Candle making can be intimidating for some people just starting out, and part of that is due to the measurements and equations required to make candles properly. The measurements and equations are important when it comes to calculating how much fragrance oil you need to make candles. Let’s take a closer look.
How much fragrance oil do I use to make candles? Use 3%-10% of fragrance oil by weight to make candles. This means that a candle weighing 250 grams will have between 7.5 and 25 grams of fragrance oil and 242.5 and 225 grams of wax. The ratio of 3%-10% remains the same regardless of candle size.
When calculating the amount of fragrance oil and increasing the amount of fragrance oil in a candle, it is important to remember that as you increase fragrance oil, you are also going to be decreasing wax. If you add fragrance oil to your wax without adjusting the amount of wax, you will have more material than you need to fill your containers.
Fragrance Oil Load
When making candles only a certain amount of fragrance oil can be used. If you use too little fragrance oil you will not have a good cold or hot throw and if you use too much fragrance oil the candle will not burn properly.
What is a fragrance oil load? Fragrance oil load is the percentage of the candle by weight that is made up of fragrance oil rather than wax. This number is usually between 3% and 10%. For example, a 16-ounce candle with a 10% fragrance oil load would consist of 14.4 ounces of wax and 1.6 ounces of fragrance oil.
If you are making larger batches of candles then you will be calculating the fragrance oil load for the entire batch or on a per pound basis.
How much fragrance oil per pound of wax? Use .48 to 1.6 ounces of fragrance oil per pound of wax. This amount depends on if you want a 3% fragrance load or a 10% fragrance load or something in between. Verify the wax you are using is capable of using the fragrance oil load that you have chosen.
Fragrance oil load can vary depending on the type of oils, wax and additives but it is generally in the 3%-10% range. In addition to fragrance, the load percentage can also impact how a candle burns, how clean it burns and how hut it burns.
Measuring Fragrance Oil For Candles
Measuring the fragrance oil can be tricky when making small batches of candles because some scales are not sensitive enough to measure such small amounts.
How do you measure fragrance oil for candles? Measure fragrance oil by putting the container on the scale and turning it on, or press the tare button. Using the tare button resets the scale to 0 so that it only measures the fragrance oil. Begin filling the container with fragrance oil until you reach the desired weight.
You measure fragrance oil by weight rather than by volume because different types of fragrance oil have different densities. In addition, you measure wax by weight in order to ensure you get the correct amount when making candles. This makes it easier to do the math when calculating how much wax and fragrance oil you need for candle making.
Calculating Fragrance Oil For Candles
As we learned above, the amount of fragrance oil used when making candles is called the fragrance oil load. This number can be difficult to calculate in ounces so I like to convert my measurements to grams.
How do you calculate fragrance oil load? Calculate fragrance oil load by multiplying load percentage by the weight of the candle. For example, .10 x 250 grams = 25 grams. This means a 10% fragrance oil load for a 250 gram candle would be 25 grams. In addition to adding those 25 grams of fragrance oil, you will subtract 25 grams of wax.
We’ve made a candle making calculator that can be used to easily calculate this number in both grams and ounces. If you are interested in using our calculator then feel free to download it below.
Fragrance Oil Load Per Wax
Each type of wax has its own maximum fragrance oil load. In addition, types of wax designed for pillars, votives and containers all have their own individual load percentages. Let’s take a look.
Max Fragrance Oil Load Per Wax Type
| Wax Type | Load % |
| IGI 4630 | 10% |
| IGI 4626 | 12% |
| IGI 1239 | 3% |
| IGI 6006 | 10% |
| IGI 6046 | 10% |
| GB 415 | 10% |
| GB 444 | 10% |
| GB 464 | 10% |
As you can see the max fragrance oil load is generally around 10%, however in pillar candles and votives it drops down to around 3%.
How Much Fragrance Oil Based On Size
This table includes candle size and fragrance loads in both ounces and grams.
