Last updated on May 3rd, 2023
Why Propylene Glycol (PG) Free EJuice is a Good Choice for Many ECig Users
Many vapers and would be vapers are concerned about the dangers of the e-cigarette ingredient propylene glycol. But is PG dangerous? Should you only vape PG Free e-liquids?
If you’re concerned, I can tell you that there is no scientific proof to date that PG is harmful. You can even ask the FDA as they have approved PG for use in thousands of foods, medicines and beauty products.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the use of propylene glycol in places like hospitals and food establishments years ago because it is a powerful deterrent against pneumonia, influenza, and other respiratory diseases when vaporized and inhaled.
Source: EPA Report
Still, if you’re one of those people who are afraid of what you don’t know, or you’ve read a scary story circulated by the political anti-vaping faction, or you are simply one of the 6% of the population who is allergic or sensitive to propylene glycol, then read on.
How Much Propylene Glycol is Typically Used in E-Liquid Cartridges?
Propylene Glycol is a standard additive in non-refillable cartridge-style e-cigarettes. It forms the liquid base for the nicotine and flavor ingredients. It also gives vapers the throat hit they crave, but if you’re going to buy a standard non-refillable cartridge for your “cig-alike” ecig, expect a PG/VG blend of about 70% PG, 30% VG.
Here’s the Good News about PG
If you use a Vape Pen, Vaporizer or Pod Vape Mod that has a refillable tank, pod, you’ll have more control over your smoke juice flavor, throat hit and vapor volume, and you can choose low PG or Zero PG levels.
More ecig companies are offering low or PG Free e-liquids. We recommend several outstanding e-juice companies – because they offer the best tasting flavors with zero (or close to zero) propylene glycol.
Their e-liquids are made with USP grade Vegetable Glycerine, purified water (if you want it ) and nicotine (if you want it). If you do want some Propylene Glycol added to the e-juice, (for more intense flavor), you can order the percentage you like.
HERE ARE THE BEST COMPANIES THAT SELL ZERO OR VERY LOW PG E-LIQUIDS
Vaporfi – I recommend VaporFi’s excellent e-liquids. Not only do they have many flavor combinations, the flavors are outstanding and there’s FREE SHIPPING on orders over $75. All liquids are made in their FDA approved labs, so they are pure, Kosher, and Diacetyl, Acetoin and Acetyl Propionyl Free. They are also free of vitamin E oil!
While not 100% PG free, VaporFi’s e-liquids are mostly VG, (70%), and may be used in any vaporizer with any OHM resistance. Vaporfi also sells other reputable brands of e-liquids, some of which do offer 80%VG. All their e-liquid can be found by clicking the link, show above.
KindJuice
My personal favorite, when it comes to 100% VG e-liquids, is KINDJuice. Not only are they PG Free, they are organic. These all-natural e-liquids taste great, and are true to the flavor description. What’s more, they always list every ingredient, so if you have any food allergies you can see if they are in the juice. Being totally natural, there’s never any Diacetyl, Acetoin, Acetyl Propionyl or vitamin E oil.
KINDJuice has won awards for best tasting all-natural e-liquids from Spin Fuel and other top review sites. If you click the image above, you’ll get 10% off your first order. Enter the code NEW-CUSTOMER at checkout.
Check out our detailed Kind Juice Review
What Are the Advantages of Low PG E-Liquids?
If you want to go PG free, you many not get the fullest flavor, or throat hit you desire; however, if you are sensitive to vaping e-juices with PG, low PG or PG-Free is the way to go.
With so many flavors from which to choose, you may discover PG Free vaping is not only a great alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes, it’s an adventure.
VaporFi Slushie 728×90
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I love reading your article because a lot of information and very informative post. Thanks for sharing your reviews about e liquid.
I get hives when I come in to contact with PG. Thanks for making this list
Author
You’re welcome KD! Thank you for leaving your comment.
Conspicuous by its absence is ecblendflavors.com
There’s another vendor offering 100% PG-free e-liquids. Heather’s Heavenly Vapes has a line of e-liquids called Purity. All flavorings used in those e-liquids are PG-free. HHV Purity flavors ordered at MAX VG are completely free of PG. Even the nicotine in MAX VG is VG-based, not PG-based.
