Vegetable Glycerin Palm vs Soy base

[sky4it]

Vegetable Glycerin Palm vs Soy base

OK, I've tried them both or so I thought. I recognize that most people prefer Palm based, or so it seems.

I originally bought my VG from Essential Depot. Then, I believe it was Salem Gold, commented that she thought it had dirty socks smell. I presume my first gallon I bought was Soy derived, but now Im not so sure.

Anyway, I ordered a gallon of RTS vapes VG a long time ago, the Palm derived stuff, but it didnt burn as well with my wicks and I wasnt getting the same flavor tasted that I got from the VG from Essential Depot. So I disagree to some extent with Salem Gold. Of course, my experience may differ because I use cotton wicks, and I presume that Palm has a thicker viscosity then Soy, which would account for the difference. <<< Although I am not positive abt that. So I never used my RTS vapes VG, I tossed it.


But here is where it gets kind of weird. I just ordered another gallon of VG from Essential Depot, (And PG). I ordered the special, the one that didnt say Palm derived and was expecting Soy based to arrive. But when the shipment came, the gallon of VG from Essential Depot was PALM based. So I called them on the phone. They told me that they mostly sell only Palm derived VG, in fact, my last gallon may have been Palm based from them not Soy based. <<< The label didnt say so I am not sure. They told me on the phone they only Soy based VG in 4 gallon increments.

So I dunno, is it possible most of these gallons sold from Essential Depot where always Palm based? The sales rep from Essential Depot seemed to think so.

Has anyone had a similar experience with VG as me? I was just kind of wondering. Thoughts? And if anyone knows of a good Soy VG retailer, please let me know as I do prefer it, >>> ie the old Essential Depot stuff.

 

[retired1]

Moved to DIY e-liquid

Soy Derived Vegetable Glycerin: Essential Depot

 

[puffon]

When I asked what I bought from them last year, they said it was Palm.
I'm happy with it.

 

[mhertz]

If you want soy derived VG, then check out duda-diesel...

Personally I myself can taste very slight differences in different VGs, and there's differences in viscosity frequently, but I am not sure about the belief that palm VG is thicker... VG is glycerol, and glycerol is 100% the same substance no matter if palm kernel, palm fruit, choconut, soy, rapeseed, corn etc derived glycerol. Every fat and oil is made up internally of triglycerides and on each 3 I believe fatty acids there's a glycerol molecule that bonds them together, so when making VG the veg. oils is hydrolized(there are also other ways e.g. saponification with an alkali etc) to split the glycerol from the fatty acids with the use of added water, heat and pressure, and then the fatty acids gets split from the glycerol/water and the glycerol/water left then is afterwards purified/distilled up-to 99.5%+(you can never remove all the water). This means that palm or soy, the glycerol compound is the same... However, when looking at COAs, then you can see that even though the vast amount of the VG is glycerol and water, then there's also other very small compounds there, which is what I think then gives the difference in taste... Note, if not using unflavored, then I would not taste any difference for sure

People often think that because palm oil is very thick and thicker than some other oils, then the glycerol from that must be thicker, but I seriously don't see that as being a scientific possibility in any way... The thickness must be from glycerol purity and hence water amount... Also, temperature is really important too for viscosity, even slight changes can make a difference...

If you had 100% pure glycerol(glycerin), well probably not possible(synthetic maybe?) but humour me, then it wouldn't be any different if it was e.g. made from veg-oils or tallow(animal), let alone soy or palm

I've tried 7-8 glycerins myself(and did unflavored testings on all and compared between them), and as being an unflavored vaper with only using VG, alittle water(5%) and nic(3mg), then VG taste(and nic) is of very high importance to me(and is my "hobby", including mechs/rda's )...

 

[Frocket]

I kinda thought VG was just VG. Didn't realize the rabbit hole of DIY is this deep.

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

 

[mhertz]

Well, USP or Ph.Eur(EP) glycerin is pretty much the same and we're here talking semantics imho Well, atleast I am... If I used flavors, or used unflavored without having a good palette, then the only difference would be thicker/thinner and density of vapor because of it... If not using an rda, then because of this(VG viscosity) then some could wick better than others, but the ratios could then be changed up e.g. adding a little DW for thick VG etc...

 

[mhertz]

Lol, I just ordered 60ml VG from the states shipped to Denmark in EU for 20 bucks, where the VG was 1.99 bucks and the rest shipping(from nicotine-river)...

I did it because most VG in EU are from rapeseed and not palm, but one of the 7-8 VGs in EU i've tried have a floral violets taste that i've never had before, and so since it's said that palm oil has violets aroma, then i'm guessing it's palm based, and so I wanted to try another VG that I for sure knew was palm derived and see if the same violets notes where there, and I could only find that(palm VG specifically stated) in the states...

Most VG manufactured in the states(and not just imported and rebottled/sold) is from soy, and palm VG comes from indonisia or malaysia i've read, because they have the best palm oil available locally. Infact i've read there is only one plant in the states left making glycerin and is from soy, but don't know if it's true...

Btw, the floral violets notes can still only be tasted vaped unflavored i'm sure, but they are much more pronounced than the other subtle taste variations between other different VGs i've tested...

I'm still undecided if I actually like and prefer these violets notes rather than the more neutral profile of e.g. rapeseed derived VG, but if I end up disliking these notes, then I will atleast know to stay clear of palm.derived VG in the feuture and that's why I bought the little sample, well other than also being really interested in this issue...

Also, to the OP, i'm pretty sure your issue stems from VG viscosity differences and not specifically about palm vs soy. I state that, because your issues of lesser wicking and taste sounds like a consequence of using a higher viscosity VG imho... Adding a little DW(water) or changing to a thinner VG, would give better wicking and flavor(initially, as lesser steeping needed and possibly less flavor needed) imho...