When it comes to selecting the right E-Liquid mix ratio for yourself, there are two main ingredients you need to consider: Vegetable Glycerin (VG) and Propylene Glycol
(PG). VG is a sweet, thick, vegetable-based liquid, however, it is hard to smoke effectively, this is why it tends to be mixed with PG. PG carries the flavour in food products and is also used in food colouring so you don’t have to worry about these two ingredients at all. They are non-toxic. VG doesn’t smoke very well on its own so a well-combined base of PG/VG is much smoother and preferred over the basic 100% PG base.
What do all these e-liquid ratios mean?
There are many different ratios of VG/PG that you can get: 50/50, 60/40, 80/20 and even 100% PG or 100% VG. The key element to remember is that if you prefer the flavour and a strong hit to the back of your throat when inhaling, then you need a higher PG ratio to VG. On the other hand, if you prefer more vapour and a weaker hit to the back of your throat, then a higher VG would be your way forward. For example, a higher VG to PG ratio is recommended for those with Asthma simply because the vapour won’t hit the back of their throats as strong, making it a more pleasant experience without all the coughing.
In this situation, a higher PG ratio would be very harsh on the throat and would not be recommended as it would cause coughing. The only real way to discover your perfect ratio of PG to VG is simply to experiment; to do this, start with a reasonable mix of both so either a 50/50 or 60/40 ratio, and slowly add more PG if you’d like the flavour to be stronger or add more VG if you’d like more Vapour to come out.
Selecting a device to match your e-liquid mix
VG is actually of a thick consistency, so you’re going to require more power from your E-Cig to get the result you want; smaller, low-powered E-cigs would struggle to heat high VG contents effectively. PG has a much thinner consistency and therefore it needs less power to heat it up. The vapour itself is actually what carries the flavours and the nicotine so creating more vapour could potentially intensify these features in itself.
This next part is important though; because of the density of the vapour from a high VG content, vaping a high Nicotine content alongside a high VG content would give you so much more Nicotine than the average persons’ stomach could handle. This means if you want loads of vapour and therefore a high VG content; you’re going to need to cut down on the Nicotine content in your E-Liquid.
However, vapours using a high PG content are suited to lower powered E-cigs; this allows you the freedom to use a higher Nicotine content. Simply put: The vapour isn’t as dense so it’ can’t carry as much. It is more of an individual thing; not all E-Liquids ingredients sit well with everyone so it is a good idea to experiment and find the perfect balance for you.
E-liquid Health Issues
There is a small percentage of people who may have mild allergic reactions to PG; such as a rash or an upset stomach so if you are allergic to PG it doesn’t mean you can’t Vape anymore; it simply means you may be forced to choose a VG base instead.
The key points to remember when it comes to Propylene Glycol (PG) is that: it has a strong throat hit, very crisp and accurate flavours, less gunk builds up over time so you don’t need to clean it as much in comparison to VG, there is also a lower vapour production and remember: allergies. If you’re not sure: go to your doctor.
With Vegetable Glycerin, it has excellent vapour production and is an alternative option for people with PG allergies. However, because of how thick the consistency is it does build up quicker in your tank and will need cleaning more often than PG. It also has a softer hit on the throat but a less accurate flavour.
E-liquid Flavours
There are many flavours out there, from original tobacco to fruit inspired treats, even drinks, as well as the classic childhood sweets like Sherbet Lemon. Now bear in mind; just because you like coffee in real life doesn’t necessarily mean you will like coffee flavoured E-Liquid. Make sure you get a small quantity, try it out, and once you’ve found the flavour that hits your sweet spot you can order larger quantities saving you money in the long run.