A Quick Discussion on VG/PG Ratios

Authored by Jessie Cyr-

There are a ton of e-juice options out there--a truly overwhelming number of different choices--and understanding the appropriate ratio of Vegetable Glycerin to Propylene Glycol for your given vaporizer can go a long way toward a satisfying vaping experience.

Propylene Glycol (PG) tends to be thinner than Vegetable Glycerin (VG), and also is used as the solvent for most flavor concentrates. It is used in a number of medical and food grade applications, including being used as the carrier solution for many asthma inhalers. PG does a great job of carrying the flavors that make vaping a pleasant experience. It does also tend to create some of the “throat hit” that many vapers desire.

VG is more viscous, and is similarly used in a number of cosmetic and food grade applications, from skin moisturizers to being used to keep pre-packaged cakes moist. VG tends to reduce the harshness of the juice and is a major contributing factor to the thickness of the “clouds” for many vapor device users (VG is also a major component of the liquid used in fog machines). VG does carry flavor, though not quite as well as PG, one shouldn’t discount using a higher VG e-liquid because they are chasing after a more satisfying flavor, there are an absolute plethora of e-juice options that contain 80% or more VG as their base.

So, what’s right for you? That depends on the device you’re using. Typically users with a cigarette like draw, mouth to lung vaping device will want a higher PG ratio, the thinner juice does a great job of getting into the smaller wicking holes on the sides of the coils, and the “throat hit” from a 50 or 40% PG juice is often appealing to someone looking to recreate the action of cigarette smoking. For users with Sub-ohm tanks, those that have a hookah like draw, direct to the lungs will often want to focus on juices with a 70 or 80% VG concentration. This will help keep the vapor smoother as it is inhaled and minimize coughing and irritation. If you are using a rebuildable dripping atomizer (RDA), often the extra vapor production may lead a user to seek even higher VG concentrations, though anything with 70% or more VG should work very well in these applications.

No matter what style of vaping you find most enjoyable, it is certainly worthwhile to be mindful of the VG/PG ratio when selecting your e-juice to make sure that you can take full advantage of the device you have, and get the most from your experience.