You may not know what this abbreviation means, but the right balance between these two e-liquid components is key to an electronic cigarette's operation, and it greatly influences your vaping experience. It's an important factor that must be taken into consideration when choosing your first e-liquid.
So, we've written this guide to tell you everything about these two ingredients, which form the basis of any e-liquid.
By balancing these components, you'll be able to customise your vape to suit your particular taste! Indeed, you'll either get more flavour or more vapour, depending on your e-liquid composition. Read on to find out more!
Choose the right PG/VG ratio thanks to our video tutorial !
What is PG?
PG stands for propylene glycol, an organic chemical substance that is used in the food and pharmaceutical industry, among others, and is now used in electronic cigarette e-liquids because of its stability.
As PG is very fluid and an excellent flavour enhancer, it greatly improves the rendition of your liquid's various flavours. Moreover, it boosts the throat hit, namely the muscular contraction you feel in your larynx when the vapour passes through it, which is a very important feeling for smokers and thus beginner vapers.
What is VG?
VG is vegetable glycerin, or glycerol for short. Like PG, it's a common substance that's used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Indeed, it's often used as an additive (E422) in sandwich bread or toothpaste, for example, which just goes to show how harmless it is!
It's a colourless, viscous and odourless liquid, but it does have a slightly sweet taste. Vegetable glycerin also makes your e-liquid produce more or less vapour, depending on its quantity.
What is the difference between PG and VG?
If propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin form the core of most e-liquids, it's because they are complementary, even if they have their differences.
As we said above, propylene glycol is fluid and enhances your e-liquid's taste. It also boosts the hit, which remains an important part of any vaper's experience, especially beginners. Thus, the more PG your e-liquid contains, the more precise the flavours will be. Adding to this, the liquid will be more fluid and will produce a stronger hit. However, propylene glycol produces little vapour.
That's why vegetable glycerin is also used to make e-liquids. It's more viscous than PG, so it thickens the liquid and produces much more vapour. However, the more VG your liquid has, the weaker the hit will be, and your flavours won't be as precise.
So, it's important to find the right balance between these two ingredients if you want to get the best experience. Keep in mind that it is possible to vape an e-liquid without any propylene glycol in it, but the opposite is impossible.
Which PG/VG ratio should I choose for my e-liquid?
In most cases, an electronic cigarette e-liquid is comprised of PG and VG, and in some cases it's entirely made up of VG. By adjusting your e-liquid's PG / VG ratio, you can obtain different results, depending on your needs and preferences.
As we said earlier, an e-liquid with more PG will have more accurate flavours and will produce a stronger hit. Conversely, more VG produces a smoother hit and more vapour.
Therefore, this PG / VG ratio is important and will depend on the device you use. Indeed, a liquid that's too fluid might leak from your electronic cigarette's tank, whereas a liquid that's too thick might result in a 'dry hit', which is the unpleasant burnt taste you get when your coil hasn't soaked up enough liquid.
Generally speaking, powerful devices are designed to vaporise a large amount of liquid. That's why their atomisers' liquid intakes are usually quite large. So, if you use an e-liquid that's too fluid with this type of device, it might leak. Thus, it's better to opt for a high VG content to avoid this problem.
Conversely, low-powered devices will be better suited to fluid e-liquids with more PG in them. They have less chance of leaking, and you'll be able to better control your liquid's strong hit.
Summary of the different PG / VG ratios
| PG / VG ratio | Amount of vapour | Throat hit | Flavour rendition |
| 80/20 | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| 50/50 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 30/70 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 20/80 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 100 % VG | 5 | 1 | 1 |
To make the right choice, all you have to do is define your specific needs. If you're new to electronic cigarettes and want to quit smoking, it's best to start with a PG content of at least 50% so as to get a sufficient hit.
If you're a more experienced vaper and want to get more vapour out of your e-cigarette, increase your e-liquid's VG content.
If you're unsure which PG/VG ratio to pick, a 50/50 ratio is a good place to start, as it offers a good balance between vapour production, hit strength and flavour rendition. It's the most popular ratio on the market and it'll suit beginners and experts alike!
Coils and PG / VG ratios
An e-liquid's PG / VG ratio also has to suit the coil you're using in your electronic cigarette. While most coils are compatible with any ratio, it's still important to understand how they work to prevent any leaks or dry hits from happening.
A coil is comprised of resistive wire and organic cotton fibre, sealed within a cylinder that has one or more e-liquid inlets. Thanks to the latter, the liquid can enter the coil and be vaporised. However, depending on the wicks you use, the width of these inlets can differ.
Thus, a coil with a narrow inlet will be perfect for fluid e-liquids with more PG in them. Indeed, if the liquid is too thick, the cotton won't be able to soak it up properly, resulting in a guaranteed dry hit.
Conversely, a coil with wide inlets works better with thick e-liquids that have a higher VG content. If the liquid is too fluid, it may leak through the e-cigarette's air inlets (also known as 'airflow') or even the drip tip. If that's the case, it's because the coil is completely clogged with liquid and cannot vaporise the excess.
The PG/VG ratio's impact on your e-liquid flavours
As we said earlier, propylene glycol is a flavour enhancer. So, you might be wondering if a VG-rich e-liquid has less flavour?
Truth be told, e-liquid manufacturers have thought of this and have dosed their VG-rich liquids more. Thus, the more vegetable glycerin an e-liquid has, the higher its flavour concentration is, and vice versa. That way, the taste is always balanced to perfection.
What about PG intolerance?
Propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin are both widely used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. To this day, they are regarded as completely harmless, including in vaping.
However, some people may feel a few side effects when inhaling PG, all very mild. These can result in a dry feeling in your mouth or a sore throat. Simply staying hydrated can go a long way in preventing this.
If the symptoms don't disappear, there are other solutions, such as softer and less aggressive plant-based liquids.
How do you make a lot of vapour with e-liquids?
Many vapers use their electronic cigarette to produce a lot of vapour. But in order to exhale these beautiful clouds, there are several criteria that need to be met first.
One of these is directly linked to your e-liquid. If you've followed this guide, you'll have noticed that a high vegetable glycerin content allows you to produce more vapour with your electronic cigarette, provided you have a compatible device of course. This is why the best 'cloud chasers' use 100% VG e-liquids!
Our other guides for choosing your e-liquid:
- How to choose your nicotine level for your smoking withdrawal
- Choosing an e-liquid flavour you like
- Everything there is to know about electronic cigarette e-liquids