Candle Fragrance Load Calculator
Candle recipes are measured by weight, and fragrance load is the weight of fragrance oil as a percentage of the wax. Getting the split right matters: too little oil and the candle has no scent throw, too much and it can seep or burn badly. This calculator takes your finished fill weight per container, the number of containers, and your fragrance load percentage, then works out the total wax and total fragrance oil you must weigh out for the batch. The safe maximum load is set by your wax and oil data sheets, so the load is your input rather than an assumed figure.
Fragrance load formula
Total fill = fill per container * number of containers
Load fraction f = load% / 100
Wax = total fill / (1 + f)
Fragrance oil = wax * f
Oil per container = fragrance oil / number of containers
Because load is a percentage of wax, the finished total is wax plus oil = wax times (1 + f). Solving for wax from the known total gives wax = total / (1 + f).
Candle making context
- Fragrance load is conventionally a percentage of wax weight, not of the finished total.
- Never exceed the maximum load on your wax and fragrance oil data sheets.
- Measure by weight in grams for repeatable results, since oils differ in density.
- The gram is the SI-derived metric unit defined through the NIST weights and measures programme.
- Leave headroom in the container; the fill weight should match the wax level you want after pouring.
Fragrance load: frequently asked questions
What is fragrance load?
Fragrance load is the weight of fragrance oil as a percentage of the wax weight. A 10 percent load means 10 grams of fragrance oil for every 100 grams of wax. Candle makers express it relative to wax. The maximum safe load is set by your wax and oil; never exceed the limits on their data sheets.
Is fragrance load a percentage of wax or of total?
By the common candle-making convention it is a percentage of the wax weight, not of the finished total. So 100 grams of wax at a 10 percent load takes 10 grams of oil, giving 110 grams total. This calculator uses the wax-weight convention; check your supplier if theirs differs.
What fragrance load should I use?
It depends on the wax and the fragrance oil, both of which have a maximum safe load on their technical data sheets. Many container waxes accept up to about 10 percent. Exceeding the limit can cause the oil to seep or the candle to burn poorly. Enter the load your materials allow.
How do I scale for multiple candles?
Enter the finished fill weight per container and the number of containers. The calculator multiplies to get total fill, then splits it into wax and fragrance oil using your load percentage. This gives the batch weights you measure on a scale before melting and pouring.
Why measure by weight rather than volume?
Wax and fragrance oil have different densities, and candle recipes are formulated by weight for repeatable results. A kitchen or jewelry scale reading in grams is the standard tool. Measuring by volume would introduce error because the same volume of two oils can weigh different amounts.
Official sources
- NIST: SI units (gram and mass).
- NIST: Office of Weights and Measures.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 17 June 2026. See our methodology.