Propylene Glycol vs. Vegetable Glycerin (PG vs. VG) in Vape Juice

by Aug 25, 2023E-Cigarette Basics

Although pre-filled vaping devices such as disposable vapes have become increasingly popular over the last few years, refillable vapes have remained the devices of choice for more experienced vapers. The biggest reason why you might want to use a refillable device is because it allows you to select your own vape juice flavors, but it’s not the only reason.

The other benefit of using a refillable device is that it allows you to tailor your e-liquid to your exact specifications. That’s why e-liquid manufacturers put the specifications of their products on every bottle – so picky vapers can buy products that perfectly meet their requirements.

If you have a refillable vape and want to buy vape juice that will provide the best possible experience with your device, one of the most important things that you need to know about an e-liquid is its ratio of propylene glycol to vegetable glycerin – or its PG/VG ratio.

So, what is an e-liquid’s PG/VG ratio – and what exactly are propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, anyway? Those are the questions that we’re going to answer in this guide.

New to Vaping? You Can Have a Great Experience Without Understanding PG/VG Ratios

Propylene Glycol vs Vegetable Glycerin

Before we dig in too deeply, here’s the good news: If you’re new to vaping and are using a refillable device, the debate surrounding PG vs. VG is generally one that you don’t need to worry about too much. As long as you’re using the right nicotine strength for your needs, your vape juice will most likely work fine with your device.

  • Small vaping devices like the Uwell Caliburn series usually work best with nicotine salt e-liquids. These e-liquids have higher nicotine strengths and are formulated to work well with smaller vapes.
  • Large vaping devices like the Geekvape L200 usually work best with freebase nicotine e-liquids. These e-liquids have lower nicotine strengths and are formulated to work well with larger vapes.

Like everything else in vaping, though, understanding the differences between propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin is something that you can dig into more deeply if you want to get even more out of your experience – and that’s what we’re going to help you do in this guide.

Understanding the Ingredients of E-Liquid

If you want to understand propylene glycol vs. vegetable glycerin and how this topic applies to e-liquid, it’s important to have a basic understanding of how vape juice is made. Most e-liquid consists of four ingredients: PG, VG, nicotine and food-grade flavors. The thing about nicotine and food flavors, though, is that they’re sold in extremely concentrated forms. Pharmacy-grade nicotine, for example, is over 99 percent pure. You’d never want to vape pure nicotine, and simply mixing liquid nicotine with flavoring agents wouldn’t dilute the mixture sufficiently. By volume, nicotine may comprise as little as 0.3 percent of what’s in a bottle of vape juice. Flavors usually comprise no more than about 5-10 percent.

To dilute the nicotine and flavors to the desired strengths, vape juice needs to have a carrier. Depending on the e-liquid, the carrier may be propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin or — most commonly — a mix of the two.

The vast majority of what’s in any bottle of vape juice – usually around 90-95 percent – is PG and VG. Those two liquids give vape juice its substance, and they also create the smoke-like clouds that you see when you vape.

The other benefit of PG and VG is that they’re both emulsifiers. They keep an e-liquid’s ingredients in suspension, so they stay mixed after the vape juice is bottled. That way, you don’t need to shake the bottle to redistribute the ingredients each time you fill your tank or pod.

What Is Propylene Glycol (PG)?

What Is PG Vape Juice

Propylene glycol is one of the most widely used synthetic chemicals in the world. It can be made from petroleum, although that’s generally done for industrial-grade PG and not for food uses. It’s more common for food-grade PG to be synthesized from plant sources such as soybeans.

In addition to its industrial uses – which include the manufacturing of plastics and ice removal from aircraft – PG has a wide variety of human uses because of its useful properties.

  • PG is used to dilute and emulsify ingredients, so it’s useful in liquid suspensions such as medications.
  • PG is an effective solvent, so it can be used as the main ingredient in alcohol-free tinctures.
  • PG is antimicrobial, so it’s used in air fresheners and deodorants.
  • PG absorbs and traps moisture. Because of that property and the fact that it slows microbial growth, it’s often added to foods to help prevent spoilage.
  • PG lowers the freezing point of liquids, so it’s often added to frozen foods to prevent the formation of ice crystals.

Some of the products that commonly use PG include:

  • Liquid and inhaled medications
  • Shelf-stable food products
  • Cosmetics
  • Topical products such as shampoos, conditioners and lotions
  • Air fresheners and deodorants
  • Eyedrops
  • Beverages such as bottled coffee drinks
  • Frozen products such as slushes and ice creams

Why Would You Want to Use a High-PG E-Liquid?

