Candle Fragrance Load Calculator

How much fragrance oil does a candle need?

Fragrance load is the weight of fragrance oil as a percentage of your wax weight, not the total candle weight. The formula is simple: fragrance weight = wax weight × load %. So 16 oz of wax at an 8% load needs 1.28 oz of fragrance oil. Most soy and coconut-soy waxes hold a comfortable 6–10% load, and many are rated to a maximum of 10–12%. Paraffin can often carry a little more. This calculator does the math in ounces, grams, or pounds and can split the result across multiple containers.

Choosing your load percentage

More oil is not always more scent. Every wax has a saturation point; pour past it and the extra oil can seep out, cause sweating, poor burns, or wick-clogging. Start at the load your wax manufacturer recommends (often 8–10%), test a single candle, and adjust. Always check that your fragrance is within the supplier's IFRA usage limit for candles, and weigh with a digital scale rather than measuring by volume — oil and wax have different densities, so weight is the only accurate way.

How to use it

1. Enter your total wax weight and pick a unit (oz, g, or lb).
2. Type a fragrance load % or tap a preset (6, 8, 10, 12%).
3. Read the fragrance oil needed — shown in your unit with a converted value below.
4. Optionally set the number of containers to get a per-container pour weight and the total batch weight.

FAQ

Is the load based on wax or total weight?

Wax weight only. The oil is added on top, so a 16 oz wax batch at 10% becomes about 17.6 oz of finished candle.

What's a safe fragrance load?

6–10% suits most soy and coconut waxes; 10–12% is a common maximum. Never exceed your wax or fragrance supplier's stated limit.

Should I measure by weight or volume?

Always weight. Use a digital scale — volume measurements are inaccurate because wax and oil densities differ.

Do you store my numbers?

No. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded or saved. Results are estimates — always test-burn before selling.