Get started now with a basic soy candle making recipe!
Fragrance is the essence of scented soy candles, so obviously everyone that makes soy candles wants to make their candles the best scented out there! There are so many different fragrances and fragrance oil suppliers that it can be difficult to know which fragrances throw well in soy wax and which suppliers carry the best fragrances.
Hot scent throw is what every candle maker strives for. A candle can have an awesome cold throw, but then when you burn it for awhile it may do poorly with the hot throw.
This is why it’s so important to buy the right fragrance oils. There’s nothing worse than spending a bunch of money on candle fragrance oils and then finding out they do not have a good hot scent throw!
The thing with soy candles is that not all oils throw well in soy wax, so you need to make sure you buy fragrance oils that are made for soy wax or known to throw well in soy.
So I am going to list oils from a few different companies that sell wholesale candle making supplies . These companies are ones that I know sell fragrance oils that give a good hot throw in soy candle wax. These are oils that I have used and highly recommend. I have by no means tried all the fragrance oils that these suppliers carry, so that’ll be up to you if you want to try some other kinds. Many candle making suppliers carry 1oz samples of their oils, so it is wise to start with that and do some testing your soy candles before deciding on buying more in bulk.
And remember, just because a fragrance oil from one company throws awesome, that does not mean the same fragrance oil from a different company will do the same! Candle fragrance oils will vary from company to company (though some may use the same manufacturer, so might have some of the same fragrances).
When I was searching for a good coffee fragrance, I bought samples from 4 different places and none of them smelled the same. I thought that the coffee scent from Candlesoylutions in the list below was the truest black coffee fragrance (I do use the max amount of that one since it is harder to get any coffee scent to throw strong)
And to answer the question “Can I make candles with perfume?” No, most perfumes contain alcohol, and even if they don’t, fragrance oils for candles are specifically made to use in candle wax.
List of Best Fragrance Oils for Soy Candles
Unless otherwise stated, these are all fragrances I have personally used.
Candle Science
Apple Harvest (recommended by group members)
Citron and Mandarin (recommended by group members)
Coffee (recommended by group members)
Coriander and Tonka
Grapefruit Mangosteen (recommended by group members)
Orange Chili pepper (recommended by group members)
Peach Nectar (recommended by group members)
Sunwashed Linen (recommended by group members)
Very Vanilla (recommended by group members)
CandleSoylutions
Almost Paradise
Apple Pie
Apple Spice
Apple Strudel
Birthday Cake
Black Coffee (light throw)
Buttered Rum
Carrot Cake
Cherry Almond
Chocolate
Cinnamon
Cinnamon Spice
Clean Cotton
Clove
Clove Pomander
Cucumber Melon
Evergreen
Frankincense
Fresh Linen
Grape
Honeysuckle
Leather
Lemon
Lemon Cheesecake
Lemongrass
Lilac
Lilac Blossoms
Lime
Love Spell
Mistletoe
Nutmeg
Ocean
Orange Spice
Pumpkin Pie
Raspberry
Strawberry
Sugar Cookie
Sunflower (I used to have a perfume like this. On of my all time favorite fragrances!)
Toasted Hazelnut
Vanilla
White Cake
Wild Cherry
Candle Cocoon
Blatantly blueberry (recommended by group members)
Brandied Pear (recommended by group members)
Brewed Jasmine
Coffee pumpkin (recommended by group members)
Cranberry Compote
Crushed Strawberry and Rhubarb
Daydream Believer
Dewdrop
Ginger Chiffon (recommended by group members)
Malayan Mango (recommended by group members)
Masala Chai (recommended by group members)
Melon,Fig and Apricot
Peony White Tea (recommended by group members)
Raspberry Cordial
Solace
Vanilla Voodoo (recommended by group members)
Winter Woodlands Whisper
Brambleberry
Apple Pie
Blueberry
Espresso
Pumpkin Crunch
Relaxing (recommended by group members)
Rosehip Jasmine (recommended by group members)
Natures Garden
Christmas Cabin
Fresh Cut Grass
Leather Jacket
Oatmeal, Milk and Honey (More of a lighter fragrance, but it does smell good when burning)
Northstar Country Candle Supply
Baby Powder (medium scent, smells just like baby powder)
Midsummer Night (like the Yankee scent and very strong!)
Pearberry (not a really strong scent, but you can smell it and it smells nice)
Peak Candle Supply
Enchanted Apple (recommended by group members)
The Flaming Candle Company
Avocado Mint (recommended by group members)
Chili Pepper (recommended by group members)
Love Spell (recommended by group members)
Sweet Orange (recommended by group members)
There may have been some fragrance oils that I missed and there are definitely more that I will be testing, so check back as I will update this list as I test more candle fragrance oils.
If you know of some other best fragrance oils for soy candles, please feel free to share in the comments!
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To all soy candle makers… Enchanted Apple fragrance oil from Peak Candle is one of the strongest cold and hot throw scents out there, I have tried other apple scents from other companies, but this is the only apple scent I will buy…. I promise people will be asking for you for more candles.
