PG and VG are the acronyms for propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, two essential compounds for making a juice.
In addition to these two components, we also have nicotine, specific aromas and also water in this composition that you certainly already love.
But to get the most out of your electronic cigarette, knowing what you’re consuming is essential for an incredible experience with your vape.
Come learn more about PG VG and hit your next picks!
PG VG: What Are They?
Both PG and VG are alcohols or chemicals without any odour that are in the chemical class of alcohol. But don’t get confused: this only refers to the chemical chain! In practice, no intoxicating products or any adverse effects here!
PG is a totally odourless and colourless liquid, used in the chemical and food industry to flavour products intended for these purposes. In juice, he is responsible for making the aromas appear in our mouths.
VG is a liquid of totally organic origin, super sweet and thick, which is obtained through vegetable oils.
PG and VG are products considered safe by the FDA, the US health agency, and are used in a wide range of products, including formulations for the skin, for foods, soaps and a wide range of foods.
PG Propylene Glycol
Long before becoming a food component, PG was already part of the routine of physicians, as it has been used for at least 80 years in the treatment of asthma and other respiratory diseases.
Once approved by the FDA, it started to be used in inhalable drugs, although it favours, in some people, the development of allergic conditions.
VG Vegetable Glycerin
VG is present in almost all cosmetics and even your toothpaste.
In e-liquid, it is directly responsible for the production of clouds, which serve to imitate conventional cigarettes. However, of course, this is not its only use for juice.
VG also attributes the flavour you feel in a juice, that sweetness so characteristic and more than loved!
What are the differences between PG and VG?
PG has some specs that make all the difference in your juice experience, depending on your concentration. Check out:
- PG is much more fluid than VG. The higher the concentration of PG, the better the experience of using the vape, as it will not clog as much as it would with a thicker product.
- The higher the concentration of PG makes your vape consumption experience closer to that of a traditional cigarette, due to the sensation that stays in the throat, between an irritation and a throat clearing.
- If you don’t want to worry so much about cleaning an atomizer, the PG is more your friend than the VG, precisely because it is much thinner.
Just like the PG, the VG has features that make your experience even more interesting compared to a new juice. See, below, what are the main highlights for a greater concentration of VG!
- The VG produces more steam than PG especially to be planted and have a thicker consistency. However, it is worth remembering that the more steam, the less flavour.
- A higher concentration of VG provides a more distant experience than that with a cigarette, especially because it is a completely vegetable component.
- If you prefer a sweeter essence, VG is your main ally, because by itself its characteristic is a sweeter flavour, while PG, by itself, does not attribute any flavour.
- Lower rate of allergic reactions makes up your head? Ours too. As it is a vegetable, VG does not cause or contribute to the development of allergic conditions.
What is the Appropriate Percentage of PG and VG?
It depends on your preference, since there are essences with different percentages and balances, with different purposes and, above all, suited to the particularity of the expenses of each one.
See below the PG/VG ratios and what the expected result is :
| Proportion in PG/VG | It is made |
| 80/20 | Emulates the effect of conventional cigarettes on the throat. Provides better functioning of the atomizer, reducing obstructions. |
| 60/40 | Provides a good amount of steam and lightly matches the sensation in the throat. |
| 50/50 | More resistant to nicotine and feels more like smoking a paper cigarette than any other mixture. |
| 40/60 | The blend that is closest to the traditional cigarette in the throat sensation, with adequate flavour and ideal clouds. |
| 80/20 | Almost without that sensation in the throat characteristic of cigarettes, with a very sweet, pleasant taste and immense clouds of steam. Perfect for those who drip juices into an RDA. |
How to Choose the Right Type of Tank for PG and VG Ratio?
Each type of tank works best according to the e-juice that will be used. Here’s how to choose the best in terms of PG to VG ratio:
| Coil | It is made |
| Superior | For an older vape, mixtures of 80/20 (PG/VG) or even 100% PG is normally used, because the atomization occurs at the very top of the central rod and because it depends on the wick for the liquid to be absorbed. For these pen-shaped models, using a thick liquid is the worst idea. |
| Superior | In the same way as the vapes with an upper coil, those with a lower coil also tend to be better used in the 80/20 or 100 ratios, even if the wick does not need to go all the way to the end and suck the liquid into the coil, as it is at the bottom and, in this position, gravity itself already contributes to its atomization. |
| Sub OHM | The Sub OHM, on the other hand, are more suitable for those who want more steam and sweet taste, as they adapt better to high VG rates. However, this type of coil requires more power, mainly because it needs more heat, and is less resistant than the lower and the upper. |