What Happens If You Add Too Much Fragrance To Soy Wax?

added too much fragrance oil to soy wax

Making soy candles is not so different than other types of waxes you might have used before. In some cases, it’s much more ethical and cleaner than paraffin or beeswax mixtures. Soy wax does have a key difference since it’s derived from soybean oil and is a renewable resource. It also has less soot that comes from burning and lasts longer than other candles do. In this short guide, we’ll address the problems of adding fragrance oils. What happens if you add too much fragrance oil to soy wax?

Adding too much fragrance oil can cause the wax to become unstable, it becomes frothy, can become a fire hazard, and cause the flame to burn irregularly all without improving the candle’s hot scent throw.

As the oil and wax mixture cools the excess fragrance oil will seep to the top of your candle. It will literally make little bubbles that contain these pockets of fragrance oil. Now you might think this is going to be ok but that’s only half of the problems that can happen.

The first problem is not that you’ll get more scent from your candle, but flame issues that are a real fire hazard. Fragrance oils are highly flammable that can burst from being ignited when you light these candles. These oils can also soak your wick making a candle become starved for airflow and struggles to give-off scent. The resulting smoke that comes from oil on the surface is also heavier than usual.

This is why you want to stick to the correct ratios of fragrance oil per soy wax mixture. But if you have added too much fragrance to your wax, there’s hope. You can simply add more sox wax to counter what you previously measured. If you weren’t paying attention to the fragrance amount, this makes it harder to estimate when adding more soy wax. The worst thing that happens is you’ll have a candle batch that is weaker smelling as a result.

What happens if I add too much fragrance oil to a soy candle?

This is usually the result of not properly measuring the amount of fragrance that goes into your soy candle. You have to remember that oil is lighter than soy wax and as it cools down, the oil will seep to the top of your candle. It will literally make little bubbles that contain these pockets of fragrance oil. Now you might think this is going to be ok but that’s only half of the problems that can happen.

The first problem is not that you’ll get more scent from your candle, but flame issues that are a real fire hazard. Fragrance oils are highly flammable that can burst from being ignited when you light these candles. These oils can also soak your wick making a candle become starved for airflow and struggles to give-off scent. The resulting smoke that comes from oil on the surface is also heavier than usual.

This is why you want to stick to the correct ratios of fragrance oil per soy wax mixture. But if you have added too much fragrance to your wax, there’s hope. You can simply add more sox wax to counter what you previously measured. If you weren’t paying attention to the fragrance amount, this makes it harder to estimate when adding more soy wax. The worst thing that happens is you’ll have a candle batch that is weaker smelling as a result.

What are the potential hazards?

As I mentioned before, the fragrance oil is still more flammable than soy wax can be. If you have a concentration of oil that’s built-up at the top of a candle it can erupt into a large burst of flame. This can burn your fingers, hand, and possibly your clothing. This is not an explosive burst but will be similar to a flash pot light-up like you see in gourmet cooking. The visual alone gives you enough warning of the possible flare-up that can happen.

Can it be a health risk?

There are health risks involved that will affect allergies, skin rashes, asthma complications, and smoke inhalation. Any room that’s exposed to excess smoke that comes from too much fragrance is an irritant. It can make the air harder to breathe and make your lungs feel like they are stinging. If you have made a candle that had too much fragrance, you’ll notice that smoke does linger in the air due to the difference in thermal layers.

It’s better to put out your candle and open a window to clear out the air that’s filled with nearly invisible smoke vapor. This is also what can cause a temporary smoke inhalation and very likely some degree of carbon monoxide poisoning.

What should the recommended fragrance ratio per candle be?

This is calculated by the amount of soy wax you start with and is based on a batch that weighs one pound. The maximum fragrance oil load that you can use is usually 10%. This means that the ratios would look something like this.

Fragrance Oil to Wax Ratio at 10% Fragrance Oil Load

10% Fragrance Oil Load By WeightWeight of Wax Being Used In Mix
1.6 oz1lb
3.2 oz2lb
4.8 oz3lb
6.4 oz4lb
8 oz5lb

You can also mix additional scents by dividing the oil ratios, but nothing over a total of six per pound of wax. I should also point out that not all fragrance oils are the same viscosity. Some can be thicker and some will be thinner which all can have different flashpoints. This is important to calculate when adding any scented oil that might combust if your wax is too hot. If your wax is too cool, the oil will not mix properly due to the thicker viscosity.

What do the manufacturers recommend?