Also, a good one to try is Relaxing from Brambleberry excellent hot and cold throw. Your whole house will smell for hours while making the candles:)
Rosehip Jasmine is another great one from Brambleberry!
Ive been trying to get hold of a lenor oil do you no were to get it from
looking for pound cake scent… any one knows where too find this
Lemon pound cake from Candle Science has been a best seller for me
Lemon pound cake from candle science is a best seller as well as strawberry shortcake
CandleScience has cake and it smells wonderful. Very good company to order from.
Candle Science; Hazelnut Vanilla, Love Spell and Lemon Poundcake have excellent cold and hot throw.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Does anyone know of a company that supplies clean safe fragrence oil to the U.K. please
I have always wondered why people would choose a soy candle over a normal candle. Can you explain this to me? I know soy is incredibly healthy, so does it have to do with that? Health for the lungs maybe?
Take a look at my post about the benefits of soy candles. One of the big things about soy candles is that they burn up to twice as long as regular candles, and they are considered to be healther. I’ve read about people who have a hard breathing with regular candles, but they are fine with the soy candles.
Yes my mother in law has asthma and is affected by regular candles but ok with soy.
Soy wax is from soy beans, is a vegetable source, regular candles is from paraffin petroleum source, the combustion when is light on contaminating your indoor air, and is not good.
Soy candles are fantastic for your health! They burn longer and cleaner. Also, they are more natural.
“Natural” is a misnomer. Paraffin wax and soy wax are both byproducts from the earth, so both are “natural”. Soy is more sustainable to produce
Hi. I am interested in making my own fragrance oils for soy candles. Do you happen to know the base ingredient used in these oils? Or how to go about making your own? Thanks.
Elizabeth, I don’t know what the ingredients are. I know that there is a base oil and then imitation fragrance added to it, and some fragrance oils do have some essential oils mixed in them too. I think it would be pretty difficult to make your own though and definitely more costly.
HiElizabeth. To make your own fragrances you need a carrier oil like Sweet Almond Oil and the you need a selection of Essential oils. Some prior knowledge about essential oil is recommended. Some essential oils do ok in candles and others do not. Some have a lower flash point also so you need to be careful there. Then you need to choose a top note then a mid note and a base not. A couple of drops each on 3 Popsicle sticks and then wave it past your nose to find out if you like the combination. You may want 2 drops of one and 4 drops of another, etc, then when you have the combination right it needs to be added to 30ml oil and stirred . Then you can add as per normal to a test candle. It is quiet scientific really but you can create your own scents by blending ready candle fragrances together and seeing what you come up with.
Kettle corn from rusticescentiuals smells really good when you burn it
That does sound good! I’ll definitely have to order some to try out 🙂
Mulberry from bittercreek.com has an excellent scent throw in soy.
Blueberry cheesecake from candle science is very good as well however other from there are not so good I am very new to candle making would anybody recommend them not sure if it’s me or them but I get really weak hot throws except blueberry please help
I buy 90 percent of my fo from candle science and love them
Candle Science is an honest company and just true, pure fragrance…I have dealt with them from the start. I have spoke with their employees whom take care and have that old school customer service ethics! They sell the absolute lowest priced Mason jars and you can’t beat the price on most all waxes. The ONLY thing that I wish they would do is sell sample sizes of wax.
Chris – I have the SAME problem with Candle Science 🙁 I can’t get ANYTHING to have a throw that I have ordered. I now refuse to order ANY OIL AT ALL from their company now but I do place orders for other items. The candle tins they sell are the only ones on the market or online that have the tiny feet – so now……the tins are the only thing I purchase from Candle Science now.
You may need to check your wax first before blaming the oil. Every wax has a heating point then an add fragrance ad pour point. Follow the instructions to the tee. Also, give your candle 2 days to set. If this does not give you a cold and hot scent throw, it could be your fragrance. I use scentoils.com and their oils are highly potent. I only have to use 1 oz versus the 2 oz from other companies. Try out creme brulee and you will be hooked. You can go 1.5 oz for seriously strong throws! Good luck.
Thank you so much I was just going to ask what company sells the best creme brulee scent!!! Thank you again😃
What kind of soy wax do you buy I can’t get a scent when I burn mine
I use to have that problem with candle science but realized i wasn’t using the right amount of fragrance oil i use 8%-10% for every pound instead of 6% fragrance oil.now i can’t keep certain scents instock
Which percentage do you use now?
I used to buy most of my oils from them. After doing multiple test batches of every fragrance I have always ended up with a couple of great performers out of 10. I tried everything including taking up entirely too much of their employee’s time (and mine) trouble shooting. They do have sublime customer service, a nice, easy to navigate web site and provide great information on their products. The abundance of reviews seems to be nice too.
As a side note, I use Golden 444 wax. I love it. It’s so easy to work with and I love the higher melt point than other soys while remaining all natural.
