What fragrance load actually means — and why it matters more than you think
Fragrance load is the percentage of fragrance oil relative to the weight of wax in your candle. A 10% fragrance load in 100g of wax means 10g of fragrance oil. Simple math — but the decisions around it are anything but simple.
Use the Fragrance Load Calculator to find your exact measurements once you understand the principles below.
What the right fragrance load actually does
Fragrance load affects three things: scent throw, burn performance, and safety. Get it right and your candle fills a room without overpowering it, burns cleanly to the edges, and behaves consistently batch after batch. Get it wrong and you end up with weak cold throw, fragrance pooling on the surface, mushrooming wicks, or — worst case — a candle that doesn't meet IFRA safety guidelines.
The fragrance load ranges by wax type
Different waxes hold fragrance differently. Here's what actually works in practice:
Soy wax
Soy holds fragrance at 6–10%. Most makers find the sweet spot at 8–9%. Go above 10% and you risk fragrance pooling — oil that separates and sits on top of the wax rather than binding to it. Soy is forgiving but it has limits.
Coconut wax and coconut-apricot blends
Coconut wax is exceptionally good at holding fragrance — often up to 10–12%. Coconut-apricot blends (a personal favourite for their smooth finish and strong cold throw) perform well at 9–10%. The lower melt point of coconut wax means fragrance releases more gently, which gives a cleaner, less aggressive scent throw. This is a feature, not a bug.
Paraffin
Paraffin can hold up to 10–12% fragrance and delivers the strongest hot throw of any common wax. High-end candle brands that want aggressive room-filling scent often use paraffin or paraffin blends for exactly this reason — even if they don't advertise it.
Beeswax
Beeswax is naturally scented (it carries its own honey undertone) and typically holds fragrance at 3–6%. Pushing it higher rarely improves performance and can affect the burn.
Why more fragrance isn't always better
This is the part that surprises most new makers. There's a point — different for every wax — at which adding more fragrance oil actually reduces performance. The wax can only bind so much. Beyond that point, excess fragrance oil doesn't boost scent throw — it just pools, seeps, or causes wick problems.
Over-loaded candles often show these signs:
• Oily surface or fragrance pooling after cooling
• Mushrooming or sooty wicks
• Seeping fragrance through the bottom of the vessel
• Inconsistent burn performance batch to batch
If you're seeing any of these, the answer is almost never "add more fragrance." It's usually "dial back the load and test the wick size."
IFRA compliance and why it's not optional
Every fragrance oil comes with an IFRA (International Fragrance Association) certificate that specifies maximum usage levels for different product categories. Candles fall under category 12. The percentage listed on the IFRA certificate is the maximum — not a target.
Using a fragrance above its IFRA limit isn't just a safety issue — it's a liability issue. If you sell candles and a customer has a reaction, your IFRA compliance documentation is part of your defence. Keep records. Use fragrance within guidelines.
Most quality fragrance suppliers — including Makesy — provide IFRA certificates for every fragrance oil. Browse Makesy's IFRA-compliant fragrance oil range.
How to test fragrance load properly
The only way to know your optimal fragrance load is to test. Here's a simple protocol:
• Pour three identical candles at 6%, 8%, and 10% fragrance load
• Cure for a minimum of 48 hours (72–96 for coconut-based waxes)
• Evaluate cold throw before lighting — hold the unlit candle 6 inches from your nose
• Burn each candle for 2 hours and evaluate hot throw, melt pool, and wick behaviour
• Note any surface issues, seeping, or mushrooming
Document everything. The Six Figure Wick ebook covers testing methodology in depth — specifically why the first 84 candles are the most important ones you'll ever pour.
Calculate your fragrance amount
Once you know your target load percentage, the math is straightforward:
Fragrance weight = wax weight × (fragrance load % ÷ 100)
For 500g of wax at 9% fragrance load: 500 × 0.09 = 45g of fragrance oil.
Or skip the math entirely and use the Fragrance Load Calculator — enter your wax weight and target percentage and it does everything for you.
Fragrance load and your cost per candle
Fragrance oil is usually your second-highest material cost after your vessel. A 10% load versus an 8% load on a 200-batch production run makes a meaningful difference to your margins. Once you've found your optimal load through testing, lock it in and cost it accurately in your pricing.
Use the Candle Pricing Calculator to factor fragrance cost into your final price — it's one of the inputs most makers underestimate.