What is a Base?

"Base" refers to a basic ingredient used in various applications and acts as the main carrier or solvent in which other ingredients are mixed or dissolved. This versatile component is essential for making a wide range of products, from personal care products to food. In personal care products, a base can hydrate, nourish and release active ingredients to the skin or hair. In the culinary world, it can serve as a sweetener, thickener, or moisture container in foods and beverages. In short, the base is the backbone of a formulation and provides the necessary consistency and properties for the product to function properly.

What are PG and VG usually used for?

Propylene glycol

Propylene glycol is used in various edible products, such as liquid sweeteners, ice cream, whipped dairy products and soft drinks. 

In alcohol-based hand disinfectants, it acts as a moisturizer to prevent the skin from drying out. Propylene glycol also serves as a solvent in many pharmaceuticals, including oral, injectable, and topical formulations. Many pharmaceutical compounds insoluble in water use propylene glycol as a solvent and carrier. Propylene glycol is also used as a solvent and carrier for numerous capsule-based pharmaceutical preparations.

Vegetable Glycerin

In extractions with the “tincture” method, VG is often chosen as a “alcohol-free” alternative to ethanol and acts as a solvent for preparing aromas or herbal extracts. In alcohol-based tincture recipes, glycerin can replace alcohol thanks to its preservative properties. Vegetable glycerin is also a basic ingredient in various cough syrups and mouthwashes.

In food and beverages, VG acts as a moisturizer, solvent, and sweetener and helps preserve food. It is also used as a filler in commercially prepared low-fat foods (such as cookies) and as a thickener in liqueurs. VG and water are used to preserve certain types of plant leaves.