Calculate the exact amount of wax and fragrance oil you need for any container size, quantity, and wax type — so every candle comes out right.
How Fragrance Load Works (Quick Answer)
Your fragrance load is the percentage of fragrance oil relative to the total wax weight. A 6% load means 6 grams of fragrance for every 100 grams of wax. To calculate the weight of wax and fragrance for a container: multiply container volume × wax gravity to get the total fill weight, then split that between wax and fragrance based on your load percentage. Enter your values below and the calculator does the arithmetic for you.
Track your candle materials automatically. Craftybase deducts wax and fragrance from inventory every time you log a batch — so you always know what you have on hand.
Fragrance load is the percentage of fragrance oil relative to the weight of wax in your candle. It's one of the most important numbers in candle making because it directly affects scent throw, burn quality, and safety.
Use too little fragrance and your candle won't throw scent across the room. Use too much and you'll get sweating, wet spots, or wax that won't hold a flame. Every wax type has a maximum fragrance load recommended by the manufacturer — exceeding it doesn't make a stronger candle, it makes a worse one.
Not all waxes hold fragrance the same way. Here are typical maximum fragrance loads and specific gravities for common candle waxes:
Wax Type
Typical Max Load
Specific Gravity
Notes
Soy Wax (464)
10–12%
0.90
Most popular container wax. Great scent throw at 10%.
Paraffin
6–10%
0.86–0.90
Strong hot throw. Gravity varies by melt point.
Coconut Wax
10–12%
0.90
Clean burn, excellent scent throw.
Beeswax
3–6%
0.95
Low fragrance retention. Natural honey scent.
Soy-Coconut Blend
10–12%
0.90
Popular blend for both throw and clean burn.
Palm Wax
6–8%
0.88
Creates unique crystalline patterns.
Always check your wax supplier's data sheet for exact specifications. These are typical values and may vary by brand.
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Common Fragrance Load Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
Getting your fragrance load wrong is one of the most common issues for new candle makers. Here are the mistakes we see most often:
Measuring fragrance by volume instead of weight
Fragrance oils are denser than wax, so a tablespoon of fragrance weighs more than a tablespoon of melted wax. Always measure fragrance by weight on a digital scale. Measuring by volume will give you inconsistent results from batch to batch.
Exceeding your wax's maximum load
More fragrance doesn't mean more scent. When you exceed the wax's capacity, the excess fragrance has nowhere to bind. It pools on the surface (sweating), leaches out of the wax, or causes the candle to burn improperly. Stick to the manufacturer's recommended maximum.
Not accounting for wax gravity
Your container's volume (in fluid ounces) is not the same as the weight of wax that fills it. Wax is lighter than water — a container that holds 8 fl oz of water only holds about 6.88 oz of wax (at 0.86 specific gravity). This calculator handles that conversion for you.
Adding fragrance at the wrong temperature
Most fragrance oils bind best when added at 180–185°F (82–85°C). Adding fragrance to wax that's too hot causes the volatile top notes to evaporate. Too cool and the fragrance won't distribute evenly. Check your wax supplier's recommended pour and fragrance addition temperatures.
How to Improve Your Candle's Scent Throw
If your candles aren't throwing scent the way you'd like, fragrance load is only one piece of the puzzle. Here are the other factors that affect hot and cold throw:
Cure time: Most candles need 1–2 weeks to cure before the fragrance fully bonds with the wax. Testing a candle before it's cured will give you a misleadingly weak throw.
Wick size: An undersized wick creates a smaller melt pool, which means less fragrance is released. Make sure your wick creates a full melt pool within 2–3 hours of burning.
Room size: A 4 oz candle won't fill a large living room. Match your candle size to the space it's meant to scent.
Fragrance quality: Not all fragrance oils are created equal. Oils with higher concentrations of aromatic compounds will throw better at the same percentage.
Wax type:Different wax types have different scent throw characteristics. Paraffin is known for strong hot throw, while soy excels at cold throw.
Candle Fragrance Load FAQs
Fragrance load is the percentage of fragrance oil relative to the weight of wax. A 6% fragrance load means you add 6 grams of fragrance for every 100 grams of wax. Most candle waxes have a recommended maximum load between 6% and 12%, depending on the wax type.
Using too much fragrance causes sweating, wet spots, and poor burn quality. Using too little produces weak scent throw. Calculating your fragrance load ensures you use the right ratio for your wax type, which gives you consistent results and avoids wasting expensive fragrance oils. For more details, see our guide: How to calculate fragrance load when making candles.
Wax gravity (specific gravity) measures how dense your wax is compared to water. Most candle wax has a specific gravity around 0.86, meaning it weighs 86% as much as an equal volume of water. This matters because your container volume (in fluid ounces) isn't the same as the weight of wax it holds. An 8 oz container only holds about 6.88 oz of wax by weight. The calculator uses this number to convert container volume to wax weight accurately.
Soy wax (such as Golden Brands 464) typically supports a maximum fragrance load of 10–12%. Most candle makers find that 8–10% gives the best balance of scent throw and burn quality. Start at 8% and test upward. Use a specific gravity of 0.90 when calculating with soy wax in the calculator above.
No — exceeding your wax's maximum fragrance load won't improve scent throw and will likely make your candle worse. Excess fragrance oil can pool on the surface (called sweating), clog the wick, or cause the candle to smoke. If your scent throw is weak, look at other factors: cure time, wick size, fragrance quality, and wax type. See the scent throw tips section above.
Enter the number of candles you want to make in the Quantity field.
Enter your container size and select the unit (ounces, grams, or pounds).
Set the fragrance load percentage for your wax type (check the table above or your supplier's data sheet).
Enter the wax gravity (specific gravity) for your wax. Most candle wax is around 0.86.
Click Calculate. The results show how much wax and fragrance oil you need by weight.
Yes — completely free, no signup required. This calculator is provided by Craftybase, inventory and manufacturing software built specifically for candle makers and other small-batch producers. Use it as many times as you need.
Most wax suppliers recommend adding fragrance oil at 180–185°F (82–85°C). Adding fragrance to wax that is too hot causes the lighter scent molecules (top notes) to evaporate, weakening your overall throw. Adding to wax that is too cool results in uneven distribution. Always check your specific wax supplier's guidelines, as the ideal temperature varies by wax type.
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