PG - VG - Glycerin - cutting - questions

[ShapeShifter]

Hey folks - I am a noob and have some questions about nicotine level and the us of PG, VG, Glycerin, and cutting.

This forum is such a wealth of information, and for that I am VERY grateful, but I am also getting a headache from overload haha. I have tried doing searches to piece together the answer to my questions regarding this, but I thought it might be less stressful to just ask haha.

So here goes...
I currently smoke 1 1/2 - 2 packs a day of Pall Mall menthol light 100's. I have ordered 2 different ecigs, the dse901 which is on its way and a dse084 which is charging now(mainly cause it was available and will be my backup). And of course all the accessories... bats, chargers, cats/cores, atomizers, and ejuice.

Here is where my question comes in. I ordered some 18mg, 24mg, 36mg juice. Now that I have read more, I am thinking that the higher levels will probably be too strong, and my objective is to continue to lower my levels rather than getting more addicted to nicotine haha - but still enjoy the feeling of smoking. So I am thinking that I can cut the nicotine levels of what I ordered but am confused by all the PG, VG, Glycernin talk.

Can y'all give me info on what each of these are and how I can use it to cut the nicotine level. I am thinking to test I could do my refills with 50/50 of the juice and one of these but dont know which. I did see some posts on VG and it seems a little scary to me.

Oh and also, where could I get it locally.

I appreciate your help
Brenda

 

[CandyGirl]

i buy Wilton Glycerine from a craft store. i use it for 2 reasons. i have a mild allergy to pg and it gives me acne so i dilute the pg liquid with the glycerin by at least 50% to minimize the pimples. the second reason is the massive vapor increase. i love it.
i'm also effectively doubling my liquid by doing this so that's also a plus.

 

[smokingclam]

I've been cutting my stuff with Glycerine. I buy the 36mg stuff all the time and use the glycerine I bought at Walmart. Make sure it says USP on the label. It should be real close to 100% glycerine on the label. Mine is 99.5 % you can find it in the health and beauty section with the skin lotions. If you cut 36mg 50/50 you will be left with 18mg stuff. You are probably going to want to buy some flavorings though cause it will cut down the flavor of the original juice as well.

 

[Kate]

This thread might be of interest - http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/diy-e-liquid/5066-eliquid-recepies.html

 

[CssReb]

i buy Wilton Glycerine from a craft store. i use it for 2 reasons. i have a mild allergy to pg and it gives me acne so i dilute the pg liquid with the glycerin by at least 50% to minimize the pimples. the second reason is the massive vapor increase. i love it.
i'm also effectively doubling my liquid by doing this so that's also a plus.

Yep 50/50 the vapor is fantasticolicious

 

[ShapeShifter]

Thank you so much everyone.

I couldnt find it at Walmart so I will head over to Hobby Lobby this evening to see if I can find it there.

 

[havanaharrys]

I've bought Glycerin at Hobby Lobby and have been using it to cut 36mg liquid but for whatever reason, I wasn't feeling all that well after I vape with the finished product. Has that ever happened to anyone else? Anyways, I've been wanting to try PG instead but so far all I can find is quarts and gallons online and thats way more than I need. Found some local but I think it needs to be USP and it wasn't. I found this which is about the right amount that I need. I'm sure this has already been addressed so forgive me if it has but does anyone know if I will still get the same amount of vapor if I switch to PG or will it diminish? If not, I might grab a bottle or 2.

 

[ZambucaLu]

Thank you so much everyone.

I couldnt find it at Walmart so I will head over to Hobby Lobby this evening to see if I can find it there.

It's by the bandaids in walmart. Just bought a bottle there the other day.

Lu

 

[ZambucaLu]

I've bought Glycerin at Hobby Lobby and have been using it to cut 36mg liquid but for whatever reason, I wasn't feeling all that well after I vape with the finished product. Has that ever happened to anyone else? Anyways, I've been wanting to try PG instead but so far all I can find is quarts and gallons online and thats way more than I need. Found some local but I think it needs to be USP and it wasn't. I found this which is about the right amount that I need. I'm sure this has already been addressed so forgive me if it has but does anyone know if I will still get the same amount of vapor if I switch to PG or will it diminish? If not, I might grab a bottle or 2.

Hey Cheektowaga! My daughter just moved from there to Kenmore. I go see her every month. Small world, ain't it?

Yes, that is the right stuff. I have heard that the VG gives more vapor than the PG but I haven't tried the PG myself...yet. But I really don't know how much difference there is....maybe someone else will come along and chime in here.

Welcome aboard!

Lu

 

[UkUsa]

Havannaharrys - i found some at Hobby Lobby but it was for making soap and was not recommended for internal use. Don't suppose you got some of that by accident?

That ebay post looks interesting even though to me the label looks home made. f you order some let us know how it works out.
I got some VG from a local health food store. It was $10.00 for 8oz but is 100% pure and i believe made here in Iowa. Plus i didn't have to pay shipping.

