What is VG in E-Liquid?

21 April 2016

Now, I've already told you what PG is, but the other main ingredient in e-liquid, VG, is still a mystery. What does VG stand for? What is it made of? How is it different to PG? What's in the box? Worry not, all (well, most of) your questions will be answered. 

What is VG?

VG stands for vegetable glycerin. It's a simple, naturally occurring chemical that is derived from...vegetable oil. VG, along with PG, is the main ingredient in vaping e-liquids. It's a thick, colourless and odourless liquid, with a sweet taste. VG is thicker than PG and gives a much smoother hit. In terms of real-world applications, VG is used in a wide range of food, medical and personal care products including make-up, aftershave, pet food, soap and hand cream, toothpaste and as a sweetener in various foods. 

Is VG Safe?

VG is "generally recognised as safe" by the FDA and is one of the most benign substances around. It has a low toxicity when consumed, and a low potential for irritating the skin or eyes. The widespread use of VG in all kinds of food and medicines seems to point to the fact that it's basically harmless, though, like PG, studies have mainly focused on consumption rather than inhalation so more study would be welcomed. 

The risk of allergy to VG is also very low, making it a great alternative for the minority of people who are allergic to PG. It's also vegetarian-friendly, so no need to worry if you're an advocate of animal welfare. 

VG and Vaping

If your concerns about the safety of VG have now been assuaged, you'll want to know what it's like to vape with VG. Well, as it's a lot thicker than PG, it tends to give a much smoother feeling on the throat, without the same degree of 'throat hit' as PG. The flavour can be slightly less obvious in VG e-liquids, but using more power, to create more vapour, can counter this. The vapour is another reason to choose e-liquids high in VG, as it produces a lot more than PG. 'Cloud chasing', a growing trend amongst vapers, is done with high proportions of VG and involves simply trying to create the biggest vapour clouds possible. 

What VG/PG Ratio Should I Use?

This is all going to come down to your priorities, and what aspects of vaping appeal to you the most. Choosing a high VG e-liquid is best for a smooth sensation and large clouds, but it can be quite hard to clean your equipment when using the thicker VG, and some set-ups aren't compatible with it in high levels. If you prefer the throat hit of PG then you should tone down the amount of VG, but then again cloud chasing will be off the menu. It's a good idea to start with a 50-50 ratio, then you can play around with the amounts and see which ingredient you prefer.

Now you know all about VG, browse Vape Mountain's excellent range of e-liquids to find one with the perfect ratio for you!

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