What the Ratio Means
Your soy wax to fragrance oil ratio is the weight of oil divided by the weight of wax, written as a percentage. At 8%, 100 g of wax gets 8 g of oil. Weigh both on a scale; do not measure oil by volume, because oils differ in density.
Oil (g) = wax (g) x load percentage / 100
Example: 200 g of soy wax at 8% needs 16 g of oil, and at 10% needs 20 g.
Start From Your Wax's Data Sheet
The right percentage depends on the wax. These are the figures we could source, with links:
| Soy wax | Published figure | Source | |---|---|---| | Golden Brands 464 | 10% (Candle Science listing); 7-9% manufacturer recommendation (Voyageur listing) | https://www.candlescience.com/wax/golden-brands-464-soy-wax/ and https://www.voyageursoapandcandle.com/products/golden-brands-gw464-soy-container-candle-wax | | EcoSoya CB-Advanced | Held 12% without sweating in Candle Science testing; 9% or less recommended | https://candlescience.com/learning/lab-notes-ecosoya-cb-advanced-soy-wax | | Nature Wax C-3 | About 7-8% maximum (retailer listing) | https://www.nicandlesupplies.co.uk/products/nature-wax-c-3-soy-container-wax | | Golden Wax 444 | Unverified. We did not find a source for its maximum | n/a |
These are retailer and tester figures rather than manufacturer data sheets, and results vary with the oil and dye. If your wax is not listed, use the number on its data sheet.
A load between 7% and 9% falls inside every sourced recommendation above, which makes it a reasonable place to start testing. It is a starting point, not a rule.
Grams of Oil by Wax Weight
| Soy wax | 6% | 7% | 8% | 9% | 10% | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | 100 g | 6 g | 7 g | 8 g | 9 g | 10 g | | 200 g | 12 g | 14 g | 16 g | 18 g | 20 g | | 300 g | 18 g | 21 g | 24 g | 27 g | 30 g | | 400 g | 24 g | 28 g | 32 g | 36 g | 40 g | | 500 g | 30 g | 35 g | 40 g | 45 g | 50 g |
Oil by Container Size
Wax for each container is the fill volume in fl oz x 0.86 (ounces), converted at 28.3495 g per ounce. This matches the Candle Wax Calculator.
| Container fill | Wax (oz) | Wax (g) | Oil at 8% (g) | Oil at 9% (g) | |---|---|---|---|---| | 4 fl oz | 3.44 | 97.5 | 7.8 | 8.8 | | 8 fl oz | 6.88 | 195.0 | 15.6 | 17.6 | | 12 fl oz | 10.32 | 292.6 | 23.4 | 26.3 | | 16 fl oz | 13.76 | 390.1 | 31.2 | 35.1 |
Containers sold as "8 oz" may not hold 8 fl oz to the fill line, so measure yours with water first. See how much wax for candles.
Temperatures and Cure Time
Follow your wax maker's temperatures. For Golden Brands 464, Candle Science's page says heat the wax to 185 F (85 C), add the fragrance, then pour at 135 F (57 C), and cure for two weeks for best scent throw (https://www.candlescience.com/wax/golden-brands-464-soy-wax/). Other listings give pour ranges from 120 to 145 F, so check the instructions that come with your wax.
Do not judge scent throw after a day or two. Cure first; Candle Science's figure is about two weeks.
A Simple Test Plan
Make three identical candles that differ only in fragrance load, for example 7%, 8% and 9%, staying at or below your wax's published maximum. After curing, compare:
- Cold throw (the unlit candle)
- Hot throw (while burning)
- Any burn problems, including smoking, mushrooming, or oil on the surface
Burn long enough for a full melt pool. The site's wick guidance is one hour per inch of container diameter. Record the wax, oil, percentage, container and wick.
Troubleshooting
- Weak throw: confirm the cure time, wick size and temperatures. If you are below your wax's maximum, test a slightly higher load.
- Oil on the surface: lower the load and check your wax's published maximum.
- Poor burn: a heavy load can affect the burn. Retest at a lower load, and re-check the wick with the wick size guide.
Oil Cost per Candle
Use your own pricing:
Oil cost per candle = oil weight (oz) x your price per oz
For an 8 fl oz fill, 6.88 oz of wax at 8% is 0.55 oz of oil; at 10% it is 0.69 oz. The extra 2% adds 0.14 oz of oil per candle, multiplied by whatever you pay per ounce. The Fragrance Oil Calculator does this across a batch.
Key Takeaways
- Oil (g) = wax (g) x percentage / 100
- Published maximums for soy waxes range from about 7% to 12%; check your wax's data sheet
- Weigh both wax and oil
- Follow your wax's temperatures and cure for about two weeks before judging throw
- Test three loads, at or below the published maximum, before scaling
Ready to run your own numbers? Try our free Candle Wax Calculator and enter your container volume.