop if the liquid reaches the neck; do not force it.
• Close the cap fully and shake for around thirty seconds.
• Label the bottle with the date, the strength you made and the number of shots, so you can repeat or adjust it.
• Rest it for a day if you can. Some flavours settle and mellow, and a rested mix is more even.

Skin contact. Concentrated nicotine can be absorbed through the skin. If you spill any, wipe it up with paper towel and wash your hands and any affected skin with cold water and soap. If you feel unwell afterwards, or a child or pet has swallowed or licked any, seek medical help straight away and take the bottle with you.

Storage. Keep shots and mixed liquid capped, upright, and in a cool, dark place away from heat and sunlight. Nicotine darkens with age, and a shift from pale to amber is common. A very dark brown colour, a peppery smell or a harsh taste suggests the bottle is past its best. Check the batch number and best-before date printed on the label, and use older stock first.

Disposal. Empty shot bottles hold traces of concentrated nicotine, so follow the label's disposal guidance and your council's rules on packaging. Do not pour nicotine liquid down the drain or onto soil.

Honest Value and How Shots Compare With Other Routes

On price, NicNic shots are cheap to the point of being close to a rounding error next to the liquid they go into. A 10ml 18mg shot holds 180mg of nicotine, and at a price typically well under a pound, the nicotine in a mixed bottle is a minor part of the bill. The cost of vaping from shots is dominated by the shortfill, and a large shortfill is where most of the saving over small bottles comes from.

One practical note: UK delivery is free on orders over £20, so a basket of shots alone will not reach that threshold. Add a shortfill or a coil pack to the same order and you clear it comfortably.

How do shots compare with the alternatives?

• Ready-mixed 10ml bottles. Simplest and legally limited to 10ml and 20mg/ml, but the cost per millilitre is several times higher than a shortfill plus shot.
• Nicotine salt 10ml bottles. Convenient for pods and printed at a fixed strength, again at a higher cost per millilitre than mixing.
• Shortfill plus shot. Lower cost per millilitre and full control of strength, in exchange for a little effort and the need for a refillable device.
• Pre-filled pods. Convenient and tidy, with no mixing, but you are tied to the maker's pods and the price per millilitre is usually the highest of the group.

Against other shot brands, NicNic does the same job as its competitors. Shots are an unflavoured commodity, so the choice between brands comes down to the VG ratios on offer, price, availability and whether the label tells you what you need to know. If a different brand's shot matches your strength and VG ratio, it will behave in much the same way. What matters is that the product is genuine and in date.

On honesty about limits, a shot does nothing for flavour. If your base liquid is weak, adding nicotine will not improve it, and a cheap shot cannot rescue a flat shortfill.

Genuine Stock, Delivery, Returns and Recycling

Spotting genuine stock. Counterfeit and mislabelled e-liquid exists in the UK market, and with nicotine products the risk is more than cosmetic, because a wrongly labelled strength is a safety matter. Buy from a retailer that age verifies orders and lists real contact details. When the shot arrives, check the following.

• The bottle is no larger than 10ml. A nicotine-containing bottle sold as a shot that is larger than that is a red flag in the UK.
• The label shows the brand, nicotine strength, VG/PG ratio, ingredients, a batch number, a best-before date and the nicotine health warning.
• The cap is child-resistant and the seal is tamper-evident and intact.
• The print is sharp and consistent and the strength and ratio match the listing you ordered.
• The price is plausible. A shot far below the range is more likely to be a problem than a bargain.

If anything looks off, do not use the liquid and contact the seller.

Delivery. UK delivery is free on orders over £20, and orders placed before 4pm go out the next day. Every order is age verified before dispatch, so be ready to confirm your age if asked. Exact arrival times depend on the delivery service used.

Returns and faults. A nicotine shot is a consumable and has no manufacturer warranty in the way a device does. If a bottle arrives leaking, damaged or not as described, contact us with your order number and a photo and we will look into it. Your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 apply as normal, and goods must be as described and of satisfactory quality.

Recycling. Shot bottles are plastic, but follow the label's guidance on disposing of nicotine packaging. The stricter rules are for vape hardware: tanks, pod kits with built-in batteries and chargers should never go in household bins or kerbside recycling, because lithium batteries cause fires in collection lorries and sorting plants. Use a vape-recycling drop-off point instead. Many retailers that sell vapes offer take-back, and household waste recycling centres accept small electricals and batteries.