How Much Fragrance Oil Per Candle
| Candle Size | 6% Fragrance Oil Load | 10% Fragrance Oil Load |
| 1 oz | .06 oz / 1.7 g | 0.10 oz / 2.8 g |
| 2 oz | 0.12 oz / 3.4 g | 0.20 oz / 5.6 g |
| 3 oz | 0.18 oz / 5.1 g | 0.30 oz / 8.5 g |
| 4 oz | 0.24 oz / 6.8 g | 0.40 oz / 11.3 g |
| 5 oz | 0.30 oz / 8.5 g | 0.50 oz / 14.1 g |
| 6 oz | 0.36 oz / 10.2 g | 0.60 oz / 17.0 g |
| 7 oz | 0.42 oz / 11.9 g | 0.70 oz / 19.8 g |
| 8 oz | 0.48 oz / 13.6 g | 0.80 oz / 22.6 g |
| 9 oz | 0.54 oz / 15.3 g | 0.90 oz / 25.5 g |
| 10 oz | 0.60 oz / 17 g | 1.00 oz / 28.3 g |
| 11 oz | 0.66 oz / 18.7 g | 1.10 oz / 31.1 g |
| 12 oz | 0.72 oz / 20.4 g | 1.20 oz / 34.0 g |
| 13 oz | 0.78 oz / 22.1 g | 1.30 oz / 36.8 g |
| 14 oz | 0.84 oz / 23.8 g | 1.40 oz / 39.6 g |
| 15 oz | 0.90 oz / 25.5 g | 1.50 oz / 42.5 g |
| 16 oz | 0.96 oz / 27.2 g | 1.60 oz / 45.3 g |
Fragrance Oil Tips
There are some useful tips and information that you should keep in mind when working with fragrance oil.
Let’s take a look.
Useful fragrance oil tips
- Don’t overheat
- Don’t overload
- The same oil has different smells
Don’t overheat
Do not overheat your fragrance oils. When you overheat your fragrance oils they can reach their flash-point and begin to evaporate creating a flammable vapor. This is not only a problem because they become flammable, but also because the fragrance oil is evaporating, decreasing the amount of fragrance oil in the candle.
This can weaken your cold and hot throw and reduce the amount of fragrance oil in your candle over all.
Don’t overload
Do not overload your candles with fragrance oil. When you use too much fragrance oil it can cause the candle to sweat, cause the wax to not harden, and cause your candle to burn irregularly. In addition, more fragrance oil will not necessarily give you a better hot throw if your wick gets clogged and doesn’t burn correctly.
Same oil has different smells
Do not be surprised if your finished candle does not smell exactly like your fragrance oil out of the bottle. Finished candles can smell different than your fragrance oil does straight out of the bottle. This is why it is important to make test candles and produce small batches before ordering tons of materials and going into full production.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much fragrance oil for a 4 oz candle? 4 oz candles take .40 oz of fragrance oil at a 10% fragrance oil load, and 4 oz candles take .24 oz at a 6% fragrance oil load.
How much fragrance oil for a 6 oz candle? 6 oz candles take .60 oz of fragrance oil at a 10% fragrance oil load, and 6 oz candles take .36 oz at a 6% fragrance oil load.
How much fragrance oil for a 8 oz candle? 8 oz candles take .80 oz of fragrance oil at a 10% fragrance oil load, and 8 oz candles take .48 oz at a 6% fragrance oil load.
How much fragrance oil for a 10 oz candle? 10 oz candles take 1.0 oz of fragrance oil at a 10% fragrance oil load, and 10 oz candles take .60 oz at a 6% fragrance oil load.
How much fragrance oil for a 12 oz candle? 12 oz candles take 1.2 oz of fragrance oil at a 10% fragrance oil load, and 12 oz candles take .72 oz at a 6% fragrance oil load.
How much fragrance oil for a 14 oz candle? 14 oz candles take 1.4 oz of fragrance oil at a 10% fragrance oil load, and 14 oz candles take .84 oz at a 6% fragrance oil load.
How much fragrance oil for a 16 oz candle? 16 oz candles take 1.6 oz of fragrance oil at a 10% fragrance oil load, and 16 oz candles take .96 oz at a 6% fragrance oil load.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the math related to calculating fragrance oil loads can seem intimidating for some new candle makers. However, if you use a calculator or a chart like the ones above and double check your numbers before making candles you will have nothing to worry about
Do not be afraid to use available resources to help calculate your numbers, or to reach out to experienced candle makers online and get their opinions. You will find that most people are more than happy to help.
If you are looking for a place to get quality fragrance oils consider taking a look at Aztec Candle & Soap Supplies.
If you want to see how to calculate the amount of wax needed to make candles take a look at our article titled How Much Wax Do I Need To Make Candles.
