Whether you are already a contented member of the vaping community, or you are a smoker who is considering switching to e-cigs some or all of the time, one of the most interesting things about vaping is the huge variety of choice when it comes to e-liquids Of course, while choice is always appealing, it can also make understanding all of the options you have when it comes to the liquids you vape a bit confusing, and perhaps even daunting if you are a newcomer to the e-cig world.
To begin with the basics, an e-liquid is what you use with your e-cig device to produce the vapor. It carries any flavorings and nicotine that have been added to give you your chosen vaping experience. E-liquids are fairly simple mixtures, which contain just four components: a base, nicotine (if included in your chosen e-liquid), flavoring, and water. While water is self explanatory and flavorings can include a wide range of natural and synthetic compounds, depending on what you choose, the base is the part of the e-liquid that can be quite important in determining what sort of vaping experience you want.
Bases for e-liquids are made of either propylene glycol (almost always referred to as PG when talking about vaping), vegetable glycerin (VG), or a combination of the two.
 

What Are the Differences Between PG and VG for the Vapor?

 

The reason why the choice between VG and PG, or the ratio of the two in a mixed e-liquid, is important, is that it is this base that determines the consistency of the vapor. Vegetable glycerin gives a thicker, more abundant vapor which more visibly resembles tobacco smoke, and provides a different feel when inhaled. The vapor from VG e-liquid also feels thicker in the mouth, which can feel more satisfying to some users and work better with certain flavors.
Propylene glycol on the other hand is generally agreed to give a bigger ‘throat kick’ when inhaled, a sensation more akin to inhaling cigarette smoke, but produces thinner and less ‘billowy’ vapor.
To vapers, then, it comes down to their own preferences, and there are some other differences between these bases as well – VG has its own slightly sweet taste, which some people enjoy, however it can make some flavored e-liquids taste weaker. For many people, the goal is to find the right blend of the two bases to give their favorite balance of vapor and throat kick, as well as complimenting the flavors they like best. Some people even experiment with making their own e-liquids and aiming to find the exact right ratio of VG to PG.
Both e-liquid bases are thought to be generally safe, and are used as additives in food, cosmetics and medicine routinely. However, because almost all studies from before the vaping era into these materials were based on eating them rather than inhaling them as vapor, it is still worth noting that we still don’t really know very much about the long term effects of using them in this way (though it is highly unlikely that they will ever turn out to be at a risk level similar to that of tobacco smoke!).
 

The Rise of VG Only E-Liquids

When the e-cig industry was in its earlier stages of maturity, the most common e-liquids were PG or PG/VG mixes. However, as the user community has grown and people have, over time, established what their preferences are in terms of their e-liquids through trying all different products, 100% VG based e-liquids have been on the rise. But why is this?
 

Natural and Vegan Friendly

One of the reasons why VG only e-liquids have been growing in popularity – and therefore in availability as manufacturers respond to what the users want – is that vegetable glycerin is a natural, sustainable and eco-friendly base. VG comes, as you might expect, from vegetables.
People who prefer to use products where they know for sure exactly what is in them and where it came from tend to lean towards the VG e-liquids on principle, but also grow to prefer the appealing clouds of vapor and delicately sweet flavor of VG vaping.
 

Allergies

 
Another reason why VG e-liquids are becoming more common is that they pose far less of a risk of allergic reaction than PG. For people who have experienced an allergic reaction to using PG or mixed e-liquids, a 100% VG liquid is far less likely to trigger a similar response, with VG thought to be one of the most benign substances in nature. People who have not yet tried vaping but have allergies may also want to play things safe and use 100% VG e-liquids from the outset rather than risk having a reaction.
 

Pets

A third reason why VG e-liquids are growing in market share and popularity, and one which you may not have thought about before, is that Propylene Glycol is deemed to be potentially harmful to pets – specifically cats. There are links between ingesting high doses of PG and a condition in cats called Heinz body anemia. Although PG toxicity to cats is related with ingestion and not inhalation of second hand vapor of e-cigs –  some cat owners prefer a 100% VG e-liquid for the ease of their mind.
 

Can You Simply Switch to VG Only Vaping?

If any of these reasons are making using a 100% VG e-liquid, or at least trying one out, an appealing idea for you, it is worth noting that you do need to ensure your atomizer is compatible with high VG or VG only liquids. The thicker consistency can mean that VG can damage some devices, or simply not work in them, and so you really do need to ensure you have an e-cig suitable for VG vaping ready to use your chosen VG e-liquid with. Other than this, there is really no reason not to sample some VG e-liquids and start to choose the ones you like best!
There is a lot of personal choice involved in vaping, but for those who want 100% VG e-liquids, the range available is growing all the time!