Fragrance load

Fragrance load describes how much fragrance oil is added to a candle, measured as a percentage of the total wax weight rather than a fixed amount of drops or ounces. A batch made with several pounds of wax needs proportionally more fragrance oil than a small test pour, which is why load is expressed as a percentage instead of a flat quantity.

The fragrance and wax supplier each publish a maximum fragrance load, and staying within it matters for both scent throw and safety. Too little fragrance oil can leave a candle with a weak cold throw and almost no hot throw once lit, while pushing well past the supplier's maximum can affect how the wax burns, cause excess soot, or push the mixture closer to a fragrance oil's flash point during heating.

Weigh fragrance oil on a scale rather than measuring by volume, since oils vary in density and eyeballing drops leads to inconsistent batches. A common mistake is assuming every wax and fragrance combination supports the same load. Always check both the wax manufacturer's guidance and the fragrance supplier's recommended range before scaling up a recipe.