Pay attention to the flashpoint on each bottle of fragrance oil that you buy. This will be listed on the bottle and pertains to that temperature flashpoint. This is where it gets tricky if you want to mix your scents. The higher the flashpoint is for your scent, the earlier you can add them. The rule is that your soy wax should not exceed 185F degrees when adding fragrance. So, at a higher flashpoint of 200F degrees, it’s still ok to add this to your wax mixture.

As your wax cools to lower temperatures, lower flashpoint scents can be added when the wax lowers to 130F degrees. Even flashpoint oils of 115F degrees can be added at this point. These need at least 2 minutes of mixing to get the oil mixed throughout your wax. After this, you can add your color and then go straight to pouring and wicking.

How do you completely mix fragrance oil into soy wax?

This all depends on the flashpoint of your fragrance oils and what the recommended temperature is for them. Higher flashpoints are added first while lower flashpoints can be added as the wax cools down. Commonly, cooler wax needs frequent stirring to mix oils into the wax. It doesn’t take much since it’s still very mixable. Hotter temperatures can take a minute, while lower temperate need two minutes.

Which kind of fragrance oil is best for soy candles?

This all depends on your choice of brands and where you buy them from. Try to avoid candle suppliers that repackage oils from bulk delivery. If you can locate a fragrance oil source that sells in larger quantities, you’ll save more than buying scents by the ounce. Looks for scents that don’t contain phthalates and parabens and ask specifically which oils they carry are free from them.

What is fragrance oil?

Fragrance oil is a combination of essential oils that have additives that are produced by combining synthetic scents. Just like you see in the ingredients list for foods, there are natural and artificial flavors. Artificial flavors often contain scents that mimic the smell of fruits and smells that are appealing. Because they are created in scent labs, they are often more expensive than essential oils

This also can contain additional synthetic additives that may not be beneficial for burning a candle. Two primary additives should simply be avoided when choosing fragrance oils. This includes phthalates and parabens that may have been added to these oil mixtures. I’ll discuss the dangers of these later in this article, but for the most part, you want to avoid these in any fragrance oils.

How is fragrance oil different than essential oil?

The main difference that separates fragrance oil from an essential oil is how it is used. Essential oils are made from the essence of fruits, flowers, and herbs. This is a type of oil that immediately fills the air when it’s used in a highly concentrated mist. Using special diffuser misting machines that give continual bursts of this atomized oil, the scent evaporates into the air. Some people prefer to use essential oil heating pots which are warmed by a candle.

While many candle makers add essential oil to their candles for scent, this is only good for a while. These oils will diminish over time and more than often smell terrible when you burn them. As the essential oil does blend well with waxes, it wasn’t intended to burn-off with an open flame. Many people find these scents cause headaches and increase asthma breathing problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do you add fragrance oil to 464 soy wax?

Add fragrance oil to your 464 soy wax when it has reached a temperature of at least 160°F. Add the fragrance oil as the wax is beginning to cool and gently stir the mixture until the fragrance oil and wax have been thoroughly blended. Take care not to stir too vigorously or you may create air bubbles.

When do you add fragrance oil to candles?

Add fragrance oil for candles while the wax is still in the melting pot or pouring pot at temperatures of at least 160°F. It is important to blend the fragrance oil and wax together before pouring the candles because the temperature for pouring is much too low to add the fragrance oil.

What temp do you add fragrance to 444 soy wax?

Add fragrance to 444 soy wax when it has reached a temperature of at least 160°F. It is important to not add the fragrance oil below that temperature because it may not mix properly and can cause problems with your candles. When blending in the oil stir gently, but thoroughly.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you don’t run into the issue of too much fragrance oil in a soy candle mixture. It’s not a total tragedy if you do experience this but you’ll have to compensate with more wax. As you get more experienced you’ll start to make special recipes and formulas that are carefully measured. But in the beginning, it will be common to make mistakes if you aren’t measuring everything as you go.

The best thing to do when starting out making candles is to measure everything and then write everything down. So if you do experience a problem you will know what happened and how to fix it the next time.

Carl Adamson

Hi, I'm Carl Adamson, one of the founders here at Candleers. A few years ago I got really into the art and craft of candle making, initially with soy wax container candles. My friends started asking me to make candles for them and pretty soon it turned into a nice side-business. I started this website as a way to document what I've learned over the past few years and hopefully help others in the process. I still love candle making but I'm learning that what I enjoy even more is the business side of things - and for this reason I've started consulting others on how to start and grow their own candle-making businesses and side-hustles.

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