More me too, I agree with these guys.
I used to leave a mix uncapped to evap if I knew alcohol was used as part of the carrier base. But now I figure any evap needed is going happen during my ‘curiousity phase’ of steeping.
Just mix it, shake it like it owes you money and put it away for awhile.
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Yeah, I tried a few different techniques when I was getting started. Hot water bath in a coffee mug til the water turned luke-warm with the cap off, maybe overnight with the cap off, then just an overnight breathe, all seemed ok. Then one time I just shook it and stored it and didn’t notice any reason to keep heating or breathing after that. It really streamlined my mixing sessions to be free to shake-cap-stow and wait. Some were even good the next day, but longer steeping is the best.
One thing about getting started, especially if you create all of your own recipes, is that they’re not that good in the beginning, by my estimate. Just keep mixing and testing, steeping and checking, tweaking and nudging. All will be well!
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thanks guys
so breathing isn’t necessary after all.
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Especially if u are sensitive to alcohol.
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how do I know that the flavors contain alcohol?
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I’ve been experimenting with spout caps off for 2 weeks now, the flavour is still there and the steep seemed to move a little quicker.
What I think could be useful:
Try expelling air from the bottle by gently squeezing the bottle, then lid back on, do that once a week for the length of the steep to ensure fresh air is added, this should aid the steep.
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It would be interesting if you’re including which flavors you’ve been testing with. There’s a big difference whether you do this with Vanilla Custard (CAP) or Lemon Sicily (FA) …
I would not recommend this if you mix your nicotine with your e-liquid immediately. It will not help the shelf life of your e-liquid, increase the nic oxidation and increase the harshness of the juice.
@Donz1
Take all the above information also with a grain of salt and use your brain… there are a lot of variables you have to take into account as well. E.g. if you have a very slim unicorn bottle, the surface area really isn’t going to be big standing up. If you lay your bottle flat, that surface area is going to be greatly increased. The more surface area you have, the more your e-liquid is exposed to oxigen (nicotine oxidation) and the easier your flavor molecules will escape. The smaller, the less effect it’ll all have. Temperature, ventilation, etc all play a role as well.
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Same here, it’s probably a practice you try when you first start and your mixes that just seem too chemical or alcoholic or harsh or “just off” Absinthe was a classic… At that time, leaving the bottle open seemed a cure, I used to use INW a lot before they changed “policies” and that probably was a culprit, then I switched to a lot of TPA and it wasn’t any better and so on, we all went through that, before understanding the right manufacturer for the right recipe and related correct steeping time, the only correct answer is as @Plunderdrum said: keep on mixing and testing, you not only get the hang of it but it’ll be something “inside you” you’ll know what to do by heart 
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I’ve gotten into the habit of purging the air out of a mix after it’s been steeping for a couple of days. Seems to work as well as breathing did.
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You can go to the flavor company’s website and find the flavor you want, if you are buying from a vendor like ECX, Bull City, etc. The manufacturer is more likely to have an accurate ingredient list including whether the flavor is based in PG, VG, Alcohol or some blend of the three. The vendors get it wrong sometimes, or just don’t list such things, expecting you to have done your homework before ordering. Bull City still has, last I checked recently, a couple of VG/Alcohol based flavors listed as being PG based. So, I refer to the manufacturer to be sure.
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Just to weigh in a bit. Outside of mixing time, so just the time it takes to dispense the flavors I haven’t air’edout a single mix in two years. Granted though I subscribe to steeping or aging my mix. I don’t shake and vape, at the min I would wait a few days or at least 24 hours.
However, at this point I don’t touch a mix for two - three weeks of aging. Which may be hard to do when starting out and building up a stash of ready to vape mixes…hence why I would recommend as many days as possible (3-4 days and longer for heaven custards and creams) to age your mixes and let the magic happen.
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It wouldn’t be interesting at all, just throwing out ideas based on observation, I’m not saying do what I do. 
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And that process is…?
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I use LDPE bottles so they are squishy. I simply squeeze all of the air out until I get a drop or two of juice purged. Once in a great while I’ll have a mix that is a bit harsh and I have to purge again…
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Yeah ok. That won’t work for me with glass.
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Squeeze hard enough between the cheeks and get a Diamond. Lol.
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That’s what she said!
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Interesting question.
I personaly also never let the ejuice breath but on the other hand, i have no clue at all how it would taste if i would nor do i have an idea how long an ejuice should breath.
Searched the whole net to get a guideline on the breathing process when i started mixing and making my own liquid , eventualy, turns there is none (at least to my knowledge).
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As a guideline, not more the 12 Hours, don’t do it anymore , but I used to, specially with INW, overnight was a classic, but at the end, you loose most of the volatile, which you wouldn’t want to and doesn’t accelarate anything.
There are though a couple of vids about streathing, Rip Trippers if I remember correctly.
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