Understanding E-Liquid: Ingredients, Safety, and How It Is Made

As a vape user, you probably encounter the term ‘e-liquids’ a lot of times. You may even use it when buying juice for your vape, but what is it really? If you want to learn more about the flavoured mixture that you use in your e-cigarette, this article will help you understand it.

We will go over what ingredients go into making an e-liquid and how different versions are made.

What Makes Up Your E-Liquid

An e-liquid has three essential ingredients:

• Propylene Glycol (PG) - Propylene glycol is a clear liquid that has no odour, colour, and taste. It is the same ingredient present in other everyday items, such as cosmetics, deodorants, dyes, and adhesives. It is chemically classified as alcohol. PG is a completely harmless chemical that suspends and delivers the flavouring agents. It is the e-liquid ingredient responsible for the throat hit and also produces the vapour when heated.

• Vegetable Glycerin (VG) - Like PG, vegetable glycerin is a natural chemical derived from vegetable oils and is considered alcohol with no colour and odour. Unlike PG, it has a slightly sweet taste. It is also thicker and denser than PG and is responsible for the thickness of the vapour your e-liquid produces. You will often find VG as an ingredient in cough syrup, ointment, food flavouring, aftershave, and toothpaste. 

• Flavouring - This ingredient is what sets one e-liquid apart from another. All food has flavouring compounds, and you may experience a version of them from the e-liquid you use. Without this crucial ingredient, you probably will not like the e-juice you are using.

Optional: The Fourth Ingredient

Some e-liquids contain a fourth ingredient: nicotine. This chemical is what gets smokers hooked. It is not a basic ingredient because not all e-juice has it, but this ingredient is what quitting smokers usually look for. 

If you are interested in this ingredient and want it on your juice, you have two options:

• Buy e-liquid already mixed with nicotine.

• Buy nicotine-free e-liquid and mix it with your nicotine shots.

Are The Basic Ingredients Safe to Use?

The US Food and Drug Administration generally considers propylene glycol safe for use in food, oral, and topical consumption or application. Vegetable glycol is also considered “mostly safe,” although applying it to the skin can cause allergic reactions in some individuals. 

Important Note: Remember that these indications are for PG and VG used in vapes. It is not for the use of PG and VG in other products mentioned in this article. 

The PG/VG Ratio: How They Affect Your Vaping Experience

If you look closely at your e-juice bottle, you will notice some numbers indicated in the ingredient list, such as 70/30, 50/50, and more. This is the ratio of the PG to VG, which can tell you more about the vaping experience. 

Here is how you can predict the effect that a particular bottle of e-liquid will give you based on its PG/VG ratio:

• When the PG is higher - If the bottle of e-liquid you buy has a higher PG level, it will give you a stronger throat hit. This is recommended for transitioning smokers looking to replicate a cigarette.

• When the VG is higher - This type of e-liquid gives you thicker and denser vapour. Do not expect to get a throat hit from this juice, but you will surely produce clouds of vapour using it. 

How E-Liquids Are Created

All e-liquids take a while before they are ready for consumption. The process usually takes many months, but they are actually simple. First, the ingredients are carefully measured. Then, they are mixed, shook, and steeped. Although it looks simple, the process will require thorough study and the person mixing needs to be qualified before they can create the e-juices.

Conclusion

There will be no vapour without the e-liquid. That is how important its role is in your vaping adventure. Understanding what makes up an e-liquid tells you how it can affect your vaping experience. It can help you better assess which one to get if you have specific preferences.

Are you looking for a vape shop in Greenwich? Wherever you are in the UK or the rest of the world, you can purchase your favourite e-liquid from our online shop, Vapin Loud. Get everything you need from e-liquids and tanks to coils and accessories. We also have physical stores in Plumstead, Southeast London and Eltham Southeast London.