Candle Fragrance Load Calculator

How it works

Fragrance oil = wax weight × (load% ÷ 100) · Grams = ounces × 28.35 · Total candle weight = wax + fragrance oil

Fragrance load is the weight of scent oil as a percentage of the wax, and it is measured against the wax alone — so an 8% load on 16 oz of wax is 1.28 oz of oil, not 8% of the finished candle. Most container waxes hold somewhere between 6% and 10%, with the manufacturer's maximum printed on the bag; going higher rarely makes a candle smell stronger and instead causes the oil to bleed out, form oily spots, mute the cold throw, or create a wick that flares. Candles are made by weight, not volume, because oils and waxes differ in density, so the reliable method is to zero a scale, weigh the wax, then add fragrance until the scale reads the target amount.

Worked example

You are making a 16 oz candle at an 8% fragrance load. Fragrance oil = 16 × 0.08 = 1.28 oz, which is 1.28 × 28.35 ≈ 36.3 g. The finished pour weighs 16 + 1.28 = 17.28 oz of scented wax. At 6% you would use 0.96 oz and at 10% a full 1.60 oz.

Frequently asked questions