What Does The Maximum Fragrance Load Or Fragrance % Of A Wax Mean? (2024)

The ‘fragrance load’ or fragrance % is the manufacturers recommended maximum amount of fragrance that a particular wax can retain.

For example, if you are making a 16 oz. candle with a wax that has a maximum 10% fragrance load, you could add up to 1.6 oz. (16 oz. * 10% = 1.6 oz.) of fragrance for that particular wax. While it is possible to add more fragrance than the manufacturers recommendation, this can lead to poor burning characteristics and/or the fragrance ‘seeping’ from the candle creating the appearance of sweating.

Many waxes available are pre-blended or contain additives enabling them to retain higher fragrance loads of up to 12%. There are certain waxes, such as straight paraffin wax, that have a lower maximum fragrance load of around 3% without the use of additional additives such as Vybar.

We recommend beginning testing by using 1 oz. of fragrance to 1 lb. of wax. This equates to a fragrance load of approximately 6.3%.

When calculating the fragrance load, always measure by weight, not by volume (i.e. fluid ounces).

What Does The Maximum Fragrance Load Or Fragrance % Of A Wax Mean? (2024)

FAQs

What Does The Maximum Fragrance Load Or Fragrance % Of A Wax Mean? ›

The 'fragrance load' or fragrance % is the manufacturers recommended maximum amount of fragrance that a particular wax can retain. For example, if you are making a 16 oz. candle with a wax that has a maximum 10% fragrance load, you could add up to 1.6 oz.

What is the fragrance load for candle wax? ›

The recommended fragrance load for a soy wax candle is generally between 5% to 10% of the weight of the wax used in the candle. However, some blended waxes like coconut soy wax can usually take up to 12% (which will usually give a very strong scent throw).

What wax has the highest fragrance load? ›

Paraffin wax—a very inexpensive wax—is most widely used across candle brands, says Fitchl, because it can hold a high amount of fragrance and color. It also comes in various melt points, making it suitable for making many different types of candles, from containers to pillars.

What is a 12% fragrance load? ›

Most waxes have a 12% maximum fragrance load or approximately 2 oz. per pound. A typical amount is about 6% or 1 ounce per pound. Be sure to check the product page for the wax you will be using to find out the maximum fragrance percentage that it can hold.

How much is 10% fragrance load? ›

Fragrance Load is the percentage of fragrance oil relative to the weight of wax only. If your finished candle has a net weight of 220g and your chosen fragrance load is 10%, then your candle would contain 20g of oil and the remaining 200g would be your wax.

What does max fragrance load mean? ›

The 'fragrance load' or fragrance % is the manufacturers recommended maximum amount of fragrance that a particular wax can retain. For example, if you are making a 16 oz. candle with a wax that has a maximum 10% fragrance load, you could add up to 1.6 oz. (16 oz. * 10% = 1.6 oz.)

What is the maximum fragrance for soy wax? ›

It's a good rule of thumb to start around 6%, or 1 oz. of fragrance per 16 oz./1 lb. of wax. Most wax manufacturers have a recommended fragrance load of 6-8% with a max of 10-12%.

Which candle wax holds scent best? ›

Which Candle Wax Gives The Best Scent Throw? Currently Paraffin waxes are considered the best for achieving a strong fragrance – this is why many high street brands still use paraffin wax in their candles.

What happens if you put too much fragrance in wax? ›

There are a few different things that can happen if you overload your wax with fragrance oil: It could cause the wax to not set up properly, leaving it soft and oily.

What wax is used in luxury candles? ›

Luxury candles tend to use higher-end alternatives to paraffin, such as coconut wax, beeswax, and soy wax.

What is the ratio of fragrance to wax for candles? ›

Most waxes will hold no more than 12% of fragrance oil however to assure the candle stability is not compromised we advise using 10% fragrance oil for optimal scent throw. This means if your candle is 100g in total- 90g should be wax and 10g would be your fragrance oil.

How to know how much wax for a candle? ›

To find how much wax you will need, multiply the number of candles you are making by the amount of wax it will hold, and then divide that by 20. For example, if you want to make 30 - 8 ounce candles the math would be as follows: 30 (containers) x 8 (oz per container) = 240 total ounces / 20 = 12 lbs wax needed.

What is a good fragrance load? ›

What is a fragrance load percentage? This is the amount of fragrance, expressed as a percentage. The fragrance load is usually between 5-6% but does depend on the type of candle wax you are using.

What temperature should wax be to add fragrance? ›

It is usually recommended to add your fragrance to the wax at 180-185F for soy and paraffin wax 200-205ºF for palm wax. Trim your wick: This is also very important. Stirring for a short amount of time can keep your fragrance oil from binding to the wax.

What is the difference between fragrance load and fragrance content? ›

Fragrance load — fragrance load is a term that indicates the percentage of fragrance you will need, in correlation to the amount of wax you will be using. Fragrance load is always expressed as a percentage. Fragrance content — this is the proportion of fragrance used in the candle mixture.

How much fragrance oil for 16 oz of wax? ›

Then multiply the decimal number by the number of wax ounces you are using (. 10 x 16 = 1.6). The result will tell you the maximum ounces of fragrance oil you can add to the 16 ounces/1 pound of wax. In this case, you should not exceed 1.6oz of fragrance oil.

What is the best percentage of fragrance oil in candles? ›

How much fragrance oil per candle should I use? Most waxes can hold up to 12% fragrance oil without affecting the burn of the candle, however it is generally recommended to stay at or under 10% to be safe. This equates to around 1.6 fluid ounces per pound of wax.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Barbera Armstrong

Last Updated:

Views: 5417

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (59 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Barbera Armstrong

Birthday: 1992-09-12

Address: Suite 993 99852 Daugherty Causeway, Ritchiehaven, VT 49630

Phone: +5026838435397

Job: National Engineer

Hobby: Listening to music, Board games, Photography, Ice skating, LARPing, Kite flying, Rugby

Introduction: My name is Barbera Armstrong, I am a lovely, delightful, cooperative, funny, enchanting, vivacious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.