Candle Making Fragrance Load Calculator: All Candle Fragrance Types (2025)

FAQs

How to calculate fragrance load for candles? ›

We simply explain it as the ratio of fragrance oil to the weight of your wax. Yes, 30g is 10% of 300g, but it's not 10% of the wax weight, which is what you need. A 10% scent load of 300g would actually be 30g of fragrance oil added to 300g of wax, making your finish product weight 330g.

The recommended fragrance load for a soy wax candle is generally between 5% to 10% of the weight of the wax used in the candle. However, some blended waxes like coconut soy wax can usually take up to 12% (which will usually give a very strong scent throw). Step 1 - Figure out your candle vessel capacity.

Also, using too much fragrance oil does not necessarily mean it will increase the scent throw in a finished candle. Adding too much fragrance oil can lead to impaired burning characteristics.

To find how much wax you will need, multiply the number of candles you are making by the amount of wax it will hold, and then divide that by 20. For example, if you want to make 30 - 8 ounce candles the math would be as follows: 30 (containers) x 8 (oz per container) = 240 total ounces / 20 = 12 lbs wax needed.

Most waxes have a 12% maximum fragrance load or approximately 2 oz. per pound. A typical amount is about 6% or 1 ounce per pound. Be sure to check the product page for the wax you will be using to find out the maximum fragrance percentage that it can hold.

So, if you're looking at how much fragrance oil per 100g of soy wax to add, 10g of fragrance oil is ideal for a strong aroma. If you're after a more subtle scent throw, a percentage of 5-6% may be better suited.

Paraffin wax—a very inexpensive wax—is most widely used across candle brands, says Fitchl, because it can hold a high amount of fragrance and color. It also comes in various melt points, making it suitable for making many different types of candles, from containers to pillars.

How do you make strong-scented candles? Generally speaking, the more fragrance oil you add to your melted wax, the more aromatic the candle will be. And as mentioned above, the type of wax you choose has an effect too. The basic ratio is one ounce of oil per pound of wax.

Mahogany Teakwood High-Intensity Candle

Not only did these two give off strong scents, but they smelled the best, too. Yankee Candle and Bath & Body Works candles gave off very heavy, in-your-face scents, whereas Le Labo and Byredo released complex, luxurious scents you'd expect in a fancy hotel.

Which Candle Wax Gives The Best Scent Throw? Currently Paraffin waxes are considered the best for achieving a strong fragrance – this is why many high street brands still use paraffin wax in their candles.

What not to do when making candles? ›

If this is your first time making soy wax candles, what you may want to do is just buy 2 pounds of wax from some place like Michaels. This way you can see if this is something that you will enjoy doing. One pound of wax should make you two 14 oz candles with some wax left over.

Now that we understand the importance of fragrance load, let's get into the specifics. For an 8 oz candle, the recommended fragrance load typically falls between 5% to 10% of the weight of the wax used in the candle.

For an 8 oz candle, the recommended fragrance load typically falls between 5% to 10% of the weight of the wax used in the candle.

One pound of wax should make you two 14 oz candles with some wax left over. So 10 lbs should be more than enough.

Adding fragrance to candles

It's a good rule of thumb to start around 6%, or 1 oz. of fragrance per 16 oz./1 lb.

Fragrance load — fragrance load is a term that indicates the percentage of fragrance you will need, in correlation to the amount of wax you will be using. Fragrance load is always expressed as a percentage. Fragrance content — this is the proportion of fragrance used in the candle mixture.