Fragrance oil = wax weight × fragrance load. Most wax makers state load as a percentage of the wax, so for a candle that weighs 8 oz when finished, divide by (1 + load) to get the wax first: at 8%, that’s 8 ÷ 1.08 = 7.41 oz of wax and 0.59 oz of fragrance oil. In grams, a 200 g candle at 8% takes 185.19 g of wax and 14.81 g of oil.
The quick answer people often give, “8% of 8 oz is 0.64 oz”, measures the load against the whole candle instead. That’s a different, slightly stronger recipe: 0.64 oz of oil in 7.36 oz of wax is 8.7% of the wax. Neither is wrong, but you need to know which one your wax and oil supplier means. The pour calculator handles both and works out a whole batch.
The fragrance load formula
wax = finished candle weight ÷ (1 + load)
fragrance oil = wax × load
That’s for load as a percentage of wax weight, which is how most wax makers write it on their spec sheets. If your supplier gives load as a percentage of the finished candle, it’s simpler: oil = candle weight × load, and wax = candle weight − oil.
This question comes up regularly in r/candlemaking. One maker asked:
“I know 8-10% let’s say my mold is 8oz so that’s .8 correct?”
Post in “Fragrance calculator”, r/candlemaking
And the reply got the maths right: “No it’s 0.73 oz of fragrance oil for an 8 oz candle at 10% fragrance oil. The entire candle is 8 oz, not just the wax. So to get how much wax: 8 oz divided by (1 + fragrance oil %).” That’s 8 ÷ 1.10 = 7.27 oz of wax, and 7.27 × 0.10 = 0.73 oz of oil.
Fragrance oil chart: 6% to 12%
Load as a percentage of wax weight. The first two columns are for a finished 8 oz candle, the last two for a 200 g candle.
| Load | Wax (oz) | Oil (oz) | Wax (g) | Oil (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6% | 7.55 | 0.45 | 188.68 | 11.32 |
| 8% | 7.41 | 0.59 | 185.19 | 14.81 |
| 10% | 7.27 | 0.73 | 181.82 | 18.18 |
| 12% | 7.14 | 0.86 | 178.57 | 21.43 |
For any other size, scale in proportion, or let the pour calculator do it. A larger jar with a 14 oz fill at 8% takes 12.96 oz of wax and 1.04 oz of oil.
% of wax or % of the whole candle?
This is the source of most of the disagreement in forum threads. Another r/candlemaking commenter put it plainly: “fragrance load actually refers to the percentage of fragrance oil compared to the wax weight. And figuring out how much wax you need is the hard part.” (source)
Here’s how far apart the two methods land on an 8 oz candle at 10%:
- 10% of the wax: 7.27 oz wax, 0.73 oz oil. The oil is 9.1% of the finished candle.
- 10% of the whole candle: 7.20 oz wax, 0.80 oz oil. The oil is 11.1% of the wax.
That second figure matters if your wax’s maximum is, say, 10% of wax weight. Measuring against the whole candle quietly puts you over it. Check which way your wax maker states its maximum and use the same basis.
Step 1: find your candle’s weight
You can’t use the jar’s name. An “8 oz” jar is named for the liquid it holds, and wax is lighter than water. The common method, as one r/candlemaking reply describes it: “Fill the container with water to however full you want the candle, and record the weight of the water. Multiply this number by 0.86 to get the TOTAL weight of wax and fragrance oil.” (source)
0.86 is a typical starting figure for how heavy wax is compared with water. Your wax may differ slightly, so weigh one finished test candle and adjust the factor.
Worked example: a batch of 12 amber jars
A jar holds 8.4 oz of water to the fill line. You’re pouring 12 at 8% fragrance load (of the wax), with 5% extra for what’s left in the pitcher.
- Candle weight: 8.4 × 0.86 = 7.22 oz per jar.
- Wax per jar: 7.22 ÷ 1.08 = 6.69 oz. Oil per jar: 6.69 × 0.08 = 0.54 oz.
- For 12 jars plus 5%: 84.28 oz of wax (5.27 lb) and 6.74 oz of fragrance oil.
These are the default numbers in the pour calculator, so you can check them and then change them to your own jar.
What the fragrance costs per candle
Fragrance oil is usually the most expensive ingredient by weight. A cost breakdown posted in r/candlemaking was titled “Fragrance oil is the sneaky expensive part.” (source)
With example prices of $25 for a 10 lb bag of wax and $28 for a 16 oz bottle of oil (use your own), the jar above costs:
| Per jar | At 8% | At 10% |
|---|---|---|
| Wax | $1.05 | $1.03 |
| Fragrance oil | $0.94 | $1.15 |
The oil is under a tenth of the candle’s weight but nearly half of these two costs, because at these prices it costs about 11 times as much per ounce as the wax. Raising the load from 8% to 10% adds 21 cents of oil a jar; with the slightly smaller amount of wax counted, the jar costs 19 cents more, or $2.33 more for a batch of 12. The cost and price calculator adds the jar, wick, label, your time and overhead to give a true cost per candle.
Before you pour
- Stay within both limits. Your wax maker gives a maximum fragrance load, and your oil’s IFRA certificate gives a maximum for candles. Use the lower of the two.
- Weigh the oil, don’t measure it by volume. Fragrance oils aren’t the same weight as water, and they differ from each other, so a fluid ounce of oil isn’t an ounce by weight.
- Add oil at your wax maker’s recommended temperature and stir gently for a couple of minutes so it binds.
- Test-burn. Scent throw also depends on the wick, the wax, the oil itself and curing time. Change one thing at a time.
- Label the net weight you actually pour, not the jar size. The label wording helper has a checklist.
Questions candle makers ask
Is fragrance load a percentage of the wax or of the whole candle?
Most wax makers mean a percentage of wax weight: 8% means 8 g of oil for every 100 g of wax. Some suppliers and tutorials use the whole candle instead. Check your wax’s spec sheet and use the same basis it does.
Will more fragrance oil make my candle smell stronger?
Only up to a point. Every wax has a maximum it can hold, and going over it can leave oil seeping out of the candle. Scent throw also depends on the wick, the oil and curing time, so test-burn before adding more.
Can I measure fragrance oil in fluid ounces or millilitres?
It’s better to weigh it. Fragrance oils weigh different amounts per millilitre, so volume measures give inconsistent loads. A kitchen scale that reads to 0.1 g or 0.01 oz is enough.
Work out your own pour. The pour calculator takes water weight or fill weight, your load and the number of jars, and shows wax and oil for one candle and the batch. Then cost the candle.
If you’d rather keep every scent and supply in one file, the Candle Cost Calculator spreadsheet ($4, Excel and Google Sheets) stores your supplies and prices your whole range. The free tools do the maths either way.