PG vs VG: What They Are and How to Use Them

The FDA has classified VG as “generally recognized as safe” and it is widely regarded as one of the most benign substances known to man. The SIDS assessment profile show it to have low toxicity when consumed, and of low potential to irritate the skin or eye. This, along with the widespread use of VG in food and medicine suggest it is safe for humans. However, as with PG, there are limited studies on VG being inhaled as opposed to ingestion.

A 2008 study of the toxicity of inhaling aerosolized glycerol found minimal risks. We can assume the use of VG in vaping has no serious impact on health but, as with PG, we would welcome more detailed studies.

It is important to note that the risk of being allergic to vegetable glycerin is very low, making it a useful alternative for people who have issues when vaping e-juice containing PG. If you are allergic to palm oil or coconut oil then VG could prove a problem, but this is relatively uncommon. Diabetics could possibly experience problems with metabolizing VG, but this would not be an issue at the levels used in vaping.

The increased thickness of VG means it can reduce the life of atomizers quicker than PG-based juice. High VG liquids clog up coils more rapidly, and will not work well, if at all, in certain tanks. Older products are especially susceptible, particularly models that use smaller coils such as clearomizers. The Nautilus range and eGo tanks are some of the more well-known tanks that are known to have difficulties dealing with high VG fluid.

As with PG, the most common side effects of vaping high VG e-liquid are those of dehydration: dry mouth, sore throat, and increased thirst. Again, be sure to drink plenty of water and take a break from vaping if necessary.

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to this. It depends on the kind of vaping experience you prefer. Many people use various levels of PG and VG for different purposes:

• Throat Hit – If you enjoy a sharp throat hit when vaping then you’ll prefer a high PG vape. The ‘kick’ at the back of the throat, is something many ex-smokers crave, and PG (along with the nicotine) provides more of this than VG. PG carries flavor marginally better than VG, so the flavor will be slightly improved.
• Smoothness – High VG fluid tends to give a much smoother feeling on the throat, with a more substantial, ‘thicker’ mouthfeel. The flavor is slightly muted in VG fluids, but this can be countered by using more power to produce more vapor. Be careful to stay within the voltage/wattage limits of your atomizer, or you risk dry hits, or even damaging your equipment.
• Stealth Vaping – If you want to keep your vaping lowkey in public then high PG is the way to go. Less vapor is produced when exhaled, making this ideal for the less ostentatious vaping enthusiast. However, you should always apply common sense. Vaping in certain places, such as waiting rooms and on public transport, is often outlawed and is simply bad manners. As vaping is relatively new, we have a duty to be aware of public opinion and behave responsibly.
• Cloudchasing – Cloudchasing involves exhaling dense clouds of vapor. There are even competitive events based around this activity, where the person producing the biggest clouds wins. If this appeals, then high VG is the only option – the higher the better.

It isn’t as simple as deciding on a high VG or PG vape juice and hoping for the best. It all comes down to your equipment. If it isn’t suitable for the job, it can lead to unpleasant throat irritation or wicking problems resulting in dry hits.

• Clearomizers – The clearomizer is one of the most common styles of tanks for vaping. It includes the timeless Aspire Nautilus series of tanks. These take higher resistance coils and are usually vaped below 15 watts. Clearomizers are not generally suitable for high VG fluids, as their coils cannot cope well with thick fluid; it can lead to unpleasant dry hits of burning cotton. It is advised to use high PG fluid, or a 50/50 ratio, when using this kind of tank.
• Sub-Ohm Tanks – Tanks like the SMOK TFV Series, for example. They can take a lot more power than standard clearomizers and are designed to deal well with high VG juice. Consider this the racing car of vaping that needs high performance octane in the tank. Requiring high battery strength, these tanks use up e-juice a lot quicker, just like a gas guzzler. If you want to know more about this, check our detailed guide to sub-ohm vaping.
• Rebuildables  – If you prefer to make your own coils, you have a lot more flexibility on your e-liquid ratio. It still depends on the coils you use but you don’t have to worry as much about your cotton wicking properly. As always, the ratio boils down to personal preference, but the norm for coil resistances of premade coils works out the same for rebuildables – sub-ohm coils for high VG, higher resistance coils for 50/50 or high PG.

The best way to find your PG/VG ‘sweet spot’ to experiment by making your own e-juice. It’s surprisingly easy to do, and very cost-effective. You can check this out in more detail in our DIY e-liquid guide, but here are some things to be aware of:

• Steeping – If you make high VG juice, you might find this will take longer to steep. This is especially relevant to complex multi-flavor recipes. Single-flavor recipes using a high PG ratio will often take less time to steep, and sometimes be ready immediately. You can read more about this in our detailed guide to steeping e-juice.
• Flavorings – The majority of flavor concentrates available are suspended in PG. It’s important to factor this in when making high VG e-juice as the higher the quantity of flavor used, the more the VG level drops. It is possible to buy flavorings suspended in VG but this is less common.
• Thinning Juice – If you have made juice with a high VG ratio, your coil might have problems with wicking the thick gloopy fluid. If you don’t want to use PG, the solution is to add some distilled water to your juice—maybe a drop per 10 mL—to help thin it out. This will help the cotton absorb the fluid quicker. Don’t go overboard here… a drop goes a long way.
• Unflavored juice – Want to find your sweet spot without wasting valuable resources? Try mixing VG and PG in different ratios. Using only base liquid and some cheap plastic e-liquid bottles you can find the optimal juice viscosity for your gear and avoid dry hits and leaking. This is also

The basics of PG and VG are quite easy to grasp. They both work in different ways, and each has advantages and disadvantages. Our advice is to start with a 50-50 PG to VG ratio then try out various combinations and see which you prefer. Make sure your vaping setup can deal with the different ratios.

Many vapers like to use different levels of PG and VG at different times, and with various devices and flavors. Tobaccos, fruits and beverage flavors often go well with PG, as the sharpness of the PG blends well with the tart or fizz of the flavoring. Similarly, flavors based on cream, custard and yogurt tend to work well with high VG as the thick mouth sensation adds to the dessert-like feel. There are no fixed rules, just follow what your taste buds tell you!