Creating Fragrant Candles: Measuring Fragrance Oil For Success

When making candles, it's important to get the right amount of fragrance oil. Too much and you could compromise the stability of the candle, too little and it won't smell as good as it could. The amount of fragrance oil you add to your candles can be measured as a percentage of the wax or the total weight of wax and oil combined. The optimal amount of fragrance oil is 10% of the total weight, but you can use less if you want a more subtle scent. It's also important to measure your fragrance oil in weight (grams) rather than volume (ml) to get an accurate wax to fragrance oil ratio.

Fragrance load: measuring fragrance oil as a percentage of wax weight

When making candles, fragrance load is the amount of fragrance oil measured as a percentage of the wax weight. Most waxes will hold no more than 12% of fragrance oil, but to ensure the candle's stability is not compromised, it is recommended to use 10% fragrance oil for optimal scent throw. This means that for a 100g candle, 90g should be wax and 10g should be fragrance oil. If you want a more subtle scent, you can use 6% fragrance oil.

It is important to measure fragrance oil in weight (grams) rather than volume (ml) to get an accurate wax-to-fragrance-oil ratio. This is because many fragrances have different densities, which can cause miscalculations. For example, if you are using a thicker fragrance oil, you may end up adding too much if you measure in volume.

You can also calculate the fragrance load by taking the total weight of your candle and multiplying it by the percentage of fragrance oil you want to use. For example, if you have a 220g candle and want to use 10% fragrance oil, you would multiply 220g by 10%, which equals 22g of oil. This would leave you with 198g of wax.

There are also online candle calculators that can help you determine the correct amount of fragrance oil to use. These calculators allow you to enter the scent percentage and container mass to get the desired fragrance load.

Fragrance content: measuring fragrance oil as a percentage of the total weight of wax and oil

When making candles, it's important to get the right ratio of wax to fragrance oil. This is usually measured as a percentage of the total weight of wax and oil combined, known as the fragrance content.

Most waxes will hold no more than 12% of fragrance oil, but for optimal candle stability, it's recommended to use 10% fragrance oil. This means that for a 100g candle, 90g should be wax and 10g should be fragrance oil. If you want a more subtle scent, you can use 6% fragrance oil.

It's important to measure the fragrance oil in weight (grams) rather than volume (ml) to get an accurate wax to fragrance oil ratio. This is because many fragrances have different densities, which can cause miscalculations if you're not careful.

You can also calculate the fragrance load, which is the percentage of just the wax. For example, if you have a 220g container, 10% fragrance oil would mean using 22g of oil and 198g of wax.

To simplify the process, you can use a pre-made calculator to enter the scent percentage and container mass.

Optimal scent throw: using 10% fragrance oil to ensure candle stability

To ensure candle stability, it is recommended to use 10% fragrance oil for optimal scent throw. This means that if your candle is 100g in total, 90g should be wax and 10g should be fragrance oil. This is because most waxes will hold no more than 12% of fragrance oil, so using 10% ensures that the candle's stability is not compromised.

You can calculate the correct amount of fragrance oil for your candles by measuring it as a percentage of just the wax (fragrance load) or the total weight of wax and oil combined (fragrance content). It is important to remain consistent in your calculations and be transparent about your method on product labels or packaging. Measuring your fragrance oil in weight (grams) rather than volume (ml) will result in a more accurate wax-to-fragrance-oil ratio. This is because many fragrances have different densities, which can cause miscalculations. For example, if you are using a thicker fragrance oil, you may end up adding too much of it and vice versa.

If you are looking for a subtle scent throw, you can use 6%+ of fragrance oil. Alternatively, you can play around with different amounts of fragrance oil to see what feels right for you. For example, you can test fragrance oils by taking about a teaspoon of wax and a few drops of oil and making a small wax melt.

Subtle scent throw: using 6%+ fragrance oil for a lighter scent

When making candles, it's important to measure your fragrance oil in weight (grams) rather than volume (ml) to ensure a more accurate wax-to-fragrance-oil ratio. Most waxes will hold no more than 12% of fragrance oil, but to ensure candle stability, it's best to use 10% fragrance oil for optimal scent throw. This means that for a 100g candle, 90g should be wax and 10g should be fragrance oil.

If you're looking for a more subtle scent throw, you can use 6% or more of fragrance oil. For example, if your candle is 100g, you would use 94g of wax and 6g of fragrance oil. You can also play around with the amount of fragrance oil you use to see what feels right for you. It's important to note that many fragrances have different densities, which can cause miscalculations, so be sure to measure accurately and remain consistent in your calculations.

Testing fragrance oils: using a teaspoon of wax and a few drops of oil to make a small wax melt

When testing fragrance oils, it's important to use the correct ratio of wax to fragrance oil. Most waxes will hold no more than 12% of fragrance oil, but to ensure candle stability, it's recommended to use 10% fragrance oil for optimal scent throw. This means that for every 100g of wax, you would add 10g of fragrance oil.

To test a small batch, you can use a teaspoon of wax and a few drops of fragrance oil. This will give you an idea of the scent throw and how the fragrance oil interacts with the wax. It's important to note that different fragrances have different densities, so the number of drops may vary depending on the thickness of the oil.

When measuring fragrance oil, it's best to use weight (grams) rather than volume (ml) for a more accurate wax to fragrance oil ratio. You can also calculate the amount of fragrance oil needed based on the total weight of the wax and oil combined (fragrance content).

Remember to clean your glass measuring cups with hot water and dish soap after testing, and always allow them to dry thoroughly before using them again.

Frequently asked questions