How to Vape: 4 Steps to Inhale Properly
Published 11 September 2023, Updated 10 April 2024
How to vape, or how to inhale a vape, is a common question asked by beginners seeking to understand how to hit a vape. There are two main ways to vape, Mouth to Lung (MTL) and Direct to Lung (DTL). Whichever vaping style you prefer, the end result is inhaling vapor into your lungs.
Mouth to Lung, or MTL vaping, is the most popular vaping style for beginners. To vape using the MTL vaping style, draw the vapor into your mouth slowly, hold the vapor in your closed mouth for a few a second or two, open your mouth and breathe the vapor into your lungs, and then exhale the vapor from your lungs.
Direct to lung, or DTL vaping, is more common amongst hobbyists who want to perform vape tricks and advanced vapers who use sub-ohm vape kits. To vape using the DTL vaping style, draw the vapor slow and steady directly into your lungs for a few seconds, then exhale.
The main difference between MTL and DTL is that in MTL vaping, you hold the vapor in your mouth before inhaling it into your lungs. Whereas in DTL vaping, you do not hold the vapor in your mouth. Instead, you inhale the vapor directly into your lungs.
One of the main advantages of MTL vaping is that you can draw the vapor into your mouth and exhale it without inhaling it into your lungs. This style of no-inhalation vaping is like a cigar puff and is not possible with direct to lung vaping. To vape without inhaling into your lungs, simply draw the vapor into your mouth, hold it there for a few seconds and then release the vapor without inhaling it into your lungs.
MTL vaping is better for beginners, those seeking a more discrete vaping style, those who want to produce fewer vapor clouds or zero vaping clouds, those who do not want to inhale the vapor into the lungs, and for those who have recently quit smoking or seeking a vaping style most similar to smoking cigarettes. DTL is better for more experienced vapers seeking dense clouds, those who want to perform vape tricks, and for those who prefer using sub-ohm vape kits with a high VG e-liquid.
This vape guide is primarily a step-by-step guide on how to vape for beginners and will focus on the beginner-friendly MTL vaping style.
Here are the four steps outlining how to vape using the beginner-friendly Mouth to Lung (MTL) vaping style.
- Draw the Vapor Into Your Mouth for 1-5 Seconds
- Hold the Vapor in Your Closed Mouth for a Second or Two
- Open Your Mouth and Breathe the Vapor Into Your Lungs
- Exhale the Vapor From Your Lungs
1. Draw the Vapor Into Your Mouth for 1-5 Seconds
Take a slow draw of vapor into your mouth for a few seconds. For beginners, gently draw the vapor into your mouth for around 1-3 seconds. For more experienced vapers, slowly draw the vapor into your mouth for around 3-5 seconds.
2. Hold the Vapor in Your Closed Mouth for a Second or Two
Once you’ve drawn the vapor into your mouth, close your mouth and hold the vapor there for a second or two. This will allow you to enjoy the initial taste of your e-liquid flavour and give you time to prepare to inhale the vapor into your lungs.
If you do not want to inhale vapor into your lungs, you can keep it in your mouth and simply enjoy the flavour. When you are ready to exhale, simply open your mouth and blow out the vapor without it ever reaching your lungs.
3. Open Your Mouth and Breathe the Vapor Into Your Lungs
After holding the vapor in your closed mouth for a second or two, open your mouth and breathe the vapor into your lungs. Hold the vape hit in your lungs for between 1-5 seconds or for as long as is comfortable given your own vaping preference. The longer you hold the vapor in your lungs, the fewer clouds you will produce on exhalation.
You should not swallow when inhaling a vape. Although not dangerous, swallowing vapor increases the chances of coughing leading to an unpleasant vaping experience. To vape, you should inhale the vapor into your lungs rather than try to swallow it.
4. Exhale the Vapor From Your Lungs
When you are ready to release the vapor, exhale the vapor from your lungs. You can exhale the vapor through your mouth or nose. But note that exhaling vapor through your nose can cause a dehydrating effect on the skin inside your nostrils, thereby increasing the chances of nosebleeds.
To produce fewer clouds when vaping, hold the vapor in your lungs for longer. This is one of the main techniques you can use for stealth vaping and is also known as zero vaping.
How Do You Vape Without Exhaling Vapor?
To vape without exhaling vapor, take a small puff and hold the vapor in your lungs for 3-5 seconds or longer. Holding the vapor for longer produces fewer clouds as your lungs absorb more vapor. When you are ready to exhale, purse your lips and blow a tight stream of vapor downward to minimise the appearance of any vapor.
Holding the vapor in your lungs for longer is known as zero vaping and is the main technique to vape without exhaling vapor. Zero vaping is useful for situations where discreet vaping is important. For instance, if you’re in a hotel, airport, office, pub, restaurant or any other location where smoke detectors are commonly found. When asking how to vape without setting off a smoke alarm, the zero vaping technique is key to producing less vapor on exhalation.
How Do You Vape Without Inhaling Into Your Lungs?
To vape without inhaling into your lungs, draw the vapor into your mouth, hold the vapor in your closed mouth for a few seconds, and then open your mouth and blow out to expel the vapor. This technique is similar to taking a cigar puff, and it allows you to enjoy the full-bodied taste and scent of your vape without inhaling the vapor into your lungs.
You do not have to inhale vapor to feel the nicotine effects of your vape. Nicotine is rapidly absorbed through the mucous membranes of the mouth. So, while it is okay to vape without inhaling, doing so increases the chances of a nicotine rush, especially if you are new to vaping. If you are not used to nicotine, vaping without inhaling can cause vaping side effects such as nausea, dizziness and lightheadedness.
How Do You Ghost Inhale a Vape?
When it comes to how to ghost vape, draw the vapor into your mouth and let it sit in your closed mouth for a few seconds. Then use your tongue to gently push out the vapor without exhaling. Once all the vapor leaves your mouth in a ball-like shape, rapidly suck it back in to complete the ghost inhale vape trick.
The ghost inhale vape trick is easy to learn for beginners as you use the beginner-friendly MTL vaping style to perform it. It’s called the ghost inhale because the thick cloud of vapor that you blow out resembles a ghostly-looking cloud before you rapidly breathe it back in. The ghost inhale is usually used as part of vape trick routine alongside other vaping techniques.
How Do You French Inhale a Vape?
To vape using the French inhale, draw the vapor into your mouth and let it sit in your closed mouth for a few seconds. Then open your mouth and push your bottom lip out, allowing the vapor to travel to your nose. As the vapor rises, begin inhaling through your nose until all the vapor has been used.
The French inhale, also known as the Irish Waterfall, is a simple vape trick that involves drawing the vapor into your mouth but inhaling the vapor into your lungs through your nose. This creates a flow of vapor from your mouth to your nose that resembles a waterfall.