Candle Fragrance Calculator
This candle fragrance calculator tells you exactly how much fragrance oil to add to your wax to hit a target fragrance load. Whether you pour soy, coconut, paraffin, or a blend, getting the ratio right is what separates a candle with a strong, clean scent throw from one that is weak or that sweats and burns poorly. Enter the weight of wax you are melting and the fragrance load you want as a percentage — the typical range is 6 to 10%, with 8% a sensible default for most containers — and the calculator returns the amount of fragrance oil to add along with the total weight of the finished blend. It works in grams or ounces so you can weigh everything on the same scale you already use.
Fragrance to add
Total blend weight
The percentage is calculated on the weight of the wax (the industry convention used by most fragrance oil suppliers), not on the total. IFRA sets maximum fragrance limits by candle type and product category: stay within them for safety and for a candle that burns cleanly.
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How it works
The maths is simple: fragrance = wax weight × (load ÷ 100), and the total blend is just wax plus fragrance. Crucially, the percentage is taken on the weight of the wax, not on the finished total — this is the convention used across the industry and by virtually every fragrance oil supplier, so a supplier who lists a maximum load is measuring it the same way. For example, 500 g of wax at an 8% load needs 40 g of fragrance oil, giving a 540 g blend. Most soy waxes hold around 8 to 10% before they start to seep or bloom. Always add the oil to the melted wax at the temperature your supplier recommends — typically around 50 to 60 °C (185 °F) — and stir gently for a minute or two so the fragrance binds properly into the wax.
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Preguntas frecuentes
- What fragrance percentage should I use?
- For most container candles a load between 6 and 10% works well, with 8% a reliable starting point. Below 6% the scent throw is often weak; above 10% many waxes can no longer hold the oil and it starts to seep out. Test in small batches and adjust to your wax, wick, and fragrance combination.
- Is the percentage based on the wax or the total?
- On the wax. By industry convention — and the one used by virtually every fragrance oil supplier — the load percentage is calculated on the weight of the wax alone, not on the finished total of wax plus oil. So 500 g of wax at 8% means 40 g of fragrance, for a 540 g blend. Measuring it this way keeps your recipe consistent with supplier limits.
- What is the maximum fragrance I can add?
- It depends on your wax and on IFRA limits. IFRA publishes maximum usage levels for each fragrance by product category, including candles, for safety reasons. On top of that, each wax has a physical maximum it can absorb — many soy waxes cap out around 8 to 10%. Check both your supplier's stated maximum and the IFRA category limit, and never exceed the lower of the two.
- Can I add more fragrance to make it smell stronger?
- Only up to a point. Adding oil beyond what the wax can hold does not make the candle stronger — it causes the excess to bleed out, can leave oily pooling, clog or drown the wick, and produce sooting or a poor burn. It can also breach IFRA safety limits. Beyond the wax's limit, a better wick or a different fragrance usually improves scent throw more than extra oil.
- At what temperature do I add the fragrance?
- Add the fragrance oil to the melted wax at the temperature your supplier recommends, typically around 50 to 60 °C (about 185 °F). Stir gently but thoroughly for a minute or two so the oil binds evenly into the wax. Adding it too hot can burn off some of the scent, while too cold can prevent it from mixing in properly.