 

[yvilla]

I'm sure this has already been addressed so forgive me if it has but does anyone know if I will still get the same amount of vapor if I switch to PG or will it diminish? If not, I might grab a bottle or 2.

Rochester here, Harry.

As to your question, the answer calls for another question: The same amount of vapor as compared to what? PG is the main ingredient in all commercial eliquid (except for the JC non-PG liquid), so if you use it to cut your 36 mg stuff then the vapor will be the same. But apparently VG will increase the vapor some as compared to regular PG based liquid, and there have been reports that it also lasts in the air longer before disappearing - but that bit may or may not be a desireable effect.

 

[ChainSmkr]

I've bought Glycerin at Hobby Lobby and have been using it to cut 36mg liquid but for whatever reason, I wasn't feeling all that well after I vape with the finished product. Has that ever happened to anyone else? Anyways, I've been wanting to try PG instead but so far all I can find is quarts and gallons online.

Just so you know, LPD Lab Services did an analysis of the components of TW e-liquid and at the end of the report were two recommendations. One of the two rec's was replacing PG "completely with an alternative such as Glycerol". A research on glycerol will yield that it is the same thing as glycerin. Based on that, you'll want to make sure that the Hobby Lobby glycerin is what's causing you grief before switching to PG.

I don't know how vegetable glycerin (VG) has come into the picture because I haven't researched it yet. I'm guessing it has something to do with sources that glycerin is derived from. I'll pass on that information when or if I understand it.

 

[Sun Vaporer]

Rochester here, Harry.

As to your question, the answer calls for another question: The same amount of vapor as compared to what? PG is the main ingredient in all commercial eliquid (except for the JC non-PG liquid), so if you use it to cut your 36 mg stuff then the vapor will be the same. But apparently VG will increase the vapor some as compared to regular PG based liquid, and there have been reports that it also lasts in the air longer before disappearing - but that bit may or may not be a desireable effect.

Yvilla--I read many posts about VG lingering longer. I only use VG and the vapor disapates very rapidly--somewhere around four seconds, so I do not see any issue. I have used PG once over the last 6 months and there is a slightly less linger, but nothing to write home about. Maybe some people do not dillute it enough with distilled water or alcohol?---Sun

 

[snf]

when u guys say 50/50, do you mean mix half a bottle of VG with half a bottle of regular ejuice? cuz ive tried that and it taste horrible lol

 

[yvilla]

Yvilla--I read many posts about VG lingering longer. I only use VG and the vapor disapates very rapidly--somewhere around four seconds, so I do not see any issue. I have used PG once over the last 6 months and there is a slightly less linger, but nothing to write home about. Maybe some people do not dillute it enough with distilled water or alcohol?---Sun

Well that's good to hear Sun, as I was imagining trying out that bottle of VG I've got sitting at home (as soon as I get my 36 mg liquid to cut down), but causing myself more problems when I want to be discrete in public places.

 

[yvilla]

Just so you know, LPD Lab Services did an analysis of the components of TW e-liquid and at the end of the report were two recommendations. One of the two rec's was replacing PG "completely with an alternative such as Glycerol". A research on glycerol will yield that it is the same thing as glycerin. Based on that, you'll want to make sure that the Hobby Lobby glycerin is what's causing you grief before switching to PG.

Some people disagree with that recommendation, however. Tropical Bob, for example, prefers PG based liquids and believes that PG itself has beneficial aspects.

Personally, I plan to use a mixture of both PG and a lesser amount of VG as my nicotine strength reducer when my 36 mg liquid arrives.

 

[yvilla]

when u guys say 50/50, do you mean mix half a bottle of VG with half a bottle of regular ejuice? cuz ive tried that and it taste horrible lol

Most are adding flavors too, such as the LorAnn's or Bickford's. Have you tried that?

 

[ShapeShifter]

Well I ended up finding some glycerin at Hobby Lobby in the baking section. It is Wilton which others have mentioned using. It says its the only ingredient so I am assuming its 100%. But it doesnt mention on it USP, which I thought folks were saying thats what to look for.

I am going to try it today, but think rather than pre-mixing it, I will try a few drops of it with a few drops of the menthol so I can see if I like it before I mix a bottle of it.

Today will be my first day of full time vaporing. I tested a few things yesterday while I was waiting for all my bats to charge up. I liked the menthol from puresmoker and hated the mint and reg flavor that came with my DSE-084. I will be using the 084 as backup and my main vaporizer will be the DSE-901. So have my fingers crossed this is gonna get me off analogs

 

[ShapeShifter]

Oh, I forgot to ask....

So when folks say VG they mean glycerin right?

Because its vegtable base?

 

[ZambucaLu]

Yes, they do mean glycerin. Can't tell ya if it's vegetable based or not but the terms are interchanged.

Lu