When you’re smoking, you don’t have too many options. You have tobacco, menthol-flavoured tobacco, and, well, more tobacco. You can smoke or chew your tobacco, but it’s still tobacco no matter which way you spin it.
Vaping on the other hand, is a whole different story. When you’re vaping, not only do you have hundreds of flavours to choose from, but you also have PG and VG liquids. If you’ve come across these terms but overlooked them, then you’re doing yourself a disservice. Striking the right balance between PG and VG can totally alter your vaping experience. Here’s exactly what you need to know to start vaping the smart way.
PG vs. VG: What Is the Difference?
PG, otherwise known as Propylene Glycol, and VG, also known as vegetable glycerin, are both clear, odourless liquids that are combined with nicotine and flavourings to produce e-liquid, the stuff you vape. They are both alcohols, not oils, and produce vapour when heated to very high temperatures.
They have slightly different consistencies and flavours when vaped, and so vaping companies typically mix them in different ratios depending on the flavour of the e-liquid. The ratio of PG to VG in any given bottle of e-juice can vary dramatically anywhere from 100% VG all the way to 100% PG though it’s fairly rare to find ones on the extremes. PG liquids carry more flavour and provide a harder throat hit, and VG liquids produce thick, dense clouds that feel smooth on the back of the throat and vape particularly well in sub-ohm tanks.
PG: Propylene Glycol
Propylene glycol is a colourless, creamy liquid also referred to as propane-1,2-diol. Because it’s water-soluble, it serves as a vehicle for different topical products like lotion. You can also find propylene glycol in cosmetics, packaged food, medications, and antifreeze. It’s also used in fog machines in haunted houses!
This petroleum by-product is responsible for the throat hit you feel every time you take a puff of your e-cigarette. It also acts well as a solvent, so it carries flavour well. 100% VG liquid or even high-VG liquids won’t be nearly as flavourful as a more even blend.
What Should I Do If PG Irritates My Throat?
PG liquids do tend to be irritating to many at first, so it’s best to drink more water as you allow your body to adjust to e-juice. If you find that PG still bothers you, then you can always switch to high-VG liquids. The majority of e-liquid carriers offer the same flavour in multiple different PG/VG ratios to accommodate for preference.
VG: Vegetable Glycerin
Vegetable glycerin is derived from vegetable oil and is vegetarian-friendly. This thick, viscous liquid mitigates the severity of the heat. High-VG liquids are usually popular among sub-ohm vapers who need a smoother liquid to counterbalance the low resistance and high power. Plus, it produces thick, dense clouds perfect for cloud-chasing.
Like PG, VG is colourless and odourless. It’s slightly sweeter than PG, and, as such, is typically used as an additive or sugar substitute in packaged goods. You can also find vegetable glycerin in cosmetic products because it absorbs moisture from the air leaving your skin soft and supple.
How do I Vape High VG E-Liquids?
Because they are so thick, high-VG liquids cannot be used in e-cigs, eGo-style devices, and other beginner’s vape pens because they’ll get stuck in the tanks.
If you’re going to use high-VG liquids, you should be using a sub-ohm mod. Sub-ohm mods are advanced devices with low-resistance and high-wattage output. They typically come with a tank powerful enough to wick the juice into the atomizer. If you’re using anything above 40/60, then you need to be using a more advanced device. You’ll still receive all the benefits though of vaping high-VG liquids even with more balanced ratios.
What Ratio of PG/VG Liquid Should I Use?
Most vaping companies sell e-liquids in a variety of different ratios, but there’s no hard and fast rule to determine which one you should use. It really depends on what kind of vaper you are.
Stealth Vaping- While vaping isn’t illegal in most public areas like smoking is, a lot of vapers would prefer to remain inconspicuous. Outdoor cafes and playgrounds may not be off limits, but you may disturb your neighbours if you’re vaping heavily especially if you’re in an area with children. In this case, you may want to stick with high-PG vape juice because it won’t produce such thick vapour. Of course you shouldn’t try to stealth vape if it is actually forbidden to vape. If you’re not sure, it’s always better to ask because passersby and shop owners will get even more irritated if you stealth vape in a place where vaping is discouraged.
Former Smokers- If you’re vaping in order to quit smoking, then you’ll probably want liquids with a higher PG content because it will give you that hard throat-hit that you’ll crave. You’ll also probably want to be using an e-cig or eGo-style device so you can get that tight mouth-to-lungs vape. If you are using a mod, then you’ll want to restrict the airflow so that you won’t get a direct-to-lungs hit.
Beginner Vapers-Novices should probably stick with an even mix, so either 60/40, 50/50, or 40/60. Beginners will most likely be using an e-cigarette or eGo style device, neither of which can handle high-VG liquids. High VG liquids are likely just to clog the filter. On the other hand, high-PG liquids tend to irritate the throat. From there, you’ll be able to experiment with different ratios, but it’s best to begin in the middle.
Cloudchasers- If you want to blow the biggest, baddest clouds around town, or if you can’t stand the fact that the gal next to you is chucking more vapour than you are, then you’ll definitely want a liquid with a high VG content. That doesn’t mean, of course, that you need to choose 100% VG liquid. Usually even when vaping companies sell e-liquid as “Max VG” they mean either 30/70 or 20/80. Rarely will you find 100% e-liquid for the simple reason that it doesn’t taste all that great. VG doesn’t hold flavour as well as PG does, so you’ll only really want to use this if you’re in a cloudchasing competition. Indeed, many competitions will offer participants 100% VG juice on site.
How to Find the Sweet Spot?
Maybe you’ve started with 50/50, but it’s just not exactly what you’re looking for. Then you tried 40/60, but that’s too thick. Then you may want to try blending e-liquids a bit on your own. It’s far more cost-effective to experiment in your basement than order a custom blend, and it will taste either just as good if not better when you get it exactly right.
Thinning-If you’re e-cig juice has just a bit too much VG, try adding distilled water to make it just a bit thinner. The juice won’t gunk up the coil, and the cotton will absorb it more quickly.
Flavorings-If you buy e-liquid with a high concentration of VG, you might end up sacrificing flavour, which is typically suspended in the PG liquid. In that case, you can purchase nicotine and flavourings separately. In fact, you can even order the e-liquid with an extra shot of flavours. For example, if I order Max VG liquid from South Beach Smoke, I may choose to add a double or triple flavour shot to compensate for the flavour I lost.
Conclusion
Whether you’re puffing away on a cig-a-like or chain-vaping a mod, everyone uses e-liquid unless of course you’re using dry herbs or concentrates. Assuming you’re using vape juice though, you’ll need to know what is in your vape juice.
Though you’ll hardly ever want to vape 100% PG liquid nor 100% VG liquid, it’s not always so simple to guess which ratio will work for you. Finding the perfect balance in any endeavour in life always takes some effort, but with a little bit of effort, we’re sure that you’ll be happily vaping away in no time.
Most vape liquids will be offered in a few different varieties. However, some will not if that ratio brings out the flavour best. Fruity, tangy liquids are best offered as high-PG juices, and creamy, custardy vape juices work best as VG e-liquids. In that case, the vaping company has done the work for you!
Here at E-Cig Brands, we’ve tested hundreds of e-liquids at different ratios, and there really isn’t one that all of us like all the time. The flavour of the e-liquid is probably a more important factor than the PG/VG balance, but if you want to get the perfect vape, then you will want to pay attention to the ingredients. Ultimately though, there isn’t any way to make a mistake. If you don’t like the e-liquid, then you don’t like it. Nothing happens. Of course you want to read the instruction manual carefully for your device to verify which e-liquids it can take before loading them up.