Thanks for sharing that information LA. Sounds good for those who can’t take any PG for allergy reactions. I personally choose to avoid small vape shops that mix their own e-juices in their stores.
1 thing this article is missing is that it is not only PG that represents a health risk, but VG as well. Furthermore, what should be mentioned here is that the health risk of PG and VG is dependent on the temperature and power output of the vape device being used. For VG, the temperature threshold is 250C, meaning that if you expose VG to temps higher than 250C, some say greater than 280C, results in thermal decomposition, and use a high wattage device, ie > 5W, VG will undergo a chemical transformation into the following toxic and carcinogenic compounds: formaldehyde, acrolein, and acetaldehyde.
So, I guess any device heating your e-liquid at less than 250-280C with no more than 5W should be safe pending further additional long term studies.
sources: nicotinepolicy.net/blogs/guest-blogs/23-miroslaw-dworniczak/144-glycerine and monq.com/science/vegetable-glycerin
Vapor fi is not Pg free and should not be on the list of Pg free e liquid. A great one besides Virgin Vapors is Alien Visions.
Author
Hi Joshua,
Thanks for commenting here. Our article now lists choices for those looking for 100% PG Free e-liquids.
Hi I don’t know who else to contact regarding my past experiences with vaping. I have tried many different flavours, strengths and VG/PG variants, I’ve not tried your e-liquids yet but I’m just asking if you guys have heard of someone being allergic to e-liquid? I do have a nut allergy and from what I’ve heard some companies use nut oils or nut ingredients in there e-liquids. My symptoms are. Feeling like the back of my tongue or the back of my throat slightly swells up and is uncomfortable and/or I get an itchy throat. I don’t know if it’s an ingredient or not. But every vape shop I’ve been in I have asked them if they’re familiar with my problem and they have no idea and have never experienced my issue before. So I’m writing to you guys in the hope you’ve experienced this or if you know anywhere I could buy solely non nutty e-liquids. Please reply as I want to quit smoking and have done for a long time.
Thankyou
Joe
Author
Hi Joe,
Some people are known to have allergic reactions to Propylene Glycol. For those I recommend Kai’s Virgin Vapor organic ejuices. They are the only ejuice company I know of where the Max VG choice is actually 100% VG.
If you want to make sure an e-liquid is free of nut oils, Kind Juice lists the ingredients.
Disappointing that your “PG Free” list is 50% not PG Free.
As you pointed out people, such as myself, have a PG allergy. And unfortunately as with any real allergy we cannot use “ALMOST PG Free”
Author
Hi Christian,
Kind Juice e-liquids are completely organic, and is certified under European Organic Standards. All e-juices are 100% VG based.
i got a nicotine jones from vaping. what can i do?
Hi Hillary. Thanks for the reply. Yeah I should of mentioned that I’ve tried VG only, and even Zero Nicotine juices and no luck. Even tried different brands of atomizers with different types (quality) of wick. But no change.
I’ve just taken up vaping again and I’m on the third week now. The ulcers are back! Never mind, I’ll keep checking online to see if anyone finds a solution.
Thanks for your help 🙂
Author
Hi Richard,
Here’s a good thread at VapingForum with some help from other vapers experiencing the same problem. Whatever you do, I hope you will not return to smoking. Good luck!
can glycol cause bowel problems loose stools etc and stomach issues?
Author
Don’t confuse propylene glycol with polyethylene glycol which is known to cause diarrhea. Also, I’ve not found cases of PG causing intestinal inflammation; however emulsifiers added to foods such as polysorbate-80, polyglycerols, and xanthan gum have been known to cause inflammation in mice.
A small percentage of people are allergic to PG and experience throat irritation. Some people are simply sensitive to PG and may experience dry throat.
ill just leave this here.
What is PG?
PG is Propylene Glycol a product made from petroleum.
