Attention all vape enthusiasts: if you are on the hunt for vape juices, you will notice different ratios for “VG” and “PG” in the descriptions.
So what does this ratio mean? What is PG and VG? First and foremost, PG stands for “propylene glycol” and VG stands for “vegetable glycerin”. PG and VG are liquid ingredients used in vape juice, which can be combined with differing levels of nicotine. These two ingredients are combined in various ways on e-juices to suit each vape user's preferences.
Propylene Glycol is a colorless and odorless petroleum byproduct. This ingredient gives what vapers call a “throat hit” on the inhale. A throat hit is said by users to mimic the sensation when smoking tobacco products. So tobacco lovers usually gravitate to e-liquids that contain a higher PG. Additionally, PG e-liquid is the less viscous option of the two, which makes it more easily absorbed by cotton fabric inside cartomizers and wick tanks. Other differences in PG compared to VG are:
- Flavorless: PG has no taste and no odor, so it doesn’t alter the flavor of the vape juice in anyway.
- Less build-up: Since PG is runny in consistency, it builds up less gunk on the heating element of vaporizer on your device. The liquid is easier to clean off your vaping device than vegetable glycerin.
- Throat hit: The throat hit is stronger with PG, which is considered to be similar to tobacco cigarettes.
Now, VG on the other hand is different. Vegetable Glycerin is a natural substance that is taken from vegetable oil. Because of this it’s considered to be a natural chemical. VG is thicker in substance, which causes thick cloud production on the exhale. When e-juices are described as “smooth,” it is because of the VG that is present. The differences in VG compared to PG ultimately are:
- Flavor: Vegetable glycerin alters e-liquid flavors and causes them to be sweeter in taste.
- More build-up: The thick viscosity of VG causes for more build up. More cleaning is involved or else your vaporizer becomes in danger of getting clogged.
- Throat hit: The throat hit is significantly less than that with PG, which makes e-juices smoother on the throat.
Usually the beginners of vaping gravitate to e-liquids with a stronger amount of VG and less amount of PG. If you’ve never smoked tobacco cigarettes before either, a strong PG throat kick may be a bit harder to handle as well. However over time, vape enthusiasts say that users may eventually lean more towards e-liquids with more PG in them.
Would you be a fan of a smoother VG vape with thicker cloud production? Or would you be able to handle more of a PG vape with a sharp throat hit? It’s a tough decision to make for anyone new to the vape scene. But the first step can be fairly easy: explore your options. Dig into an e-juice collection and start your search for the perfect vape today. Check out descriptions, read reviews, and decide for yourself which vape juice is best for you.
