When it comes to vaping, two of the most common terms are VG and PG.
While these two terms sound similar, they are far from the same, and knowing the difference is crucial for every vaper to understand.
If you're unfamiliar with what exactly PG and VG mean and how they differ, don't worry–we've got you covered.
In this guide, we'll explore the difference between VG vs PG and more. Let's dive in.
What are PG and VG?
Here are the basics about PG and VG.
- PG is an abbreviation for propylene glycol. VG is an abbreviation for vegetable glycerin.
- PG and VG are the liquid ingredients in vape juice. Both VG and PG can be used in the same product.
- There is also an e-juice ingredient called polyethylene glycol, or PEG, but you won't come across it very often.
PG and VG make up what's called the "base" of vape juice. They are the carrier for nicotine, if you choose to use it, and the flavors you like, which are added in smaller amounts. The ratios of PG vs VG (or VG vs PG, if you prefer) can make a huge difference in your vaping experience
What is propylene glycol?
Propylene glycol is a colorless liquid with a very light, sweet taste. It absorbs water helps flavors and nicotine dissolve more thoroughly. It's not organic, but the FDA has ruled that it is "generally recognized as safe."
What is vegetable glycerin?
Vegetable glycerin, also known as glycerol, is a thick liquid made from soybean or palm oil. It also absorbs water but it stays a lot thicker than propylene glycol. It keeps minty vape flavors from having a cooling effect in your mouth.
How do ratios work?
VG and PG are in vape juice to make sure it has the right consistency. Getting the right consistency of your vape juice is important because it has to be vaporized. If it is too thin, it will burn. If it is too thick, it will just sit there instead of turning into vapor.
There is no one perfect ratio of these two liquids that works for everybody who vapes. Some vapers will want more VG, and some vapers will want more PG. That's the reason vape juice comes in so many different ratios. Users can pick the ratio they like the best.
You will need to experiment with different settings and different ratios of PG vs VG (or VG vs PG) to create the vaping experience you prefer. Changing the ratio of these two e-juice ingredients can give you a bigger cloud, or a stronger throat hit, or stronger flavor. But you won't get all of those in the same ratio.
VG vs PG: The Differences Compared
What's the difference between VG and PG?
VG, also known as vegetable glycerin, is a sticky and thicky ingredient. It's odorless. It flows slowly, like syrup.
VG has a high smoke point so it keeps your e-liquid from burning. It makes your vape juice thicker. It makes clouds thicker as well.
PG, also known as propylene glycol, is a thin and runny ingredient. It keeps vape juice from being too thick to vape. It thins out vape clouds, but this concentrates the flavor and produces a stronger throat hit by the way it evaporates.
So let's look at a line-up of the differences between VG and PG.
VG:
- Is thicker.
- Is more likely to gunk up your vape pen. There is more coil buildup,
- Doesn't deliver as much flavor.
- Makes denser clouds.
- Doesn't give you as strong a throat hit.
- Isn't likely to set off allergies.
PG:
- Is thinner.
- Is less likely to gunk up your vape pen. There is less coil buildup.
- Delivers more flavor.
- Makes thinner clouds.
- Gives you a stronger throat hit.
- Is more likely to set off allergies.
So, what do you buy to get the ratio of VG to PG or PG to VG that you want?
PG and VG: Which Ratio is Right for You?
Vapers don't have to track down VG and PG and mix up their own blends (although you certainly could, if you could find USP-grade VG and PG, which is something of a hassle). Instead, you can rely on premixed blends of VG and PG to get the vaping effects you want, adding the flavors you like and the amount of nicotine you like, or just paying super-close attention to labels if you are not making your own.
MAX VG: "MAX" means maximum, and this blend contains almost no PG. This blend makes the thickest clouds. It also lasts the longest in your vaping pen, because it's slow to evaporate.
MAX PG: This blend gives you thinner clouds, but more intense flavor and a stronger throat hit.
90VG/10PG: This ratio is one step below MAX VG. It still gives you thick clouds, but it will keep you from missing out on flavor.
80VG/20PG: This is the most popular ratio for vapers who love thick clouds. It produces massive plumes of vapor, but it produces a generous amount of flavor and a noticeable hit to the throat. The 75VG/25PG blend produces a similar effect with just a little more flavor.
70VG/30PG: Here's another popular blend for bold flavors and a strong throat hit while still producing a decent volume of clouds.
60VG/40PG: This blend emphasizes flavor over clouds. We will be discussing some precautions for using it in the next section.
50VG/50PG: Here is a minimum amount of VG for a maximum amount of flavor. This blend is commonly used for salt nicotine vape juice.
Getting the vape experience you want, however, isn't just about the ratio of VG to PG. It's also about how you use your equipment.
Choosing the Right Equipment and the Right Settings for Your VG/PG Ratio
There is a simple rule for choosing the right settings for getting the most out of your vaping experience:
- More VG, higher wattage.
- More PG, lower wattage.
There are some limits to this principle. If you use a super-high wattage level with MAX VG vape juice, you burn through more vape juice per hit. If you go with MAX PG, you need to lower the wattage so you don't burn the juice, giving you a flavor experience you weren't looking for. If you are using a sub-ohm system, go with a VG ratio of 70 or lower, and if you are using 60VG or 50VG, keep the power between 50 and 80 watts.
Find Your Ideal VG/PG Ratio with Juice Head E-Liquids
At Juice Head E-Liquids, we offer a wide variety of top-rated vape juice flavors with varying VG/PG ratios.
Our classic Juice Head 100mL e-liquids and Juice Head FREEZE e-liquids are crafted with a balanced VG/PG blend of 70/30. This ratio was selected to provide vapers with a premium experience and the perfect amount of vapor production.
Our Juice Head 30mL SALTS e-liquids are made with a 50/50 VG/PG blend, which was chosen in order to provide vapers with maximum flavor and the best vape experience possible.