TLDR; Version
Mention Propylene Glycol (PG) to most people and they will probably tell you that it is a toxin. On the other hand, PG comes in more than one formulation, so it needs to be clarified as to which formulation is meant.
The real question is, does it make a difference which one is used, since it is used in everything from hydraulic and brake fluid to snack foods?
The answer is:
Propylene Glycol is a form of mineral oil, an alcohol produced by fermentation of yeast and carbohydrates. It is a toxin regardless of which strength is used.
PG is on the “right to know hazardous substance list”
Author
The Environmental Protection Agency does list PG on the hazardous substance list, but if you look at the report it also states:
“This chemical does not meet acute toxicity criteria. Its TPQ (Threshold Planning Quantity) is set at 10,000 pounds.”
I’m not going to say PG is good or bad, just that it made me cough. I switched to 100% VG liquid and the cough went away. I use the lowest nicotine level liquid I’ve found that gives me good flavor (KindJuice Tobacco Ridge 1.5 mg) and I’m now searching for a no-nicotine alternative that doesn’t taste like fruit candy. I know it’s out there…
I vaped several liquids which were PG/VG. I’m definitely allergic to vaping “PG” so I no longer vape. In my case, I vaped for nearly a month before I thought I was noticing a little eye swelling. A few days later, my throat began to get tight in the evenings after a few weeks of thinking I had strep, and a big doctor bill later where antibiotics and corticosteroids didn’t work, I read up and figured I’d quit vaping just to see what happened. The first day after not vaping, I could tell my throat was less tight. Still, it took about a week or so before that slowly abated.
Im simply allergic to it. Not saying its bad for everyone, but not good for me
Author
Hi TeeRay,
Sorry you had to go through all that! When you’re sick, allergies are often overlooked or are the last to be considered. They say about 1 in 10 people are allergic to PG which is a solvent found in many cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and household products. Check up on it online at http://www.propylene-glycol.com as you may wish to avoid using other products. Kind Juice is one of the few e-liquid companies that offers 100% PG free ejuice.
Cloud theory
& clouddropz (organic)
Are two juice company’s that are PG free
And delicious
As I read these comments, I smile. The bottom line is that as long as folks are making money selling ecig juice (which is where the money is at in the business) those juices will be defended at all costs. It doesn’t matter whaqt study you cite, or when it was published. There will always be those that defend, and those that blame. I believe PG is bad to heat up and inhale. That’s it. No study is going to change my mind. I have dealt with health issues for years that have finally cleared up by quitting vaping. Trust your gut folks.
Hillary
Be honest with your readers, we all need to share more Research as Everyone needs to read,
The US FDA approves of alot of meds and food additives that other countries have banned whom care about their citizens over bureaucracy.
This is a recent study by Harvard Medical Research
http://anonhq.com/harvard-study-finds-e-cigarettes-contain-dangerous-popcorn-lung-chemicals/
Author
Monica,
I appreciate your concern, but you are citing articles and tests that have been widely disputed by many respected scientists. I suggest The Truth About Popcorn Lung and Diacetyl. Also, the diacety scare has caused all reputable eliquid companies to reformulate those few flavors that contained diacetyl, even though they were found in negligible amounts.
Unfortunately propylene glycol (PPG) is known to cause central nervous system disorders if you ingest more than 10mg/pound of body weight.
The problem is not usually with any one product containing propylene glycol but the aggregate of total PPG ingested from many products on a daily basis.
In Europe they don’t allow PPG in food so using vaping fluids with PPG is much easier to monitor and stay under the toxic limit for your body weight.
In the US it is in everything from livestock (from feed) to baked goods, alcohol and laxatives in varying concentrations with no way to know if you are ingesting a toxic level for an individual’s body weight.
At the minimum PPG must be listed in the label for every product which can be ingested (or inhaled) so consumers can monitor their consumption to avoid adverse health effects.
For PG free liquid I love Johnson Creek Vapor Company. Their red oak line is amazing!
