Ask a vaper what is in e-juice and you will usually hear about nicotine and flavoring first, because those are the parts you notice most. Millions of vapers worldwide use ejuice daily, and plenty of them can list the ingredients without knowing what each one does. The two that get the least attention, propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, are the ones that make it possible to vaporize the liquid at all.
PG and VG side by side
| Propylene Glycol (PG) | Vegetable Glycerin (VG) | |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness | Very thin | Thick, high viscosity |
| Flavor | Carries and strengthens it | Less effective at making flavors potent |
| Vapor | Not suited to large volume | Produces the clouds |
| Throat feel | Stronger throat-hit | Smoother |
What PG does
Propylene Glycol, shortened to “PG”, is an organic compound that also turns up in everyday products such as ice cream and soda. In ejuice it is the thin liquid of the pair. Its main advantage is flavor, which it is known to carry well or even enhance. It is not the ingredient behind big clouds. Its job is to thin out the Vegetable Glycerin and to dilute the flavoring so the result is more pleasant to vape.
PG also adds the harsher sensation at the back of the throat that many users look for, commonly called a “throat-hit”. Users found it satisfying because it resembled the feeling of smoking.
What VG does
Vegetable Glycerin, or “VG”, is a sugar alcohol compound. Outside vaping it is used as a sweetener in liqueurs and cake frosting. It is best known for producing clouds of vapor, which comes down to its ability to capture moisture molecules.
Why ejuice uses both
Think of the two as the Yin and Yang of ejuice. They are opposites and are added for separate reasons, yet each covers the other’s weak spot: VG supplies the vapor volume PG lacks, and PG supplies the flavor strength and throat-hit that VG does not. Blended together they make a balanced liquid.
You can browse PG/VG ejuice at the ejuice.deals store.