Anisha Riggs
Creating your own candle fragrance oils can be a fun and rewarding project, allowing you to customise scents and experiment with different combinations of essential oils. The process of making fragrance oils involves blending essential oils with carrier oils such as jojoba or fractionated coconut oil. It's important to consider the timing of fragrance addition during the candle-making process, as adding fragrance oil during the cooling stage helps preserve the fragrance molecules. When creating your own fragrance oils, you can draw inspiration from fragrance wheels and pairing suggestions, or simply experiment with different oils to find your signature scent.
How to make your own candle fragrance oil
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Materials | Essential oils, carrier oils (jojoba or fractionated coconut oil), a small glass bottle for blending |
| Scent selection | Choose essential oils that complement each other. Base, middle, and top notes should be balanced for a harmonious blend. |
| Measurement and mixing | Using a dropper, add the desired number of drops of each essential oil into the glass bottle. |
| Carrier oil | Fill the bottle with your carrier oil, leaving some space at the top. |
| Shake and age | Seal the bottle and shake gently to mix the oils. Let the blend sit in a cool, dark place for a week or more. |
| Test and adjust | After ageing, smell the blend and test it in a diffuser or on a scent strip. Adjust the ratios if needed to achieve your desired scent profile. |
| Timing | The best stage to incorporate fragrance oil is during the cooling stage, just before pouring the wax into the container. |
| Wax temperature | Pay careful attention to the wax temperature to avoid issues like cracking or poor scent throw. |
| Cure time | Allow your candles to cure for a few days before using them to achieve the best fragrance. |
| Testing | Always test a small batch first to ensure your scent and wax combinations work as expected. |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing essential oils
When choosing essential oils, it is recommended to opt for those that complement each other. Blending oils with different notes, such as base, middle, and top notes, creates a harmonious fragrance. For instance, a blend could include vanilla as the base, jasmine as the middle, and bergamot as the top note.
To create a unique and personalised scent, you can experiment with different essential oils and take note of the combinations, ratios, and testing methods. It is advisable to start with basic scents and gradually move towards more complex blends. The fragrance wheel can be a helpful resource for guidance and inspiration when blending different notes.
Additionally, the timing of adding essential oils during the candle-making process is crucial. For optimal results, it is best to add the fragrance oil during the cooling stage, just before pouring the wax into the container. This ensures that the fragrance molecules are preserved, as high temperatures can cause them to break down, resulting in a weaker scent.
It is also important to consider the purpose of your candle. If a strong and long-lasting scent is a priority, fragrance oils may be a better option. However, if aromatherapy and medicinal benefits are important, essential oils are the preferred choice due to their natural properties and potential stress-relieving effects, as in the case of lavender essential oil.
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Selecting carrier oils
When selecting a carrier oil for your candle fragrance oil, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, you'll want to choose a carrier oil that is compatible with the type of candle wax you are using. For example, if you are making soy wax candles, fractionated coconut oil is a popular choice as a carrier. You can also use other light carrier oils such as almond or castor oil. These oils are "carriers" because they help to dilute the essential oils, preventing your candle from smoking too much and ensuring a pleasant fragrance.
Another factor to consider is the scent of the carrier oil itself. Some carrier oils have a neutral scent, like jojoba oil, which is also known for its stability. This can be ideal if you want the scent of your essential oils to shine through without interference. However, if you want to create a more complex fragrance profile, you can choose a carrier oil with its own unique scent, like olive oil, which can add a subtle earthy tone to your candle.
It's also important to consider the ratio of carrier oil to essential oil in your blend. Typically, the amount of carrier oil used in candle fragrance oils ranges from 10% to 20% of the total volume. This can depend on the desired strength of the fragrance and your budget, as using a higher proportion of essential oils can be more expensive.
Finally, if you are creating a natural or organic candle, you'll want to choose a carrier oil that aligns with this positioning. Organic carrier oils are guaranteed pure and unadulterated and are grown without pesticides, but they can be significantly more expensive than conventional oils.
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Mixing oils
Firstly, gather your essential oils and carrier oils, such as jojoba or fractionated coconut oil, along with a small glass bottle for blending. The number of oils you choose to combine is up to you, but it is recommended to start with 3-4 oils for your first few attempts.
Using a dropper, add the desired number of drops of each essential oil into the glass bottle. You can refer to the fragrance wheel for guidance on which notes complement each other. A blend might include ten drops of vanilla (base), five drops of jasmine (middle), and three drops of bergamot (top). Alternatively, you can refer to tried and tested blends such as Dry Gin and Cypress, or Golden Santal, which uses kindred notes in amber, woody, and aromatic categories.
Once you have added your desired number of drops of each essential oil, fill the bottle with your carrier oil, leaving some space at the top. Seal the bottle and gently shake it to mix the oils.
Let the blend sit in a cool, dark place for a week or more. This ageing process allows the oils to meld and mature, enhancing the fragrance. After ageing, smell the blend and test it in a diffuser or on a scent strip. Adjust the ratios if needed to achieve your desired scent profile.
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Testing and adjusting
Testing Fragrance:
- After blending, let the fragrance mature for a few days to a week. This allows the fragrance to fully develop and for any dissonant notes to come together harmoniously.
- Prepare test candles. Pour a small amount of wax into several containers, and add your fragrance oil at different rates of inclusion (e.g., 6%, 8%, and 10%). This will help you determine the optimal fragrance load for your candle.
- Allow the test candles to cure for a few days. During this time, the fragrance will
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Adding to the wax
The timing of adding fragrance to the wax during the candle-making process is crucial to the final product. The best time to add fragrance oil is during the cooling stage, just before pouring the wax into the container. This ensures that the fragrance molecules are preserved as exposing them to high temperatures for extended periods can cause them to break down, resulting in a weaker scent.
A good rule of thumb is to add about 10–15 drops of oil per 200ml of wax. Essential oils should be added to the melted wax after it has been removed from the heat and cooled to about 65°C. Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature of the wax.
You can experiment with different essential oil combinations to find your signature scent. Choose essential oils that complement each other. Base, middle, and top notes should be balanced for a harmonious blend. For instance, a blend might include ten drops of vanilla (base), five drops of jasmine (middle), and three drops of bergamot (top).
The scent of a candle can be enhanced by creating a multi-layered candle with varying scents in each layer. Pour one layer and let it set slightly before adding the next, creating a beautiful, tiered effect.
Before adding the fragrance oil to the wax, it is important to test and adjust the blend. Seal the bottle and shake it gently to mix the oils. Let the blend sit in a cool, dark place for a week or more. This ageing process allows the oils to meld and mature, enhancing the fragrance. After ageing, smell the blend and test it in a diffuser or on a scent strip. Adjust the ratios if needed to achieve your desired scent profile.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need essential oils, carrier oils (like jojoba or fractionated coconut oil), and a small glass bottle for blending.
Choose essential oils that complement each other. Base, middle, and top notes should be balanced for a harmonious blend. The fragrance wheel can be a helpful resource for inspiration and guidance.
Using a dropper, add the desired number of drops of each essential oil into the glass bottle. Then, fill the bottle with your carrier oil, leaving some space at the top. Seal the bottle and shake it gently to mix the oils.
Let the blend sit in a cool, dark place for a week or more. This ageing process allows the oils to meld and mature, enhancing the fragrance. After ageing, smell the blend and test it in a diffuser or on a scent strip. Adjust the ratios if needed to achieve your desired scent profile.
