Before I start, don’t get all religious on me… lol
I haven’t bought any store juice in a few years (I think). And I don’t really know if I feel as if I’m missing out or not.
I often see (mostly on youtube) of people that mix their own will tout one juice or another about it being soooo good etc… but wonder if the mixes they are making on their own is good or lacking, shouldn’t they be raving about what they are making themselves as being great?
I see the same thing mentioned on every so often here also, users talking about how much they like this or that type juice, and again, wonder about the persons own mixing.
I really hate (or hated) buying juice for high prices when I know that it wasn’t too costly to mix myself, but I really wonder if I’m missing out on things, maybe I’ve just convinced myself I’m happy with my mixes… I understand the costs involved with selling mixes in a brick and mortar location, sales people need to be paid, rent and insurance, etc and I also understand that there is probably good juice in stores.
So, as they say… to make a long story short…
Do many of you still purchase store juice or are you (as I have been) mostly just content with what you (all) are creating at home?
I buy commercial juice occasionally, but not because I like something, rather for inspiration. I find it very interesting that store employees and other customers will rave over this or that, then I’ll buy it and be totally disappointed. Sub-par flavors, very overly sweetened, they’re just so often nothing like people describe them. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if some of these commercial companies weren’t behind the recent attacks on ELR because after all this time, you can bet your butt word is out. There are some AMAZING recipes here…far superior to what is sold in stores.
I don’t think you’re cheating yourself at all by not buying commercial juices. You’re most likely vaping a much better juice on a daily basis than 95% of the non diy folks out there.
I have bought store juice in the past and just couldn’t get past the sweetness of it and ever since I started mixing half reasonable juice I have not bought store juice. Sure I have had some disgusting stuff in my tanks as a result of my own hand but nothing that was so bad I would go back to store juice. In fact I still have some store juice that is unopened in a small container in the back of the cupboard.
Yeah… I just feel like I’m missing out, too often when I had bought juice it was just lacking, then when I had a local place that would mix flavors I’d go in and tell them what I wanted, this much of this, that much of that until I finally said I’ll just do it myself (this was after I had failed at mixing diy due to stupidity). I think one of the last things I had bought was the Castle Long Reserve, but after the first day vaping it, I lost it’s flavor (possibly vapor tongue). That or Like a Sir, a juice I picked up in Boston while on business and I ran out of my own juices when my job extended me at the location I was working at.
I have bought a couple of juices only for inspiration. I have tried to clone more to my liking. Now that my NETS are maturing I am enjoying those. I also make some other juices for friends. The friends keep coming back to me for more juice. They just can’t get enough apparently. They say it is better and can get it more custom to their liking. Which is true. I like to always expand their horizons with other juices everytime they come back. I enjoy making juices on the occasion. It allows me to hone my craft.
There are two retail juices that I will buy as luxury items when I have extra money. It’s the same way, no matter how amazing of a cook you might be, you will still go to a favorite restaurant now and then. I buy a third retail juice but I use this at 10% as a flavoring. There’s no shame in this. Or if there is just add my sin to the list of reasons why I’m a shameless heathen? 
i started out buying commercial juice and lots of it , and they are often too sweet and lacking something but there are a few that were good none as good as the price they are sold for , i do stop by the vape shop and try some new ones but its only bc im stopping by to see the owner hes a cool guy , the one thing though is some of the commercial juices nailed the creaminess and mouthfeel but again the amout of sweetener kills it im not a fan of the after taste it leaves , there is one i would buy again and that is philip rocke 100 grand its a vinnamon toast crunch that i have never been able to vome close or anyone else for that matter that juice imo is great ive tried many differernt recipes and that company nailed it
My step daughter often has people ask if I could make some stuff up for them, to be honest I keep blowing it off. It isn’t that I would mind making the juice up, but every time things just turn stagnate when I start asking “the questions”. Last week I was asked if I could make up a “coffee”. So I ask her to try and get a little more detail, do they want it sweet or creamy? I tell her that just coffee would be kinda bitter, would they like it made a bit lite (light… whichever the spelling is) or strong…? What strength of nic would they want? (I didn’t even get into the pg/vg) I tend to just start asking what are they using to vape with… if it sounds like a subohm device then go more vg… most times she (nor they), even know what they are vaping on. It almost seems to be a lost cause to try and make a juice for someone because they don’t know what they want.
