Fragrance Load Calculator: How Much Scent Your Wax Can Hold
Too little scent and your candle smells like warm nothing. Too much and it sweats, burns badly, or never sets right. A fragrance load calculator is one simple formula that tells you exactly how much fragrance oil to add.
What Fragrance Load Actually Means
Fragrance load is a percentage of the wax weight — not the total candle weight. An 8% fragrance load means: for every 100 grams of wax, you add 8 grams of fragrance oil. Most soy wax handles 6–10% comfortably.
The Formula
Fragrance oil weight = wax weight × (load percentage ÷ 100)
Worked Examples: 8 oz of Wax
| Fragrance load | Math | Fragrance oil to add |
|---|---|---|
| 6% | 8 × 0.06 | 0.48 oz |
| 8% | 8 × 0.08 | 0.64 oz |
| 10% | 8 × 0.10 | 0.80 oz |
In grams: 200 g of wax at 8% load = 200 × 0.08 = 16 g of fragrance oil.
Step-by-Step
- Weigh your wax before melting (e.g. 227 g / 8 oz).
- Pick your load. Start at 8% if unsure. Never above your wax manufacturer’s max.
- Do the math: 227 × 0.08 = 18.2 g of fragrance oil.
- Weigh the fragrance oil into a small cup.
- Heat wax to ~185°F, add oil, stir gently for 2 full minutes.
What’s the Max Load for Soy Wax?
- Standard soy wax (GB 444, GB 464): max 10%
- Some soy blends: max 12%
- Safe starting point: 6–8%
Going above the max doesn’t give a stronger candle — excess oil leaks out and the candle starts sweating.
Why Weighing Beats Volume
Fragrance oils have different densities. Measuring by weight on a scale is repeatable; tablespoons are guesswork. If you’re figuring out a full pound, see how much fragrance oil per pound of wax.
Key Takeaways
- Fragrance load = (fragrance oil weight ÷ wax weight) × 100
- Work in grams on a scale, not tablespoons
- Most soy wax: 6–10% load; add oil at ~185°F, stir 2 full minutes
- More oil doesn’t mean more scent — overloading causes sweating and bad burns
If scent issues keep showing up, run through the soy candle troubleshooting guide.
Want the Shortcut?
The Soy Candle Maker’s Troubleshooting Toolkit is a printable PDF with the full wick size chart, fragrance load calculator tables for every batch size, and step-by-step fix checklists for sweating, tunneling, sinkholes, and more.
