when making candles how much essential oil
- March 02, 2023
should be used
Making candles is a popular craft that people have been enjoying for centuries. These days, more and more are turning to this hobby as a way to personalise their living spaces. Many candles are fragranced with essential oils, which add a beautiful aroma to home. But how much should be used?
The amount of essential oil you use when making candles depends on type of wax you’re using and size of your candle. Generally, you’ll want to use 1-2%. For instance, if you’re making a 16oz candle, you should use approximately 5-10g of essential oil.
For soy wax, maximum percentage of essential oils you should use should be around 10%. If you go over this amount, it can affect candles performance and cause problems such as tunnelling, uneven burning and/or frosting.
When using beeswax candles, you should use a maximum of 3-5% essential oil. Beeswax candles are much more fragile than soy wax and so can’t withstand large amounts of essential oil without it affecting their performance.
If you’re using a wax blend, it’s best to consult supplier’s instructions on amount of essential oils to use. Generally, these blends have additives in them to help maximise performance of candles and so it’s important to adhere to instructions to get best result.
An important thing to keep in mind, is that not all essential oils are suitable for candle making. Certain essential oils, such as peppermint and eucalyptus, have a tendency to clog wicks, so it’s important to make sure you’re using oils approved for candles.
Finally, while it’s important to use correct amount of essential oils to get best performance from your candles, you can also adjust amount to suit your own personal preference. We recommend starting off with a low amount and then experimenting to see how you like it.
In conclusion, how much essential oil you use when making candles depends on type of wax you’re using and size of candle. For soy wax, it’s generally 1-2% and for beeswax it’s 3-5%. However, you can also adjust amount to suit your own personal preference. But make sure to check that your essential oil is approved for candle making, otherwise you may experience some problems.