Well at least your not deplorable like me… lol
What are the "luxury juices?
I make juice for a bunch of people where I live the closest shop is about 100 ish km away. I find it is easier to make something that I find palatable give it to them then sit down and ask what if anything they would like changed - the easiest way to do this is to ask direct questions - is the coffee strong enough - do you want a creamier flavor. is the caramel too strong/weak etc.
I know what flavors are in the juice quite often it surprises me they cannot taste something that should be there (or I can taste) - if i ask them about every flavor I want them to taste it makes it a little easier for me to customize to their taste.
I have different mixes for quite a few people - as in same profile but say Fred gets and extra 1% of nectarine and 1% less of papya.
It all depends on whether you want to do this or find a happy medium for everyone (which would be easier i guess) but I suspect most of them appreciate the fact that you take the time to ask about the flavors. I also obviously do diff nic levels but my pg/vg ratio is almost always 70 vg.
I buy stuff made to order at a place once in a while but am a little annoyed by some pricewise. Such as an upcharge for max vg when you know many flavors are pg so asking for 80/20 and getting the regular price after mixing your own makes you go hmm. I 've only once bought a packaged “premium mix” while desperate down south. It gave me my fix but I ended up with the worst breakout ever, found out after the fact it was 70 percent pg. I do understand the cost of business but the amount of markup is a little slimy at times.
I haven’t bought a commercial juice in two years. Not since I found ELR. I’m afraid I don’t have “it” when it comes to making my own from scratch, but I am a good recipe-follower and occasionally will make a change here and there to make something more to my liking.
It’s similar to how I learned to cook. Follow, adapt (and eventually) create. It’s the only way I know how to do things. Or at least the only way I’m comfortable with.
I have always thought this and others will argue it but I figure more than 3 subs it turns from a follow a recipe to an inspired by recipe - that said imho you have probably already crossed the bridge from follower to creator.
Just my 2 cents 
I haven’t purchased a commercial juice since I started mixing a year ago.
Another there are some great juices out there I say bleh. I hated trying to sample 15 juice to “settle” on a 15ml bottle.
A couple months ago I went to a local vape expo. Let’s just say this. Weak attempts at custard vapes. Under flavored and flat cap v1 and v2’s. Decent fruit bases loaded with surclose. Or…me asking every vendor do you have an orange vape and everyone I tried SUCKed.
There were 4 vendors that i gave very high praise to and thanked them for placing a well crafted juice on the market. The rest I was very very polite to.
As a side note…show up dressed up (slacks, dress shirt, and shaved) and the first question you get most of the time is "what company do you represent? Lol.
I haven’t bought a bottle of retail juice in almost a year. Seems like I’ll try one every now and then mainly for inspiration and sometimes it’s just plain desperation to get out of the store I decided to walk into I end up liking the owner chatting w/ them and I find the only max vg they have and buy it and I am always disappointed every time. The last 2 retail juices we both gross. One I still have half the bottle and the other I threw away which I am almost 100% sure it was 99-% FW yellow cake. The other was a Donut juice that I felt was 90% CCGC TFA these are far from luxurious flavors subpar at their very best imho.
Even if I could walk into any vape store and grab any bottle I wouldn’t it’s loaded w/ surculose and pg both things don’t agree w/ me.
The fun part is , is when they ask to try mine of course I pull off my drip tip immediately 
And then their eyes light up and say that is the best juice I’ve ever tasted ! And I say it’s Taro or whatever craziness I feel like vaping and I proudly say it’s pretty good for homemade juice eh 
I admit to buying a couple of bottles here or there but I always go the cheap route, Let’s just say that I was very happy when they went from 18 bucks for a 120ml to 11.99. I have since started to spend money on buying flavorings so I will be concentrating on DIY for now.
It’s crossed my mind to wonder if I’m missing out, but then I’m like “actually there are mixers on here whose recipes I love and continue to go back to” followed by “yikes, no way I’m paying that for 30ml of juice, I can buy a ton of flavourings instead” 
I received a free bottle with an RDA purchase. I liked it quite a bit but not enough to buy more of it even at 80% off.
Every once in a while I want to splurge on some Element Watermelon Chill, $28 for 60ml but I resist the urge.
I’ll never buy juice
I just started a Poll over here… thought it may be interesting…