PG and VG – What You Need to Know About E-liquid

PG and VG – What You Need to Know About E-liquid

• What is E-liquid/E-juice ?

E-liquid, also known as E-juice, is a liquid used in electronic cigarettes that produces a vapor that simulates cigarette smoke. E-liquid typically consists of four basic ingredients:

• PG ( Propylene glycol )
• VG ( Vegetable Glycerin )
• Flavors (There are hundreds of different flavors available today)
• Nicotine (0mg, 3mg, 6mg or more)
• You can also add distilled water to dilute the E-liquid if it is too thick, especially 100%VG E-liquid.

• PG and VG

PG (Propylene glycol) and VG (Vegetable Glycerin) are the two main ingredients in e-liquid and are recognized as safe for food use.

- PG is a colorless, tasteless liquid solution.
- VG is a liquid made from vegetable oil, has a sweet taste and is slightly thicker and stickier than PG.
- PG and VG are both used frequently in the food, cosmetic, etc. industries.
- PG is thinner, VG is thicker.

E-liquids can be made from 100% PG, 100% VG, or a PG/VG blend. So which one should you choose?

To choose the right e-liquid, we have to consider the following cases:

- Taste: Vegetable Glycerin (VG) has an outstanding advantage when used as an essential oil in electronic cigarettes. The most noticeable difference from users is that it creates a sweet taste when using electronic cigarette essential oil containing VG. In addition, electronic cigarette essential oil containing VG does not cause dry lips like electronic cigarette essential oils that only use PG, and it also promotes the smoke creation process better than PG. Therefore, electronic cigarette essential oils containing VG always bring a better feeling of use than electronic cigarette essential oils using PG.
- Smoke: Although PG is the main ingredient that produces the vapor/“smoke”, it also creates a sweet aftertaste after smoking.
- Storage time: PG is a longer-lasting solution than VG, but VG retains more moisture.
- Heat resistance: VG has a higher heat resistance than PG. Therefore, VG needs high temperatures to produce smoke. But it can “burn” when heating PG at high temperatures.

• Atomizer :

PG is thinner so when the wick is burned it is absorbed more easily, therefore it stains the wick less when burned, which also means the atomizer will need to be cleaned less often. There are several atomizers/clearomizers specifically for this type on the market such as CE4, viva nova, protank, etc.

VG is thicker so it will produce more vapor, and the smoke will be thicker, but it also stains the wick and the burner faster, so regular cleaning of the atomizer is necessary. The best atomizers for this type are Trident, Sapor, etc.

Note: Some people (a small percentage) are allergic to PG, commonly experiencing rashes or stomach upset.
Many e-liquid manufacturers now blend PG/VG together to maintain the benefits of both ingredients. PG will give you a stronger tasting e-liquid, but it will be harsh on your throat; and VG will produce more smoke. Common PG/VG ratios are 50/50, 60/40, or 70/30.

• A FEW WORDS ABOUT NICOTINE

I do not recommend non-smokers or “newbies” to use nicotine in e-liquid because nicotine is potentially addictive.

Nicotine strength is measured in mg of nicotine per ml of e-liquid (mg/ml). For example, 24mg/ml means 24mg of nicotine in 1ml of e-liquid. For smokers who want to quit smoking and switch to vaping, you can choose your nicotine strength based on the number of cigarettes you normally smoke.

Below are the nicotine concentrations commonly produced:
• 0mg = Nicotine Free
• 3mg = Moderate
• 6mg = Severe
• 12mg = Super heavy

Note: Do not choose a Nicotine strength higher than you need, and gradually reduce the Nicotine strength step by step if you really want to quit smoking.

• FLAVOR

Flavor is always an important and fun part of choosing an e-liquid. You can buy e-liquid in different flavors or make your own.
Typically, there will be 5-20% flavoring mixed into e-liquid. The exception is Tobacco flavors which are only 1-3%.

In 10ml E-liquid ≈ 100% there will be:

95%-80% PG or VG or PG/VG mix ratio
5% - 20% synthetic flavors and nicotine.

In case you want to mix e-liquids together, for example: 10ml, 18mg, 50%PG/50%VG, 10% Apple Flavor, you will need to prepare:

1) 1ml Apple Flavor
2) 4.5ml PG; 4.5ml VG
3) 180mg Nicotine
Mix all the above ingredients in the bottle, shake it for 15 seconds, and your new e-liquid is done!

• WHICH E-LIQUID IS BEST?

No one can tell you which e-liquid is best for you, the best way is to find out for yourself. There are PG/VG mixes 50/50, 60/40, 70/30 which are good places to start when you are not sure which one to choose.
If you want more flavor in your e-liquid, add PG; if you want more vapor, add VG. Vaping for a while, I guarantee you'll get the hang of it.

But in my personal opinion, 70%PG/30%VG is the most suitable ratio for clearomizers on the market today, and 20%PG/80%VG is for RBAs.

• PH CONCENTRATION IN E-LIQUID

Like any other liquid, you should choose the right pH balance for your e-liquid to get the best flavor. You can use a pH test strip to check before vaping.

The recommended pH range for e-liquid is 6-8.

In most cases, the pH level of e-liquid will lean more towards alkaline. Because the ingredients in e-liquid such as PG/VG are alkaline, even the secondary flavors. So you can choose fruit flavors or flavors like lemon, orange to balance.