Long story short, after entirely too much time & money I finally ordered some Candle Cacoon oils and the rest is history. Yes, it costs more per ounce (unless you buy it in bulk). Yes, the web site is clunky. No, there isn’t flashpoint info available. No, they don’t carry the constant LARGE variety available at Candle Science. (All of which prevented me from trying them before at those prices.)
But none of that matters.
The fragrances are brilliantly complex, (not at all artificial smelling), I use 1/4 the oil I’ve used with almost every Candle Science oil, I add Candle Cacoon oils at 180°, almost all at 3% volume by weight and have never had to do repeat test batches. The cold throw is strong and spot on what the hot throw produces. I’m irked that I wasn’t using them YEARS ago.
In the end…though better late than never, I’m FINALLY able to do more in less time, at less expense with better results. There are a few scents from Candle Science that will remain on my “old faithful” list. However, I will not be ordering any new fragrance oils from them.
I agree! Candle cocoon hasTHE BEST oils! 🙂
So I started making soy candles and they have a great cold throw but not so much when burning. What are the exact steps you take when making your candles??
Candle Cocoon. It’s a higher price per oz but you use about 50% less so it costs less per use.
basically…heat wax to at least 180 degrees, let cool until around 155 – 160 degrees before adding scent then stir for 3 to 5 minutes then pour wen ready…well this is what I do…
Can you tell us your favorites from candle science? Thank you
These comments are so helpful! We just started making with candle science oils. The cold throw is amazing but my customers have complained about not being able to smell it when burned! Very discouraging. Could we be makimg them wrong or is it the oil??
Candle Science is by far my favorite place to buy FO! Lonestar for wax GB 464 perfect candle every time with great cold and hot throw! Happy candle making!! 🙂
I have to agree on both of those as well… except for the frosting I keep getting with 464 but other than that, love 464 & you can’t beat Candle Science for FO ‘S.
I buy a lot candle fragrances from rustic essentials. I have never had trouble with them. I like that they test some fragrance and they tell you if it gives good throw or not and also customers give good feed back fragrance. A great fragrance for is raw cocoa
I’m situated in the UK, and have learnt to buy my scent oils from the USA, Thanks to the helpful lady of this website, I love CandleCocoon’s scents, Crushed Raspberry & Rhubarb is divine!
Message for Toni – please help me with buying from the USA as I’m aslo in the UK and have spent a small fortune trying to get good oils. Are the customs charges a fortune?
i LOVE your website.. its so helpful… I was wondering if U know or recommend a good Australian supplier?…… thanks =)
Just ordered Lovely Lilac and Peony White Tea from Candle Cocoon and am really excited to get them! I’ve recently learned CandleWic has bad fragrances (which of course is where I ordered from) so I need to stock up and some GOOD fragrances. I can’t afford to buy everything from Candle Cocoon but want to see the hype of their fragrance oils. I was thinking of Nature’s Garden and have picked out a few… let me know if anyone has had bad (or good) experiences with any
Fresh Cut Grass (I see from the post above this one works well)
Blueberry Muffin
Fresh Linen
Balsam and Cedar
Ocean Mist
And if anyone else has any suggestions that I should add to my cart
THANKS
Jami, how did the Candle cocoon fragrances work for you? Did you try Nature’s Garden too yet?
The Candle Cocoon fragrances worked super well!! My parents couldn’t stop talking about how good they smelled, except apparently the Lilac was too strong so I’ll have to remember not to add as much FO next time I make a Lilac candle. But the Vanilla Voodoo was a HIT!
I never ended up purchasing from Nature’s Garden because I didn’t want to spend the money until I heard feedback from people. I did order from Candle Soylutions though because of how much you seem to love it from the post! Those should be getting here in the next few days. Will keep you updated!!
I also need to add that Peony White Tea from Candle Cocoon has an awesome cold and hot throw! I almost thought I had spilled some FO because of how good the cold throw was
How did your fragrances from candle Soylutions work for u? And please list the ones u bought.
Thanks!
Does anybody know how to make a baked bread fragrance oil from scratch? i have been looking online and haven’t been able to find any recipes. Thank you!
I am new to the soy candle making, and am having trouble picking the right wicks, I usually make 6 to 8oz with a diameter of about 3 to 4 inches, I am trying to find the wicks that don’t smoke that much when blown out yet have a good burn and stay lit. Do you have any suggestions to which kind I should try, I currently have cotten which burns hot but smokes alot when blown out, and the eco ones that curl seem to low and burn out sometimes?
Kelly, have you tried the Eco size 14 or higher? I have used the 14 in my 8oz mason jars that are about that diameter and they burned great. Still smoke a bit when blown out, but I think a bit less than some other wicks. Also, you might try the large size wood wicks. I tried those out awhile ago and the candles burned well, though probably could have had a little better melt pool, but when you blow them out, very little smoke! And what smoke it does give off, smells more like wood burning, not wick lol Here’s a link to the post I wrote about Wood Wicks from Natures Garden
Never blow a candle out for the very reason you spoke about. Please use a wick dipper or snuffer. Keep wick trimmed 1/4 inch and you will see good results.
