How to Calculate Fragrance Oil Load
In this guide, you’ll learn how to calculate fragrance oil for candles and recommended fragrance percentages for different waxes. Adding too little fragrance oil can result in a weak scent throw, while adding too much can cause issues such as sweating, poor burning, and fragrance separation. This is why it is important to understanding fragrance load percentages and always measure out your fragrance oil and wax.
Fragrance Load
Fragrance load refers to the percentage of fragrance oil added to your wax.
For example, if you’re making a candle with a total fill weight of 135 grams and want an 8% fragrance load, 8% of the total candle weight will be fragrance oil. The ideal fragrance load depends on the type of wax you’re using, as each wax has a different fragrance-holding capacity.
Recommended Fragrance Loads by Wax Type
Soy Wax
A fragrance load of 6%–10% is commonly used for soy wax candles. Over the years, I’ve found myself reaching for soy wax and soy-coconut blends time and time again, and these are the waxes I work with almost exclusively today.
- 6% provides a lighter scent
- 8% offers a balanced scent throw (this is what I use mostly)
- 10% creates a stronger fragrance
As with every aspect of candle making, testing is crucial. Not all fragrance oils perform the same, even when used at the same percentage. Some fragrances are naturally stronger and more concentrated, allowing you to achieve an excellent scent throw with a lower fragrance load than you would typically use. Others may be lighter or more delicate, requiring a slightly higher fragrance load to produce the desired scent strength.
By testing each fragrance individually, you can adjust the fragrance load as needed and create a more consistent scent experience across your entire candle collection. This not only helps optimize performance but can also reduce unnecessary fragrance usage and production costs.
Paraffin Wax
Recommended fragrance load:
6%–12%
Paraffin wax generally holds fragrance well and can often accommodate higher fragrance loads.
Coconut Wax
Recommended fragrance load:
8%–12%
Coconut wax is known for excellent scent throw and can typically handle higher fragrance percentages.
Beeswax
Recommended fragrance load:
3%–6%
However, many candle makers prefer to leave beeswax unscented. Beeswax naturally has a delicate honey scent and may interfere with certain fragrance oils.
Fragrance Oil Calculation Formula
Formula:
Total Fill Amount × Fragrance Oil Percentage (as a decimal) = Amount of Fragrance Oil Needed
Step 1: Determine Your Total Fill Weight
Your total fill weight is the amount of wax and fragrance that will fill your container.
For this example, we’ll use:
135 g total fill weight
Step 2: Choose Your Fragrance Load
Common fragrance loads include:
- 6%
- 8%
- 10%
- 12%
Convert the percentage into a decimal before calculating:
| Percentage | Decimal |
|---|---|
| 6% | 0.06 |
| 8% | 0.08 |
| 10% | 0.10 |
| 12% | 0.12 |
Step 3: Apply the Formula
Example 1: Using an 8% Fragrance Load
You decide to use an 8% fragrance load in a candle with a total fill weight of 135 g.
Calculation:
135 × 0.08 = 10.8 g
You will need:
- Fragrance oil: 10.8 g
- Wax: 124.2 g
Example 2: Using a 12% Fragrance Load
You decide to use a 12% fragrance load in a candle with a total fill weight of 135 g.
Calculation:
135 × 0.12 = 16.2 g
You will need:
- Fragrance oil: 16.2 g
- Wax: 118.8 g
Not a fan of doing the math manually?
Use this free fragrance oil load calculator to quickly determine exactly how much fragrance oil and wax you’ll need for your candle.
Fragrance Oil Calculator
Example Fragrance Oil Reference Chart
For a 135 g candle:
| Fragrance Load | Fragrance Oil Needed |
|---|---|
| 6% | 8.1 g |
| 8% | 10.8 g |
| 10% | 13.5 g |
| 12% | 16.2 g |
6 Tips For Perfect Fragrance Load
1. A higher fragrance percentage does not always mean a stronger scent throw. Every wax and fragrance oil combination behaves differently.
Using too much fragrance oil can lead to:
- Fragrance seepage or sweating
- Poor wick performance
- Excessive soot
- Uneven burning
- Increased production costs
For many soy wax candles, an 8% fragrance load provides an excellent balance between scent performance and candle quality. But as always, you should test it out with your wax.
2. Always measure fragrance oil by weight using a precise digital scale.
3. Check wax manufacturer recommendations. Each wax has a maximum fragrance load. Always follow your wax and fragrance oil supplier’s guidelines.
4. Test, test, test. If you could sum up candle making in three words, it would be these three. Perform burn tests with different fragrance loads to determine what works best for your wax, wick, and fragrance combination.
5. This one is related to the above tip. Keep detailed records and document your fragrance percentages, wax types, wick sizes, and test results so you can consistently reproduce high-quality candles.
6. Sometimes, even if you do everything right, unexpected issues can occur. One of the most frustrating problems, particularly with pillar candles, is fragrance separation.
Fragrance separation can happen for several reasons. A common cause is using a low-quality fragrance oil or a fragrance that was not formulated for candle making. For example, some fragrance oils intended for reed diffusers contain solvents that work well in diffuser systems but may not bind properly with candle wax. Aging fragrance oils can also contribute to performance issues. While fragrance oils can often remain usable for one to two years or longer when stored correctly, exposure to air, sunlight, and fluctuating temperatures can gradually affect their stability. As oxidation occurs, some fragrance components may degrade or separate, which can lead to changes in appearance, scent quality, or how the fragrance interacts with wax.
Proper storage is essential. Fragrance oils should be kept tightly sealed in a cool, dry location away from direct sunlight and extreme temperature changes. This helps preserve their quality and extends their usable lifespan.
For this reason, it is often a good practice to use existing fragrance oils before purchasing large quantities of new ones. Many candle makers are constantly exploring new scent collections, testing trending fragrances, or preparing seasonal launches. As a result, partially used bottles can end up sitting on the shelf for months while attention shifts to newer scents. Rotating your inventory and using older fragrance oils first can help maintain consistent candle quality, and ensure you’re working with fragrances at their best performance.
Learning how to calculate fragrance oil for candles is an essential skill for every candle maker. By understanding fragrance loads and using a simple fragrance oil calculator, you can create candles with consistent scent throw and reliable performance.
