What is in vape juice? No one knows. Perhaps one day we will figure out how to travel faster than light and find out what vape juice is made out of. Nah! Just kidding. I can’t tell you how we can travel faster than light but I can definitely tell you what is in vape juice. By the way, we may not be able to travel faster than light but perhaps we can manipulate gravity to fold space. Of course, that’s for another day. Today, it’s all about the stuff in e-liquid.
We will start off with the basics and then get into more detail as we go along. To start with, vape juice is made up of four basic building blocks:
- Vegetable Glycerin
- Propylene Glycol
- Flavoring
- Nicotine
Those four things are what is in vape juice. Sometimes you might find a little dihydrogen oxide, or water, as well. These ingredients are blended in a range of ratios to create a variety of vaping experiences. Let’s go over each of these four vape juice ingredients one by one.
Vegetable Glycerin
Vegetable glycerin is a thick, viscous liquid that is extracted from plant oils. The most common and best source of vegetable glycerin is palm plants. This substance is a food grade additive that is used as a preservative. You will also find it in cosmetics, medications, lotions, and more. It is odorless and has a mildly sweet taste.
- Vegetable glycerin is a thick, viscous liquid extracted from plant oils.
In vaping terms, vegetable glycerin is known as VG. You will see VG reflected as a ratio of your e-liquid ingredients. For example with Freeman Vape Juice we use an 80% VG blend. That is shown as 80 VG / 20 PG. This ratio is designed for sub ohm vaping with atomizers with a resistance level of less than 1.0 ohms to create maximum vapor production.
VG will generate large amounts of vapor. The vapor is known to be milder than propylene glycol. VG e-liquids are known for vapor production. So if someone asks what is in vapor juice that makes all of that vapor you can say it must be the VG content!
Propylene Glycol
Propylene glycol is synthetic liquid substance that is used extensively in a wide range of consumer and medical products. You will find it in everything from foods to medications to your toothpaste. Propylene glycol has been used by humans for a century. In fact, it has been used in stage haze for decades and the CDC has determined that long-term exposure is not a threat to human health.
Propylene glycol absorbs water and can dehydrate. It is important for vapers to make sure that they drink lots of water and stay hydrated.
Difference Between VG and PG
PG does not create as much vapor as VG but it is a harder hitting vapor. Some people find PG to be harsh and should switch to a VG vape juice. E-liquids that are at least 50% PG are designed for use with basic, beginner electronic cigarette devices that use atomizers with resistance levels above 1.0 ohms. VG creates a milder vapor that allows inhalation of more vapor.
PG carries flavor better than VG. That is why there is still some PG even in high VG e-liquids. So know that when asking what is in vape juice, you will find different amounts of both VG and PG. The VG makes more vapor and the PG carries the flavor. That’s a basic understanding. There is one more important distinction to be made between VG and PG e-liquids.
If you are vaping a beginner e-cigarette with a PG e-liquid, common nicotine levels will range from 6 mg to 24 mg. When vaping a VG e-liquid, you will never need more than 6 mg of nicotine. The difference is that the increased vapor output from a VG vape juice, like Freeman, will mean that you do not need as much nicotine to enjoy the sense of satisfaction.
Flavors
Flavors are the next ingredients in our quest to let you know what is in the vape juice! Vape flavor recipes are closely guarded by the best e-juice companies but we can still talk about the sourcing of the flavors. This gets a bit tricky. First off, flavorings are food grade. But, you do need to know precisely what is in the flavoring. In order to make that determination it takes a professional chemist.
If you have a DIY vape juice maker they might think the know what is in vape juice but if they buy flavorings from an unknown source they probably don’t know. That’s why at Freeman we source everything in the USA and our staff hold PhDs in chemistry. We know what is in the vape juice we make.
The flavors in e-liquids require a deft, artistic culinary touch. Finding flavors that work together and compliment each other takes time and patience. The amount of flavoring in vape juice will account for anywhere from 5% to 10% of the total volume.
Nicotine
Nicotine in vape juice is measured as a percentage by volume. You will see the nicotine content listed in one of two ways. For example, you may see a nicotine level labeled at 3 mg or you may see it labeled at 0.3%. Both represent the same amount of nicotine.
The nicotine is typically extracted from tobacco plants in a lab. Freeman uses the highest purity nicotine sourced from leading American pharmaceutical labs. Again it is so important to have your e-juice made by professionals. Too often it has been found that some e-liquid companies inaccurately label their products because the nicotine content is wrong.
The industry standard is that the label should be accurate to within a 5% margin of error. A lot of companies are nowhere close to that standard. At Freeman Vape Juice, we exceed that standard by a lot! In fact, independent lab testing has shown that Freeman ingredients, including nicotine, are accurate to within an error rate of only 0.5%.
What Is Vape Juice Made Out Of?
What is vape juice made out of? It is made out of the ingredients listed above. The amounts of each vary by blend and recipe. By blend I mean the VG/PG ratio. Examples of vape juice VG/PG ratios are:
- 70 PG / 30 VG - a vape juice for basic e-cigs with atomizer above 1.0 ohms
- 50 PG / 50 VG - a vape juice designed for intermediate mouth to lung vapes with atomizers above 1.0 ohms
- 70 VG / 30 PG - the most common blend for sub ohm vaping designed for atomizers less than 1.0 ohms
- 80 VG / 20 PG - a higher performance vape juice for larger clouds. This is the level that Freeman uses because our blend uniquely combines maximum vapor while maintaining an enjoyable flavor
The amount of nicotine in vape juice also varies. Examples of common nicotine levels include:
- 18 mg - a high level of nicotine found in PG e-liquids for use in basic e-cigs with atomizers above 1.0 ohms
- 6 mg - the highest nicotine content in VG e-liquids. When vaping a sub ohm device you will not need more than 6 mg
- 3 mg - common nicotine level for VG e-liquids
What Is In Vape Juice?
That’s our look at what is in vape juice. As a consumer, what you want to look out for are juice brands that are produced by companies with professional facilities and professional staff. The ingredients vape juice is made of is part of the equation but how vape juice is made is equally if not more important.
Now, if you ask what is the best vape juice, that’s an easy one! Freeman vape juice of course! Of course, we may be biased! But we are also confident. We know what is in vape juice and we know how to make it right. Our California lab is cutting edge and our staff are highly trained and educated professionals.
Take a look at our selection. We offer an 80/20 VG/PG blend that makes dense, full-bodied vapor with fantastic flavor.