“Never” so extra people do it all the time and they don’t have to use a dipper.
I buy nearly all my FOs from Nature’s Garden and have never had a problem with hot throw. My customers are always commenting on how the scent fills the room, entire floor, entire house!
Laura, I love Nature’s Garden too. I need to try some more of their fragrances so I can add to their list! I was soooo happy when I found the Fresh Cut Grass and Leather. Those two smell Amazing when I burn one of each candle together! But I am a country girl living in town so I need my leather fix sometimes 🙂
Thanks Laura! I will keep that in mind!
I’m in Canada, and placed an order on Nature’s Garden website for $99approx. But the shipping was $103!!, so I cancelled it. I like the fact that NG has a lot of reviews from customers, so you have a good idea if the scent will work good or not. Was disappointed that I never got to try their scents,
Hi Gary, I used to live in Kelowna BC and bought my oils from the Granville Island Candle company in Kelowna. Absolutely fabulous oils, great scent throw, hot or cold. I’m now in the UK and have spent a small fortune on sample sizes, and nothing comes close.
Does anybody have experience with fragrances from Thecandlemakersstore.com using them in soy wax?
Thanks
Jim
I’ve only tried FO’s from Lonestar so far. Some have been pretty good, some have been pretty light smelling. But still able to smell it.
Blueberry Cobbler was the best one that sticks in my head. Smells great and had a great hot throw in the 3 candles i did make and the tarts. (I’ve basically just been making tarts but did buy a small container starter kit as well).
If anyone could help with info about where I could source oils from Australia it would be much appreciated
Hi Jessica. I’m in Australia too and I buy mine from All Australian Candle and Soap making supplies plus I use Aussie Candle supplies. Just google candle fragrances and you will find everything you need.
Are the oil’s nice and strong from these places in australia. Im new to candle making and im wanting to place my first order in the next few days.
But i really want to make strong smelling candles.
What is the best soy wax to use ?
Thank you for any information in advance
Sandy
I just started experimenting with making soy candles and have been trying different fragrance oils to find the strongest ones. So far ..Lilac, Indian Sandlewood, and Fresh cut grass from Natures Garden work great and Autumn Harvest and Love Spell from Elements Bath and Body Supply work great too. I have more I haven’t tried yet but I’ll let you know. I’m not doing anything special so for those who are having trouble with scent throw try some of the scents above. I’ve had better scent throw and melting pool using large cotton wicks than the flat braided ones but they do end up with a lot of mushrooming. I use 1.5 oz fragrance per pound of wax..I started out using a little less and had problems with no scent throw. There are still some lighter scents that don’t work well but just happy I’ve found some that do work because I was getting frustrated with wasting money and wax to end up with unscented candles.
Hi! Just starting my candle making experience, how many drops of essential oil de torro, Xmas scent per pound of soy wax?
Mickey, sorry for the late response! You would need to measure by weight. For fragrance oils usually around 1oz per pound oof wax, if it’s a very strong scent you could use a little less and you can also use up to 1.6oz per pound with many soy waxes. It’s really hard to say how many drops that would be because some oils are heavier than others, so I highly recommend getting a kitchen scale to weigh it 🙂 Hope that helps!
She left amount for fragrance oil. I think essential oil is different. I’m not sure. I’ve never used it before.
I am a beginner in making wax melts. I bought the KY Parasoy Tart and Votive Blend wax. I am not having much luck with scent throw. I follow the instructions on the wax bag and am using fragrance oils from Lonestar, AAA, Natures Garden, Just Scent, and Front Porch. Any suggestions?! I would appreciate any help you could offer!!
Anyone found good and reliable supplier in UK?
not yet, let me know if you do. I purchased 7 -50 ml sample sizes from Scentimental, and not pleased at all. I used highest recommended ratio of 10% fragrance, and you have to stick your nose in the candle to smell anything.
Hello All,
I’m new to making soy candles! What helped me the most, getting started, was purchasing a candle making kit by Candlescience. The kit was great… step by step! I then (and still do) did a lot of research; reading “how to” articles, reviews, and watching videos. Customer reviews are EXTREMELY important; I only purchased (or not) off of strong reviews. I chose to start with the supplier of the kit; they provide great education (very important) on everything you need to make candles, great amount of reviews on FOs, total one-stop-shop, best price on supplies (thus far), and have great customer service (address concerns/questions by phone or online). Since I’m still in the beginning stages, I am unable to do any comparisons of suppliers’ products (mainly FOs) and services. I am in search of at least 2-3 suppliers with the best quality FOs and that stands by their product. I’m having a challenge in finding two FOs: Bergamot and Patchouli! I’m challenging myself to create a scent that I purchased for myself that I love! If I can reproduce this scent for myself than I know I can produce amazing scents for my future customers. Patience is definitely a key element to making candles; it helps minimize frustration when aiming for the highest quality scent throw. I read each comment on this forum… Thank You All for sharing! Be bless and much success to you all!
