What Is In Your Vape Juice: Understanding The Ingredients

PG at a glance:

• PG is a clear, tasteless and colourless base material used in many common products including inhalers.
• PG is used in e-liquids as it is a very effective carrier for flavourings and nicotine.
• PG is thinner in consistency than VG and produces far less vapour.
• 50/50 vape liquids are made using a higher volume of PG, allowing them to accommodate higher nicotine strengths.

PG (Propylene Glycol) is a clear, colourless liquid that’s a core ingredient in nearly all e-liquids. It acts as a highly effective carrier for both flavourings and nicotine, helping to deliver consistent taste and performance.

Its thin consistency means it doesn’t contribute much to vapour production, which is why 50-50 e-liquids—with their higher PG content—tend to produce smaller clouds compared to high-VG alternatives.

Thanks to this thinner profile, 50-50 vape juices absorb quickly into your coil. This makes them ideal for beginner-friendly vape kits with higher resistance coils (1.0ohm or more) and smaller wicking ports, ensuring smooth and satisfying hits.

PG is also widely used in everyday food items like cake mixes, fizzy drinks, food colouring, popcorn, baked goods, and a variety of fast food products.

VG at a glance:

• VG is a clear, slightly sweet and colourless base material that is used in a massive range of products, from food to hand sanitiser.
• VG is perfect for e-liquids as it helps to create bigger and bolder flavours.
• VG is very thick in its consistency and can produce massive vape clouds.
• Most e-liquids use a balanced combination of VG and PG, as VG is not an effective carrier agent.

VG (Vegetable Glycerol), like PG, is a clear and colourless liquid—but that’s where the similarities stop. VG has a naturally subtle sweet taste, though it’s barely noticeable once mixed with flavourings in an e-liquid.

Its standout feature is its thick consistency. High VG e-liquids, typically made with 70% to 80% VG, are much thicker than standard blends.

VG is the key to big vapour production—the more VG in the mix, the denser the clouds. These larger clouds can carry more flavour, which is why cloud-chasing vapers often prefer bold and unique flavour profiles. Since VG isn’t as efficient at carrying flavour or nicotine on its own, it’s usually blended with PG to keep the e-liquid stable and performing at its best.

High VG juices work best with sub-ohm devices that generate more power and have larger coil ports—these help the thick liquid wick properly and prevent dry hits.

You might see “Glycerine” or “Glycerol” on labels—don’t worry, they’re just different names for the same ingredient. VG is also found in everyday items like food, cosmetics, and many pharmaceuticals.

Freebase nicotine at a glance:

• This is the most common type of nicotine used in e-liquids. It is called “freebase” as the nicotine itself is freely suspended in a base material like PG or VG, however, PG is far more common due to its superior properties as a stale carrier agent.
• Most freebase nicotine is suspended in PG at 7.2%. This allows manufacturers to accurately blend it into e-liquids to create the various strengths offered.

Nicotine is, for many, the most important component of any e-liquid—it’s what helps curb cravings and makes vaping a satisfying experience.

Our freebase nicotine is derived from pure, 100% concentrated nicotine, which is then diluted to 7.2% in PG for use in our e-liquids. The term ‘freebase’ comes from the fact that the nicotine molecules are suspended freely in the PG base. This 7.2% dilution is the industry standard, allowing for precise mixing to achieve a range of nicotine strengths to suit different preferences.

As mentioned earlier, PG is a fantastic carrier, making it ideal for blending both nicotine and flavour seamlessly into our e-liquid formulas.

Freebase nicotine is highly versatile but does produce a noticeable throat hit. For many new vapers, this mimics the feeling of smoking a traditional cigarette, which can help ease the switch. However, for some—especially those used to menthols—the throat hit can be a bit too intense, particularly at higher nicotine strengths. That’s where Nic Salt e-liquids come in as a smoother alternative.

Nicotine salt at a glance:

• Nic salts are a more recent addition to the vaping industry. They work in the same way as freebase nicotine, however during manufacturing, the nicotine is combined with one of a variety of potential “salt acids”.
• These salt acids neutralise the naturally alkaline pH of the nicotine. The result is an e-liquid that is smooth on the throat and less harsh in taste, even at very high strengths like 20mg.
• Nic salts deliver deep, lasting satisfaction far faster and for far longer than is offered by freebase.
• Nic salts come in different forms. Common nic salt varieties include: Nicotine Salicylate, Nicotine Benzoate, Nicotine Ditartrate & Nicotine Levulinate.

Nicotine salt e-liquids have become incredibly popular amongst vapers, especially modern bar salts like EDGE LIQ – designed to replicate the experience offered by disposable vapes. These special forms of nicotine have been modified to absorb faster and provide longer lasting satisfaction. We say forms (plural) because there are actually many different types of nic salt, although we only use nicotine salicylate in our salt vape liquids as it proved safest and performed best in our R&D trials.

These different types of nic salt are created using different salt-acids, which are combined with nicotine molecules during processing. The addition of an acid neutralises the very alkali pH of nicotine, making it very smooth to vape even at the highest possible strength: 20mg.

The different acids, like salicylic, Benzoic, or Lactic acid, create nicotine salts with slightly different properties. This can include slight cooling sensations, as well as flavour enhancement or muting. Ultimately, though, they all share the common benefit of being smooth and fast-acting.

At LiQuid we use nicotine salicylate as our chosen nic salt formula. This is because it performed best during testing, having the least impact on flavour while delivering the smoothest vape hit.

E-liquid flavourings at a glance:

• Flavourings are what truly bring an e-liquid to life, they come in near limitless varieties, with dessert flavours such as cherry bakewell and sweet flavours such as pear drops being on offer.
• They are usually suspended in a base consisting primarily of PG, which allows the flavourings to be properly blended alongside VG to create the finished product.
• They are classed as “food-grade” and are very similar if not identical to those used in the catering industry. This does not mean you can add vanilla essence for baking to your e-liquid!

Flavour concentrates are, along with nicotine, the true core of any e-liquid. While nicotine satisfies the craving, it's the flavour that makes vaping genuinely enjoyable.

At EDGE Vaping, we use only premium, food-grade flavourings in our blends. All of our concentrates are developed in-house, giving us complete control over their quality, consistency, and overall performance.

Most vape flavourings are either fully suspended in PG or contain some PG to help them mix evenly into the e-liquid base. Once combined, the flavours begin to steep and develop—similar to how wine or cheese matures over time.

Each flavour is crafted from a complex mix of ultra-concentrated ingredients, carefully balanced to achieve the perfect taste. There’s more science behind that bottle than you might expect!

But don’t worry—we take care of all that behind the scenes. Every ingredient we use is thoroughly tested for safety and quality, so you can simply enjoy the flavours you love with confidence.