Compared to VG, PG is significantly thinner and has less of a noticeable flavor. It also causes a slightly scratchy sensation in the throat when it’s inhaled in vapor form. Based on those properties, these are the features of high-PG e-liquids.

  • They’re best for use in smaller vaping devices. High-VG e-liquids, on the other hand, are thicker and may cause small vapes to clog.
  • They provide for more clearly defined flavors. High-PG blends are good for e-liquids with complex and savory flavor profiles.
  • They’re best for throat hit. If you like an e-liquid that creates an assertive throat hit, you’ll probably enjoy using a high-PG blend.
  • They produce small vapor clouds that disappear quickly. High-PG e-liquids are best for discreet vaping.

What Is Vegetable Glycerin (VG)?

What Is VG Vape Juice

Unlike PG – which is produced synthetically – vegetable glycerin is a natural product that’s available in great quantities because it’s a byproduct of soapmaking. Adding lye to oil produces soap and glycerin. Some of the glycerin is often added back into the soap for its moisturizing properties, and the rest is reserved for a variety of other purposes.

Since people around the world use enormous quantities of soap every day, there’s plenty of glycerin available – which is a good thing because of its many useful properties.

  • Like PG, VG is also an effective emulsifier and solvent.
  • VG also absorbs and traps water, which makes it a powerful moisturizer.
  • VG has a noticeably sweet flavor, so it’s often used to enhance the apparent sweetness of low-sugar foods.

Vegetable glycerin is used in many of the same types of products as propylene glycol. Some of the most common products in which you’ll find VG include:

  • Shelf-stable food products, especially ones that are expected to taste sweet
  • Moisturizing products such as lotions, conditioners and eyedrops
  • Cake frostings, because it helps to prevent them from hardening
  • VG can also be used as an alternative to PG in most of the products listed in the PG section of this article.

Why Would You Want to Use a High-VG E-Liquid?

Compared to PG, VG is much thicker and has a sweeter flavor. When it’s inhaled, it produces a sensation in the throat that’s very soft and moist. Based on those properties, these are the features of high-VG e-liquids.

  • They’re best for use in larger vaping devices. High-PG e-liquids, on the other hand, are very thin and may cause leaks when used with large vape tanks.
  • They help to bring out the best in sweeter flavor profiles because VG itself tastes sweet.
  • They’re best for smoothness. Many people find that VG feels moist in the mouth and throat, which you might enjoy if you’ve tried PG-based e-liquids and found them overly harsh.
  • They have a full, silky mouth feel and produce large vapor clouds that hover in the air for a long time. High-VG e-liquids are best for cloud chasing.

Are PG and VG Safe for Vaping?

What Is PG VG Ratio

PG and VG are both recognized by the FDA in the United States as “generally regarded as safe” – or “GRAS” – for human consumption. Both substances have been used for many years in foods, drinks, topical products, medications, supplements and more. However, vaping devices are the first products to heat those ingredients specifically for the purpose of inhaling them. Although medical inhalers often contain propylene glycol, the PG isn’t heated. Concerns have been raised about the creation of formaldehyde when e-liquids are subjected to high temperatures. If you have a vape mod with adjustable wattage, it’s wise to set your device to the lowest power level that allows you to achieve your desired level of satisfaction.

What’s the Best PG/VG Ratio for Your Needs?

Most of the e-liquid on the market contains a balance of PG and VG. Nicotine salt e-liquids usually have a balance somewhere in the range of 50/50, whereas freebase nicotine vape juice – which is often formulated for use in larger vaping devices – often contain a bit more VG than PG. In both cases, the balance of PG and VG is selected by the manufacturer to provide the best possible performance with the equipment that people who buy the e-liquid are most likely to use. Since the manufacturers have tried to do the work for you, you don’t have to think about an e-liquid’s PG/VG ratio at all if you don’t want to. You can select your e-liquid based on the nicotine strength and flavor, and you’ll be completely satisfied.

If you’re a picky vaper who wants to get even more out of your experience, though, it’s useful to understand what PG and VG are and how they affect an e-liquid’s performance. Reading this article, you’ve learned that you should consider a vape juice that’s high in PG if you use a smaller vaping device and want an e-liquid that’ll give you a clearly defined flavor an assertive throat hit. If you use a larger vape mod, on the other hand, you’ll probably be happier with an e-liquid that’s high in VG. A high-VG blend will give you plenty of smoothness and sweetness along with room-filling clouds.

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About the Author: Jason Artman

Jason Artman founded eCig One after switching from smoking to vaping in 2010 and has been a professional writer and SEO consultant since 2007. His work has been featured on television and in leading publications, and it has been referenced in numerous peer-reviewed journals. Jason works with leading vape brands around the world to generate targeted web traffic and increase their revenue.