When vaporized, propylene glycol turns to formaldehyde, which is a known carcinogen. The New England Journal of Medicine found that PG, particularly with high voltage vapors, creates a high concentration of formaldehyde (again, a carcinogen). If you want to dispute that formaldehyde is not a carcinogen, good luck. PG is not considered harmful if eaten, which is a meaningless argument if you want to point to the FDA saying it’s safe. Yes, safe to consume, not inhale. Think about this: you can eat sugar, but would you want to inhale it?
Author
Jane,
I always recommend the excellent article by renowned scientist, Dr. K. Farsalinos – The deception of measuring formaldehyde in e-cigarette aerosol: the difference between laboratory measurements and true exposure
One thing that needs to mentioned here in relation to Dr Farsalinos is this (from publisher Wiley Online Library: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/add.13028):
‘K.F. [Konstantinos E. Farsalinos] reports that some of his studies on electronic cigarettes were performed with unrestricted funds provided to the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center by FlavourArt and Nobacco.’
FlavourArt and Nobacco are, respectively, an Italian and a Greek manufacturer of e-liquids. So obviously, both companies do have a vested interest in having a doctor claim that his research found nothing harmful with e-cigs or vape devices.
That being said, it could very well be true. But the point here is that these studies would gain more credibility were they being conducted by a truly independent lab that receives no funding from the e-cig industry. Or we are back to the days of Big Tobacco when it was funding so-called ‘scientific’ research to prove that cigarettes should not be a health concern.
Notwithstanding what I wrote previously, this document is an excellent summary (by Clive Bates if I am not mistaken) and convinced me that using an e-cig or vape device to smoke e-liquids with or without nicotine is much safer than using cigarettes. The document can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oLmLh58XpyIG8T1-U0LbSOxNuLFoHzjCzwd41D2aJaM/edit .
It seems that the key is to not use too high a voltage and not overheat the e-liquid. If one does that, then it is perfectly safe to use e-cigs or vapes.
Author
Hello John,
We appreciate your comments and are glad you cited the Clive Bates article which outlines the guidelines for safe vaping.
Regarding Dr. Farsalinos – He is one of the world’s most respected “independent” and “impartial” e-cigarette and tobacco researchers. Farsalinos regularly shares his results with world health agencies including the FDA and the European Union, with the intention of spreading scientifically sound information. His research team receives no financial compensation for their work and they have no ties to the e-cigarette (or any other) industry. That said, Dr. F. has an insistance on declaring all his funding sources including the very few have come from the vaping industry. His interests lie soley on presenting truthful information. That puts him way above institutions that are not declaring their funding sources; hoping it will make them look more impartial.
where can i purchased vg juice only,i dont want pg in liquid,thanking you mags.
Author
Hi Margaret,
I recommend three brands…1- Vaporfi. They carry high VG e-liquids. 2- Direct Vapor. They also have high VG e-liquids 3- Kind Juice. Their e-liquids are completely free of PG, and are organic. I hope this helps!
PG is dangerous. It is antifreeze, which can kill you or your animal. It is dangerous for you to breathe these fumes or blow them in a child or animals face. Don’t advertise that it is safe and the FDA has no claim against it. PG is not a food substance nor a drug and therefore has no FDA information because it is not regulated.
The FDA acknowledges that propylene glycol can cause kidney damage when consumed in large doses and skin irritation when it comes in direct contact with flesh. In the U.S., products can contain five grams of propylene glycol for every kilogram of body weight. European formulas, however, can only contain .1 gram per kilogram of the ingredient.
Author
Stryker,
You are misinformed about propylene glycol. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is on the safe list and is used in hundreds of everyday foods and medicines and products (including beer and gummy bears). It should not be confused with ethylene glycol, which is extremely toxic if ingested.
As for PG being “antifreeze” you are well behind the times. One of the properties of PG is to keep things moist, why industrial grade PG is used as an ingredient used to make non-toxic antifreeze.
It is true that some people (about 3% or 4% of the population) are allergic to propylene glycol. They may experience a rash, or vaping with eliquids containing PG simply makes them cough. Today, the best eliquid companies let you purchase your eliquids without PG if you choose.
