How much fragrance oil goes into a candle?

Typically 6–10% of total batch mass. For 500 g of wax at 8% load: 40 g of fragrance oil. Always weigh — never measure by volume.

Does more fragrance oil mean more scent?

Only up to the wax’s saturation point (usually 10–12%). Beyond it the oil sweats out, clogs the wick and increases sooting — throw actually decreases.

Fragrance load for candles, explained

The short answer: 6–10% of total batch mass. The long answer depends on your wax, wick and the specific fragrance oil — and the legal ceiling lives in that oil's IFRA certificate.

The basic math

Fragrance load is a percentage of total mass. For a 500 g batch at 8%: 500 × 0.08 = 40 g of fragrance oil and 460 g of wax. Always weigh — volume measures drift with oil density. Our load calculator does the arithmetic for any batch.

Typical loads by candle type

Container candles: 6–10%. Wax melts (no flame): 8–12%. Beeswax tea lights: around 5%. Pillars run lower — excess oil softens structure. More is not automatically better: past the wax's saturation point (usually 10–12%) the oil sweats out, clogs the wick and increases sooting.

The legal line: IFRA Category 12

Candles fall under IFRA Category 12 (no intended skin contact). The permitted maximum differs per fragrance — it's stated in the supplier's IFRA certificate. Every oil in the Scentral-Park catalog shows its published Category-12 limit; the Category 12 index sorts by headroom.

Common mistakes

Adding oil at the wrong temperature (follow the wax maker's guidance, usually 80–85 °C), stirring too briefly (a full minute), measuring by volume instead of weight, and not re-wicking for heavier loads — dense oils usually need one wick size up.