Do you happen to have any idea where I could find a plain pineapple scented oil with good scent throw? Coconut-pineapple is nice and CandleScience has one, but I am looking for just plain pineapple. Thank you 🙂
I have a straight up pineapple from The Candle Source, it smells realistic & nice ! I’ve only tried it blended with coconut so far, but it was pretty strong blended, so I’d imagine it would be alone, too
Hi ! Great site ! I didn’t get a chance to look through all of the comments yet, so…not sure if this was mentioned yet, but The Candle Source had some great, high quality oils at very low prices !
Their Pink Sugar dupe in particular is spectacular ! Also their Caramel Coffee Cream ( not sure if I got the name exactly right ) is amaaaazing ! If you want a candle with super strong throw, that’s the oil for you !
Weird thing about it is…to me, it smells more like caramel popcorn than coffee, lol. But amazing nonetheless !
Peak has great oils, obviously ! They have my fave Blueberry Muffin oil !
Wholesale Supplies Plus is outstanding, IMO, also. I’m super picky about strawberry & LOVE their Sweet Strawberry ! Their Cake Batter Ice Cream is a delicious scent, perfect for blending.
Anyway….just thought I’d throw my 2 cents in, if anyone was curious about those places and / or scents 🙂
I am not familiar with most of these, but I completely agree with Nature’s Garden Christmas Cabin. That is my all-time best seller year ’round. i simply change the name to Mountain Cabin off-season 🙂
Is there a fragrance oil from Candle Soylutions that had no hot throw? I’m getting ready to place an order and didn’t want to waste money on a bad fragrance. I seen your list of good fragrances. But would like to know the ones to stay away from. Thanks!
Angie
angela40312@aol.com
PS. I love your website!!
Angela, so sorry for not getting back to you sooner! There are a few that didn’t throw real well. Citrus (smelled like some sort of fuel burning no matter what I tried. Probably best for melts, although I never tried it in melts). Raspberry is another one that comes to mind that didn’t seem to throw well. I also didn’t really care for their blueberry so I bought mine from Brambleberry.com, but it looks like they don’t have blueberry anymore anyway. They’ve replaced several EL fragrances with their own blends, and discontinued several EL fragrances (Enchanted Lites), so there are a few that used to be there that aren’t on the list anymore like Sugarplum (didn’t throw well). But other than those, as I was looking through their list again, I couldn’t think of any others that I had tried that didn’t throw well. Flowery/Perfumey type scents and baked goods type scents are usually going to have a strong throw. It’s just some of the fruit ones that you might have to be careful with, but it looks like maybe they’ve been weeding out the weaker fragrances.
As a candle “creator”, I am always looking to improve. I have been through my share of expense experimenting with different EO’s and FO’s from several companies. I love working with soy wax and have had numerous positive comments recently from my customers about how well the scent is throwing. Unbeknownst to them I recently changed to a new company for all of my FO’s. So needless to say, I highly recommend The Flaming Candle Co. I have loved many of their FO’s, but my biggest sellers have been their Sweet Orange Chili Pepper, Love Spell, Avocado Mint and more. I have also been very happy with Candle Science. Their wax and container prices are hard to beat.
Does anyone have any experience using only pure essential oils in their soy candles? I know they are a bit tricky and can be quite expensive, but I’d like to keep my candles as pure as possible and utilize some of the aromatherapy benefits of EOs. Any suggestions on resources, distributors, blends, tips, tricks or ways to keep costs down would be wonderful!
Hi Melanie, I’m sorry this is a late response — I began working with essential oils around 2009, and here are the two main sources that I really trust and recommend:
1. Ananda Apothecary – the BEST
2. Mountain Rose Herbs
I also feel pretty good about “Crafter’s Choice” essential oils from Wholesale Supplies Plus for good EO’s at a good price. Speaking of Wholesale Supplies Plus, their “Oatmeal n’ Honey” fragrance oil is AMAZING! I just made a candle with this and it fills the entire house. I swear you’ll want to pour this over ice cream, or drink it right from the bottle — but please DON’T! 😉
Due to the high cost of essential oils, you most likely would not want to use them to scent candles. EO’s very greatly in cost from around $5 for 1 oz. of Eucalyptus to $200 for 1/8th oz. of Rose, for example.
Be cautious about essential oil sources with cheap prices, as they likely offer inferior essential oils, or even diluted ones. Top quality essential oils are expensive.
For the best information on essential oils and their uses, check out Robert Tisserand (roberttisserand.com). He is a well-known authority on essential oils.
Good luck!
Jim
I went straight to the Enchanted Lites website and they are now called American Soy Wax.com. Their prices are $3-$5 cheaper per lb than Candle Soylutions. Their samples are .75 cheaper also. Do u recommend them? Have you used them? I appreciate your input very much!!! I’m just so tired of testing and am reaching out to experts. My Candle Soylutions samples will be here Wednesday and I’ll let you know how it goes. Thank u very much for your help!!!