I just ordered my e-liquid from Virgin Vapor. !00% organic is the only way to fly with your lungs. I got severe headaches from PG. I tried 3 different brands and the only one that didn’t give me a headache was a VG base. I just want to remind people that the FDA has allowed GMO into our food chain and non washable pesticides which no amount of washing can get rid of. They also allowed Aspartame to be placed on the market even though studies showed a danger to everything that ate it. Now the truth is coming out about it. So please don’t trust the FDA!!!!
Author
Hi Sharon,
I love 100% VG and mostly PG eliquids too like Vaporfi’s e-liquids.
Thanks for commenting!
Major thanks for the article post. Want more.
Thanks for the article Hillary.
However Mt Baker states “All of our Max VG (vegetable glycerin) liquids contain the maximum-added amount of VG. However, they do still contain some amount of PG (propylene glycol), as it is used in the flavor base as well as the nicotine concentrate.”
The flavor base and nicotine base are a significant percentage of the e-liquid, and extra shots of flavor increase that percentage. Vapor Renu also offers “Max VG”. One of their representatives told me that Max VG can typically have at least 8 percent PG.
Virgin Vaper is truley PG free. Yes, organic too!
Author
Franklin,
Thank you for your helpful comment. It will certainly add important info to this review.
Hillary, you may be behind the times about propylene glycol and the ingredients found in most e-juice. Those studies you quote are for ingestion and topical use, and as someone said, I wouldn’t trust the FDA with my life. What you’re missing is that propylene glycol, once heated, is toxic, something the FDA did not include in their analyses. You’re also remiss in mentioning that most flavorings useed in e-juice contain diacetyl, known to cause bronchitis obliterans, aka popcorn lung. Diacetyl, used to flavor buttered microwavable popcorn, is hazardous and toxic when heated and inhaled. So honey, know what you write about before you copy and paste what you’ve read online.
Author
Nana,
I understand your concern, but I’m afraid it is you who is behind the times. The information you cited has long been discredited by reputable scientists. Soon after The New York Times and Public Health England reported that e-cigarettes were 95% safer than smoking tobacco, the anti-ecig factions (including the powerful pharmaceutical industry) organized yet another scare tactic campaign which included the now discredited “popcorn lung” study..
As for Propylene Glycol used in e-cigarettes, it is formulated for inhalation. This is the same PG used in hospitals, as it is a powerful deterrent against pneumonia, influenza, and other respiratory diseases when vaporized and inhaled.
I do not know where you learned that Diacetyl is present in “most flavorings” of e-juice. I suspect, honey, that you read it in another sensational but highly inaccurate news story. Reputable, responsible e-liquid companies are well-aware of the diacetyl scare and their products do not contain this chemical.
BOOM!!! Hillary, you go girl! lol
While I’m here though, I suffer from mouth ulcers (or canker sores), while vaping and they go away as soon as I stop vaping. Is this due to an allergy to Glycol do you think?
Author
Hi Richard,
Thanks for the Boom! Sorry you’re getting mouth ulcers while vaping. I’m not a doctor, but if they go away when you stop vaping I would assume something is related.
I did some research and you are not alone, although some sufferers blame the nicotine rather than the PG.
My suggestion is to first make sure you’re ecig gets cleaned regularly. Soak the mouthpiece and tank parts in alcohol or vodka for several hours. Then let it dry out. Don’t share your ecig either, as viruses can be transmitted.
Also, experiment with different types of ejuices! Certainly start with no pg or less nicotine. Vary your flavors too as that could be the culprit. There are lots of ejuice sales out there, so look out for them. We post them on twitter and Facebook too. Good luck!
I love it! Well answered, Hillary! I don’t know how you manage to keep your temper when answering some of these cretinous and reactionary comments.. you’re a better person than I. I admire your assiduous work immensely. I can even forgive the odd grammatical error, and I’m well known for my irritating pedantry, so you must be good! Shine on.
Author
Thank you Anna. I really appreciate your kind words. There is a great deal of misinformation about vaping circulating in the media, so it’s my goal to research the facts in order to clear up any confusion. Thanks for visiting best-e-cigarette-guide!