VG stands for vegetable glycerine. “Vegetable glycerine juice” may sound like a super-green hippie smoothie made from blended grass and turnip pulp, but it’s actually far more exciting than that!
When you vape, a groovy little substance called e-juice is heated, turning to vapour that is inhaled by you. This liquid will have one of two bases: propylene glycol (PG) or vegetable glycerine. Often it’s made from a combination of both, where the user can tailor the ratio depending on their personal preference.
Today, we’re going to a dive a little deeper into VG juice so you can learn exactly what it is and what effect it has on your vaping juice!
A Natural Beauty
Vegetable glycerine is a natural chemical derived from plant oil, usually palm, soy or coconut oil. Which means (unsurprisingly, given its name!) VG is suitable for all you vegetarians out there. It’s a colourless, odourless liquid that is soluble in water.
VG is non-toxic. It’s actually widely used in the food industry, as a sweetener, preservative or thickening agent, and can be found in many of the products on your supermarket shelf, such as soap, toothpaste and cough syrup!
100% VG?
Because VG is a natural substance, it’s less likely than PG to cause an allergic reaction in users. If you vape liquid which contains PG and experience sore throat, sinus problems, headaches, nausea or (in extreme cases) itchy hives, you may have a propylene glycol allergy. In this case, you can still carry on vaping by switching to 100% VG liquid!
Like vegetable glycerine, PG is fine for vegetarians. However, as it's chemically produced rather than naturally derived, you can never be as sure if there's been animal testing involved in the production. This can be easily found out by contacting the supplier, but if you want to be safe then, again, go for 100% VG liquid!
In the Thick of It
So what’s VG liquid like to vape?
Vegetable glycerine is thicker than PG, providing a smoother, denser, even creamier vaping experience. Whilst PG delivers a stronger “throat hit” more akin to a real cigarette, there's a thicker sensation to VG liquid which feels smoother in the throat. It’s also slightly sweeter than PG which may be preferable to some users!
Whatever you choose to vape, it’s important to regularly clean your device, particularly if you are using VG liquid as the thicker consistency can clog your atomiser more easily.
Head in the Clouds
One thing that appeals to certain vapers about VG liquid is its ability to form larger clouds. Cloud-chasing is considered by some an art, or even a sport, where users compete to produce the best and biggest vape clouds. Because of VG’s denser consistency, e-juice with a higher VG concentration results in thicker plumes of clouds with some truly beautiful results!
In Short
So, to summarise, you should consider e-liquid with a higher VG ratio if the following applies:
You prefer natural substances
You’re concerned about animal testing and the production process of chemicals
You're allergic to propylene glycol
You prefer a smoother vaping experience
You prefer the slightly sweeter flavour of VG
You’re interested in cloud-chasing or want to produce bigger plumes of vapour
Explore the range of e-juices available from Vape Mountain!