I made my samples from candle soylutions. *Pumpkin Pecan Waffles- my fave! Great hot throw!! *Creme brûlée-very light, I won’t purchase. *lemon cheesecake- great hot throw! *Merlot- good hot throw. *Passionate kisses- good hot throw. *Birthday cake- good hot throw. *Strawberry- ok throw. *Chocolate- good hot throw. I still need to test soft leather, fresh linen, mulberry, butt naked and Apple strudel. I’ve ordered berry blast, vanilla, pina coloda, maple syrup, hot maple toddy, comforts of home and love spell samples. I’ll post again n a week or so. I heated 416 soy tart wax to 180, added dye, cooled to 150, added 1.5 ounce per pound fragrance, stirred gently for 2 minutes then poured. Does anyone add fragrance at a different temp? I’ve heard add frag at 170 and I’ve heard add right before it starts to harden. I’ve tried so many temps that I’m confused! And tired of wasting! But my above samples worked great at 150. If someone feels something else works better, please comment. Thanks!
I’ve changed my wax from 416 to eco soya pb. More expensive but way less fuss!
I use 416 soy wax also. I was told to add fragrance oil in around 180 to 185 than pour temp is around 140 to 150. I’m new at using soy so any advice is very appreciated!!!
I’m shopping around for fragrance suppliers. I used to use Lonestar, but it was getting a bit expensive. As of now, I’ve narrowed it down to Peak, Aroma Haven, and Nature’s Garden. I use 464 and I was wondering which of these companies I should go with to obviously get the best cold/hot throw. I like the rating that Aroma Haven uses, Peak has great customer service but not really much feedback from buyers, and Nature’s Garden is the best bang for my buck. Any opinions would be appreciated!
I have been using Southern Scentsations and my top sellers are Pumpkin Creme Brulee; macintosh; ocean breeze; pumpkin pecan waffle; holiday scentsations; cozy cabin; there are several more but these are my big sellers this time of year;
Hi, I’m interested in finding a fragrance called black raspberry, this has been requested by a customer and was wondering if anyone out there could recommend a supplier. I’m from Australia but not necessarily worried about which part of the world I get it as long as I can. 🙂 appreciate your feedback.
I’ve heard that you get a stronger scent with the oil based fragrances. Is this true?
Actually, all candle fragrances are oil based
Hi, I would like to know the best coffee FO out there (opinions please) Thank you!
Thank you so much for this awesome blog! I make soap but I absolutely love candles and have been messing around with them too and have followed everything to the T but still have no scent – I’m thinking it’s definitely the oils. Have you tried anything from Wholesale Supplies Plus? I have a ton of their fragrances (a lot are crafter’s choice) that are for soap but they state all of their fragrances are ok for candles as well.
One other question – I got what looks like a little bit of a mottled look on part of the top after re-melting and adding more fragrance. What might cause this? Thanks so much! =)
Can anyone recommend a supplier for a citronella oil? I would like to make one for my patio and would like for it to be high quality!
Does this list also hold true for soy wax melts?
Hi can you please help I am using 464 Aussie company I have made 40 candles so far I have a problem with wet spots, I have poured from 75 to 45 what am I doing wrong??? I have al so warmed the jars?? Maggie
Thanks for all the great recommendations. I am new to candle making and all this info makes it’s much easier.
I am so glad I found this site and the fragrance oil recommendations are extremely helpful. So much money can be spent ordering samples and testing and yet still ending up with a candle that is a disappointment. I was looking for fall scents and wanted to order the Pumpkin Crunch at Brambleberry but they no longer carry that fragrance. I did find a Pumpkin Crunch Cake at Natures Garden; but a variety of reviews, some very old, most love scent, some not, and some said oil was heavy which made it harder to blend and some said it had a green color which discolored the wax. We use 100% container soy with no dye. Has anyone ever used this scent in a soy candle? Any recommendations for other yummy fall / holiday scents that throw well in soy?
Pumpkin Creme Brulee from Southern Scentsations is amazing. Takes care of my whole first floor
I am looking for a company that sells very strong scents. The problem I run into is that they say very strong, comments say strong but yet I get it and the hot throw is like you’ve got to be kidding me, not a strong throw at all. I’ve been trying to find a blueberry cobbler or a blueberry close to it that has an amazing strong hot throw. Well actually I want them all to have that…lol. I guess what I’m finding is that what others think is strong is not at all strong to me. I have tried Natures Garden, Candle Science and the candle makers. Only a few have stood true to the comments. Please….somebody tell me where to find that truly very strong Blueberry Cobbler. Love this site!!
Flaming candle has great hot throw fragrances. Like Bartlett Pear, cairns sunset, raspberry jam, Amish Harvest, Creme Brûlée, Jamaica Me Crazy and a few others. I use Eco Soya PB. Heat to 175. Add dye. Cool to 150. Add fragrance. 1.5 ounce per pound. Stir gently for 2 minutes. Pour. Works great! No wet spots or bubbles or frosting!
