How much wax fits a container?
Fill the container with water to where the wax will reach, about 1–2 cm below the rim, and weigh or measure it. Wax is lighter than water. Melted soy and paraffin waxes weigh about 0.86 g per ml, and beeswax about 0.96. So the wax-plus-fragrance weight is the water volume × that density.
Example: six 240 ml jars of soy wax at 8% fragrance load (of wax weight): 240 × 0.86 = 206.4 g per jar, which is 191.1 g wax + 15.3 g fragrance. For the batch that's 1,147 g wax and 92 g fragrance oil.
Fragrance load: of wax or of total?
Most wax suppliers state the maximum fragrance load as a percentage of wax weight. For example, 10% means 100 g of oil for every 1,000 g of wax. Some makers calculate it as a percentage of the finished candle's total weight instead, which comes out slightly lower. Choose the method your wax supplier uses, and never go over their stated maximum. Too much oil can sweat out, burn poorly or become a fire risk.
Add fragrance at the temperature the wax maker recommends, often around 80–85 °C (175–185 °F) for soy, and stir gently for two minutes. Let candles cure for several days to two weeks before you test the scent throw.
Questions
- Is more fragrance always stronger?
- No. Past the wax's maximum, extra oil does not bind and can seep out. Scent throw depends more on fragrance quality, wick and cure time.
- How do I convert fl oz of container to wax ounces?
- Multiply fluid ounces by about 0.9 for soy/paraffin weight in ounces (1 fl oz of water weighs about 1.04 oz; × 0.86 ≈ 0.9). Choose fl oz above and ounces as the output to let the calculator do it.
- Does this apply to essential oils?
- The math is the same, but many essential oils have skin-safety and flash-point limits. Follow the supplier's IFRA guidance for candles.