How Much Fragrance Oil per Pound of Wax

Quick answer: most candle makers use 6% to 10% fragrance load, which is about 1 to 1.6 oz of fragrance oil per pound (16 oz) of wax. A common starting point is 8%, or about 1.3 oz per pound. Fragrance load is a percentage of the wax weight, and both are measured by weight on a scale.

Fragrance per pound of wax

Fragrance load	Per pound (16 oz) of wax	Per 454 g of wax
6%	0.96 oz	27 g
8%	1.28 oz	36 g
10%	1.6 oz	45 g
12%	1.92 oz	54 g

How to calculate it

fragrance oil = wax weight × fragrance load

For 2 pounds (32 oz) of wax at 8%: 32 × 0.08 = 2.56 oz of fragrance oil.

If you're filling jars, there's a catch: the wax and fragrance together have to fit the jars. The candle wax calculator works backwards from your jar size, so the wax plus fragrance equals the fill weight.

Choosing your fragrance load

Check your wax's maximum. Each wax has a maximum fragrance load it can hold, often 10% to 12% for soy wax. The supplier lists it.

More isn't always stronger. Above the wax's comfortable limit, extra oil can seep out ("sweating"), affect the burn, or barely change the scent throw. Many makers find a scent's sweet spot well below the maximum.

Fragrances vary. Some oils are naturally strong at 6%; others need 10%. Test each new fragrance.

Test before a big batch

1. Pour three test candles at 6%, 8% and 10%.
2. Let them cure. Soy candles often smell stronger after one to two weeks.
3. Burn each in the same room and compare the scent, flame and melt pool.

When to add fragrance

Add fragrance at the temperature your wax supplier recommends, often well above the pour temperature, so it binds with the wax. Stir gently but thoroughly for a couple of minutes. Adding it to wax that's too cool can leave oil pockets on top.

Safety

Fragrance oils have flash points. Don't heat them directly, and add them only to melted wax at the recommended temperature. Use oils sold for candle making.

Batch examples

Batch	Wax	Fragrance at 8%	Fragrance at 10%
Small test	1 lb (16 oz)	1.3 oz	1.6 oz
Weekend batch	5 lb (80 oz)	6.4 oz	8.0 oz
Market batch	10 lb (160 oz)	12.8 oz	16.0 oz
Twelve 8 oz jars	76.4 oz of soy	6.1 oz	about 7.6 oz

For jar batches, the wax and fragrance together must fill the jars, so the wax amount shrinks slightly as the fragrance load rises. The candle wax calculator handles that automatically.

Metric

The math is identical in grams: fragrance = wax weight × load. For 1 kg of wax:

• 6% = 60 g
• 8% = 80 g
• 10% = 100 g

Weigh everything on the same scale and tare it between ingredients.

Common mistakes

Measuring fragrance with a spoon or measuring cup. Oils vary in density, so 1 fl oz of one fragrance doesn't weigh the same as another. Weigh it.

Calculating load on the total instead of the wax. "8% fragrance" in candle making normally means 8% of the wax weight, not 8% of wax plus fragrance. The difference is small but adds up across a big batch.

Adding fragrance to wax that's too cool. It may not bind and can pool on top or seep out later. Follow the add temperature on your wax's data sheet.

Judging scent before it cures. Many soy candles need one to two weeks to reach full scent throw. Burning a test candle the next day gives a misleading result.

Going above the wax's maximum load. It doesn't make the candle stronger and can cause sweating, poor burns or soot.

Fragrance and wick size

More fragrance can change how a candle burns. If you raise the load from 6% to 10%, test-burn the candle again: some combinations need a different wick size to keep a clean flame and a full melt pool.

Record what works

Keep a simple log for each fragrance: the wax, the load, the wick, the cure time and how the hot and cold throw compared. After a few tests you'll know each scent's sweet spot, and scaling up becomes simple multiplication.

Quick checklist before you pour

1. Check your wax's maximum fragrance load on the supplier's data sheet.
2. Weigh the wax, then calculate fragrance as wax weight × load.
3. Heat to the wax's add temperature, add fragrance, and stir gently for about two minutes.
4. Pour at the recommended pour temperature.
5. Label each test with the fragrance, load and date, then cure before you judge it.