I will check them out. Thanks so much!
Scentoils. I use less fragrance now due to the potency. Try creme brulee
Blueberry Cobbler from Lonestar Candles smells amazing and has an awesome hot throw.
I have had great luck with fragrance oils from Candlewic……scents that I have tried and loved are as follows: lemon lavender, clementine daisy, salted caramel, coconut lime, wild honeysuckle, warm vamilla sugar, bay laurel……..country clothesline (I don’t love but others do…smells very soapy)
I also like Candlewic and love their lemongrass sage!
The recommendations for quality fragrances that throw well are extremely helpful. Some of our favorites are Blackberry Sage, Cinnamon Balsam, Casaba Mist and Amish Harvest from Peak. We use Nature Wax Elite 200 from Filmore Containers for container candles. Does anyone else use this wax? Would love to hear what temperatures others use for this wax for heating and pouring. Thanks. Mary
I have two favorite companies for fragrances. Candle Cocoon and Peak Candle. I have tried scents from Candlescience but most won’t throw for me from there (except Black Canyon which is a SO strong.) I use
GB 464 wax the most. Candle Cocoon seems more expensive but you use so much less it is actually cheaper! My favorites are the Raspberry Cordial, Ice Crystals, Creme Brule Cafe, Cranberry Compote and Vanilla Voodoo. I actually use less then what they specify for most fragrances and they turn out perfect.
The Peak fragrances are terrific also though I do need 1 ounce or 1 1/2 ounce per pound depending on the frangrance. (I have gotten spoiled using less from Candle Cocoon.) I love their Vanilla Passion, Fruit Slices (probably my favorite), Vanilla Hazelnut (great for winter) and their Rose Bouquet.
Both companies have great customer service. You can’t go wrong with either
are you using GB 464 most of the time. Which other soy are you using?
Thanks so much to all of you who contributed to this thread. It really helps us newbies, to learn from you. Like an old friends once said, “We borrow from each other.” Just beginning this candle venture and am excited to learn along with you all.
Hi I’m from Australia, and just starting out, but i had a friend ask me for a scent that smells like Books, But i have checked all the Aussie places and all the ones you have listed and i cant seem to find one. I have seen people selling them on Etsy etc, so there must be a fragrance some where, any ideas???
Have you found something to do this with Bethany? You could try making your own, something like vanilla, leather, cedar, maybe a touch of almond?
Saveonscents.com has a “library” fragrance oil.
Hi, I just wanted to add Butt Naked from Natures Garden. I use GB 464 wax and it smells really nice
Has anyone had problems with shipping on Candle Cocoon? The site says the options include USPS and UPS but the only option it is giving me is UPS at almost $15 just to buy 4oz of frangrance oils. 🙁 I am locate in the US. The total is almost $30 just for 4 scents.
I LOVE candle cocoon. They have by far the best quality FOs which also reflects why they are more expensive than others and the automation of the site does the shipping but on multiple occasions I have had someone email me telling me they are using a different shipping method that is cheaper than the original quote
Yes, I’ve heard nothing but great things about them! I’m new to candle-making so I definitely put them first on my list to try. I e-mailed their company and someone contacted me to help me out with the shipping and ordering costs. It turns out the cheaper shipping is available to me. If their fragrances are as good as everyone says, I’ll be sure to use them again because the customer service thus far has been excellent!
I had the same concern about Candle Cocoon’s shipping, and so I called them. You may have figured this out already, but if you click “other carriers”, you can choose USPS 2 day flat rate for 7.15 for up to (about…?) 2.5 lbs. I ordered $76 of samples for only $7.15 shipping. Hope y’all are right about these guys…I’m really looking forward to trying their scents based on everyone’s rave. I’ll let you know.
I have to mention this scent because I NEVER would have chosen it by name. I received a free sample in my Candle Cacoon order (not of my choosing) of Pepper and Port. It simply knocked my socks off! It’s a very deep and complex fragrance and absolutely wonderful. Their oils are highly concentrated and so much simpler than any other supplier’s products I’ve used to get no fuss excellent results. I still take notes when making my test batches but they’re just perfect from the start. Yes…they cost more. Although I still use other suppliers to get scent types that Candle Cacoon doesn’t carry, I use 1/4 the amount of fragrance of other suppliers and get BETTER results with less trial and error…ok, NO trial and error, with Candle Cacoon oils. Truly exceptional!
Pepper and Port…who would have thought?
Who has the best Honeysuckle scent?
My favorite is Honeysuckle Jasmine from Candle Science. It’s more honeysuckle than Jasmine. Don’t be too heavy handed with it though. It’s SUPER strong.
Hello everyone! Soo im really ibto soy candle making rigjt now (ok i haven’t done one but I really really wanto to) but i have serious doubts about the scenting part, i was thinking about the Just essential oils, has anyone tried with direct essential oils like the just or young living ones? Any advice will be very much appreciated 🙂
Thanks!!!
