Candle-Making Basics: Fragrancing 4Oz Of Wax

When making candles, it's important to get the right balance of fragrance oil to wax. The amount of fragrance oil you add will depend on the percentage of fragrance load you want to achieve. For example, if you're making a 4oz candle with an 8% fragrance load, you'll need to add 27 grams of fragrance oil to 340 grams of wax. However, it's important not to exceed the maximum fragrance load for your wax, which is usually around 5-6%. The type of wax you're using will also impact the amount of fragrance oil you can add, so it's important to refer to the recommended applications for each type of wax.

The formula for calculating the amount of fragrance oil needed

Candle quantity in oz) * 28.35) * (percentage of fragrance oil desired) = grams of fragrance oil needed.

For example, if you are making three 4oz candles and want an 8% fragrance load, you would need 27 grams of fragrance oil. This is calculated as follows:

3 * 4) * 28.35) * 0.08 = 27 grams.

The amount of fragrance oil you use can be adjusted according to personal preference, but it is recommended that you do not exceed the maximum fragrance load for the type of wax you are using. This is usually around 5-6%, but can be as high as 10% for some types of wax. For example, Golden Brands 464 Soy Wax has a maximum fragrance load of 10% or 1.6 ounces per pound of wax.

The maximum fragrance load percentage

To calculate the amount of fragrance oil to add to your wax, you can use the following formula: ((Candle Quantity * Oz of Each Candle) * 28.35 g per oz) * Percentage of Fragrance Oil Desired = Grams of Fragrance Needed. For example, if you are making three 4-ounce candles and want an 8% fragrance load, you would multiply 28.35 by 4 to get 113.4 grams of wax per candle. Then multiply 113.4 by 3 to get 340.2 grams of wax total. Finally, multiply 340.2 by 0.08 to get 27 grams of fragrance oil needed for an 8% fragrance load.

It is important to note that just because the wax is able to hold a certain percentage of fragrance oil, it doesn't mean that the full amount is needed. However, exceeding the maximum fragrance load percentage can negatively impact your candle structure. If you are unable to find the maximum fragrance load percentage for your wax, it is recommended to stay within the range of 5-6%.

Additionally, the amount of fragrance oil you use can be adjusted based on personal preference and the type of wax you are using. For example, using 1oz of fragrance oil per 1 pound of wax will give you a 6.2% fragrance load, which may be strong enough for some fragrances but not others.

Adjusting the amount of fragrance oil depending on the type of wax

The amount of fragrance oil you add to your candle wax depends on the type of wax you're using and your personal preference. The maximum amount of fragrance oil recommended is listed in the 'Recommended Applications' section of each type of wax. For example, Golden Brands 464 Soy Wax has a maximum fragrance load of 10% or 1.6 ounces per pound of wax.

If you're making a large batch of wax, take the entire amount and multiply it by the percentage of fragrance you're adding. For example, if you're making eight 8-ounce candles, multiply 8x8=64 oz of wax. Then 64 x 6% (.06) =3.84. You could round that up to 4 ounces of fragrance oil for 64 ounces of wax.

A common amount to use is 6% or 1oz per pound of wax. This can be adjusted up or down depending on the type of wax you're using and your personal preference. However, you don’t want to exceed the maximum fragrance load percentage for your wax, as it can negatively impact your candle structure. If you are unable to find the maximum fragrance load percentage for your wax, it is usually safest to stay within the range of 5-6%.

Using this formula, you can figure out that if you use 1oz of fragrance oil per 1 pound of wax, that’s only a 6.2% fragrance load. And while that may make a nice candle with a stronger scented fragrance, you won’t smell it at all with a different fragrance.

The difference between net weight ounces and fluid ounces

The amount of fragrance oil to add to 4oz of candle wax depends on the type of wax and personal preference. The maximum amount of fragrance oil recommended is listed in the Recommended Applications section of each type of wax. For example, Golden Brands 464 Soy Wax has a maximum fragrance load of 10% or 1.6 ounces per pound of wax.

Now, let's talk about the difference between net weight ounces and fluid ounces. It's important to understand that these two units of measurement are not interchangeable. Fluid ounces are used to measure volume, specifically the volume of liquid ingredients like water. On the other hand, net weight ounces are used to measure weight, typically of solid ingredients like flour. For instance, 8 fluid ounces of juice is not equal to 8 net weight ounces of chips. This distinction is crucial when formulating chemical solutions or recipes to ensure accuracy. According to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) label regulations, solid, semisolid, or viscous foods should be labelled in terms of net weight, while liquid foods should be labelled with fluid ounces.

The maximum fragrance load of Golden Brands 464 Soy Wax

To calculate the amount of fragrance oil needed for a specific batch of candles, you can use the following formula:

Total candle quantity in ounces) * 28.35) * (desired fragrance percentage) = grams of fragrance needed

For example, if you are making three 4-ounce candles and want an 8% fragrance load, you would calculate it as follows:

3 * 4) * 28.35) * 0.08 = 27 grams of fragrance oil

It's important to note that while the wax may be able to hold a certain percentage of fragrance oil, you don't necessarily need to add the maximum amount. The amount of fragrance oil can be adjusted based on personal preference and the type of wax being used. However, exceeding the maximum fragrance load can negatively impact the structure of your candle.

Frequently asked questions