Quick answer
Use 6–10% fragrance load for soy and coconut wax, 6–12% for paraffin, and 3–6% for beeswax. At 8% — the most common starting point — you need 1.28 oz of fragrance oil per pound of soy wax. Use the calculator below for exact amounts by container size.
Fragrance load is the single variable candle makers get wrong most often. Too little and the scent throw is weak. Too much and the fragrance seeps out of the wax, creates poor burns, and can be a safety issue. Every wax type has a different maximum — and a different sweet spot.
Fragrance Load by Wax Type
Different waxes bind fragrance oils differently. Soy wax has a moderate fragrance load capacity; paraffin tends to hold more. Beeswax has a natural honey scent and the lowest fragrance capacity of the four.
Wax Type
Recommended Range
Maximum
Best Starting Point
Soy 464 / 444
6–10%
~12%
8%
Coconut Soy Blend
6–10%
~12%
8%
Paraffin (container)
6–12%
~15%
8–10%
Beeswax
3–6%
~8%
4–5%
Fragrance Oil Per Pound of Wax
The easiest way to think about fragrance load: how many ounces of fragrance oil do you add per pound of wax. This table covers the most common loads.
Fragrance Load
FO per 1 lb wax
FO per 2 lb wax
FO per 5 lb wax
6%
0.96 oz
1.92 oz
4.80 oz
7%
1.12 oz
2.24 oz
5.60 oz
8%
1.28 oz
2.56 oz
6.40 oz
9%
1.44 oz
2.88 oz
7.20 oz
10%
1.60 oz
3.20 oz
8.00 oz
12%
1.92 oz
3.84 oz
9.60 oz
Fragrance Oil by Container Size (8% Load, Soy Wax)
This table shows exact fragrance oil and wax weights for common candle jar sizes at a standard 8% fragrance load using soy 464 (density 0.865 g/ml).
Container Size
Wax Needed
Fragrance Oil (8%)
Total Pour
4 fl oz (small votive)
3.61 oz / 102g
0.29 oz / 8.2g
3.90 oz
6 fl oz
5.41 oz / 153g
0.43 oz / 12.3g
5.84 oz
8 fl oz (8 oz jar)
7.22 oz / 205g
0.58 oz / 16.4g
7.80 oz
10 fl oz
9.02 oz / 256g
0.72 oz / 20.5g
9.74 oz
12 fl oz
10.83 oz / 307g
0.87 oz / 24.6g
11.70 oz
16 fl oz (pint jar)
14.43 oz / 409g
1.15 oz / 32.7g
15.58 oz
🌡️
Add FO at the right temperature
For soy, add fragrance oil at 140–160°F. Too hot and the FO burns off. Too cool and it doesn't blend properly.
⏱️
Cure before judging scent throw
Soy candles need a 2-week cure before the scent throw is accurate. Freshly poured candles always smell weaker than cured ones.
🧪
Start at 8%, test from there
Different fragrance oils perform differently at the same load %. Some have great throw at 6%; others need 10%. Start at 8% and adjust after testing.
⚠️
Know your wax's max
Exceeding the maximum fragrance load causes seeping — liquid FO pooling on the surface. You'll see it within 24 hours of pouring. Reformulate at a lower load.
At 10% fragrance load, use 1.6 oz per pound of wax. At 8% (the most common starting point), use 1.28 oz. At 6%, use 0.96 oz. Multiply by the number of pounds in your batch.
Fragrance load % is the weight of fragrance oil as a percentage of your wax weight. An 8% fragrance load means 8 grams of fragrance oil per 100 grams of wax — not 8% of the container volume.
Yes. Going above the wax's maximum fragrance load causes seeping — oily pools of fragrance oil on the wax surface. It also degrades burn performance and can create uneven hot pools. More fragrance doesn't mean better scent throw once you're past the max.
Not always. Scent throw depends on wax type, cure time, wick size, fragrance oil quality, and the specific fragrance formula — not just the amount of FO. Increasing fragrance load beyond the recommended range usually hurts performance more than it helps.
Start at 8% fragrance load for soy 464 or 444. This is within the 6–10% recommended range. Let candles cure for 2 weeks before evaluating scent throw, then adjust your load in future batches if needed.
Beeswax has a lower fragrance capacity than other waxes. Use 3–6% fragrance oil. Keep in mind that beeswax has a natural honey scent which can overpower or compete with added fragrance oils, so many beeswax candle makers use them unscented.