Frequently Asked Questions
Don’t see the answer you’re looking for? Message us directly!
Vaping is a healthier alternative to smoking that does not emit tar, carcinogens, or other harmful chemicals that cigarettes contain. Instead, vapers use an electronic device that heats up e-liquid, turning it into a light vapor for the user to inhale instead of smoke. While vaping was originally meant to replicate the sensation of smoking, years of research and development has transformed vaping from a smoking alternative into a lifestyle choice.
E-Liquid is the liquid that carries flavor and nicotine. It consists of natural and artificial flavoring that is FDA tested to be safe for inhalation. The base is made up of Propylene Glycol (PG) and Vegetable Glycerin (VG). The ratio of PG/VG differs from brand to brand.
Propylene Glycol is an organic compound produced from Propylene Oxide. It is colorless, nearly odorless, and retains low viscosity. Food grade Propylene Glycol is recognized safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The main applications for Propylene Glycol are solvents, humectants, preservatives in food, tobacco products, pharmaceutical products, and of course e-juice.
Uses in Vaping:
Thinner Consistency: Due to the fact that propylene glycol has a runny consistency, PG e-liquid is thinner than the VG variety, and is easily absorbed by the polyfill and cotton fabric inside cartomizers and wick tanks.
Less Gunk: The low density of the juice also means that gunk doesn’t build up on the heating element of your vaporizer as fast as it does when thicker vegetable glycerin liquid is used.
Does not affect flavor: Propylene glycol is a tasteless odorless substance, so it doesn’t alter the flavor of the e-liquid in any way.
Stronger throat hit: It’s also a powerful humectant, so while it will dry your mouth and throat if used consistently, PG also produces a stronger throat hit, similar to that of tobacco cigarettes.
Allergy Risk: On the down side, propylene glycol has been known to cause allergic reactions in some e-cig users. These can vary from minor reactions, like a tingling sensation in the throat, to serious irritations on various parts of the body. If you experience any unusual symptoms after vaping PG e-liquid, it’s best to stop using it immediately and switch to vegetable glycerin. Consult your doctor if necessary.
Vegetable Glycerin is an all natural liquid generally extracted from plant oils, in particular, soy, coconut oil, and palm oil. It is typically clear with little hint of color, odorless, in some cases sweet, and relatively viscous. Like Propylene Glycol it is considered safe by he U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The main applications of Vegetable Glycerin are cosmetics products, food production, and e-juice.
Uses in Vaping:
Thicker: Vegetable glycerin is a considerably thicker solution, compared to propylene glycol. It has a slower absorption rate for wicks and cartomizers.
More gunk: Because of it’s thick consistency, VG tends to gunk up and clog vaporizers, requiring more cleaning.
Sweeter: On its own, VG has a slight sweet taste which also makes the e-liquid sweeter and the flavors a little difficult to detect.
Allergy Risk: While PG is know to give users a dry mouth, some vapers have complained about phlegm building up in their throat after using vegetable glycerin-based juices. Some vapers switch to VG due to allergies with PG. VG tends to be less allergenic.
Less throat hit: You also get less of a throat hit when using VG.
More vapor: On the upside, because of its thick consistency, VG e-liquids produce significantly more vapor and doesn’t cause allergic reactions or irritations as often as propylene glycol.
Generally speaking Freebase nicotine is going to offer a thicker viscosity, more of a throat hit and will typically come in lower concentrations. Considering Freebase nicotine usually maxes out around 12mg/ml it’s best to use in Direct-to-Lung devices. Salt nicotine is the counterpart to Freebase nicotine. It will typically be a thinner viscosity, provide a smoother throat hit but usually only come in higher concentrations around 25-50mg/ml. For this reason Salt nicotine is better used in Mouth-to-Lung devices