I love, love, love candles and as a result I started doing research on how to make candles, the right supplies and authentic oils. So far, this page has been the most helpful in sharing information concerning this craft/business. So thank you for all the input and recommendations.
Does anyone out there know where Amy’s candles get her fragrances they are out of this world.She sells them but very expensive.
I noticed that American Soy Wax also sells the EL soy waxes and fragrances as well as Candle Soylutions. American soy wax does offer the sample 2oz sizes cheaper. I thought I read that American Soy Wax once was Enchanted Lites,is this correct? I saw you buy quite a few fragrance oils from Candle Soylutions, have you tried American Soy Wax? I purchased a few sample bottles from Aztec International and was rather disappointed with the heat throw. Thanks for all the great information on this site!
I have been trying to make a good strong scented soy candle without much luck. I’ve tried Northstar and Bulk Apothacary. I used eco14 wick with 12 oz. mason jars, and 3C wax. I need step by step instructions on how hot to make the wax, for how long to keep it at that temp., when to add scent and pour temp. How much scent to how much wax. Also, who has the best wax and scent for the best price.
Thanks!
Linda
Hi Linda!
There is a whole lot of trial and error in candle making. I think in order to get those answers you’d have to find someone using the exact same wax, containers, wicks, fragrance oils, etc. There are sooo many variables that there is no one answer to those questions.
Perhaps someone who has made a phenomenal candle in a 12 oz mason jar could share with you which wax, oil, wick, etc that they used and what their add and pour temps were and you could try to duplicate that.
It’s truly a test in patience and perseverance!
(Not to mention money spent on failed test batches.)
Good luck!
Hi, thanks so much for such a great and informative blog!! I have been making wax tarts for about a year, and wanted to share my two cents in regards to fragrance oils that I have had a lot of success with. (I have also had lots of failures!)
As we all know, shipping can be killer, so personally I have had great luck with Nature’s Garden. Their 16 oz FO are quite a bargain. My personal favorites are Fruity Loops (AMAZING HOT & COLD THROW!!), Snuggles, Aqua Di Gio, and Rum Ripened Raisins.
Another site that i have had great success with is Rustic Escentials. However, they are a little pricey and shipping is NOT cheap. My most popular and by far strongest tart that i make is Southern Pecan Pie with the FO from Rustic. Order the big bottle, you will absolutely need it. Others that I like from Rustic are Apple Butter & Caramel (little goes a LONG way), banana nut bread, and Vermont maple syrup.
I am curious, what temperature do you have the most success adding the FO? I use a soy blend wax from Nature’s Garden, Pillar of Bliss. I have experimented adding the FO at a higher temp, but have found that it is never has a strong cold throw. Recently I have started adding the FO at 150 degrees and have had better luck, but I often end up repouring because the wax is too cold when I pour it.
Lauren I would love to be able to share info with you. I’m not sure if email addresses are allowed in posts but I rarely find anyone who just makes tarts using soy. I made the switch from candles to tarts/melts a couple of years ago and like you, I’ve had many failures and successes.
I’d never ordered from Rustic Escentials until last night because of your post, taking your suggestions. I love Nature’s Garden and Candle Science for my scents. I was using Candle Cacoon exclusively for awhile but my customers want phthalate free scented melts and Candle Cacoon are phthalate based oils, so I had to stop using them, though they are phenomenal.
I use a different wax. I switched from a pillar wax to GB 464 because the throw is great in this wax, even with oils that had next to no throw in a pillar blend. My add temps differ by scent and my pour temps are always around 125-135°. My trick for melts that have little to no cold throw is to add the majority of the FO just below the FP and then add a small percentage at a cooler temp too.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Rae
Lahelarae@gmail.com
It now says “phthalate free scent” on Candle Cocoon’s website. Does anyone know if all of their oils are phthalate free?
Very interesting. I had to go see for myself. I’m having a hard time believing Lyschel has reformulated every scent to be phthalate free over just the the past few months, which is the last time we had a “chat” about phthalates. I got no indication that they planned to go that direction with their oils from that conversation and in fact, the opposite was implied. That they had no plans on jumping on that bandwagon. I’m sure going to find out though. Thanks for this post!
Hmm…well that’s a little weird. Please let me know if you find out any other info on this, I am really interested in buying from them but also want phthalate free.
I’ll be back here the moment I know. I’m sure it’ll be later today.
So this is EXTREMELY interesting. Lyschel just shot me an email stating that they always have been and always will be. I couldn’t be more confused. I’m definitely trying to get clarification. But the fact of the matter is that those formulas are proprietary. They’re not required to disclose the content of their formulas.
Having said that, there are different types of people phthalates and they are not all created equally. It is possible that they do in fact contain phthalates but not the phthalates that have been shown to cause respiratory harm when inhaled. Like you’ll notice on Rustic Escentuals web site, they state their oils are free from Dibutyl Phthalates. It sounds good but the fact is, that does not mean they are free from phthalates. Only that TYPE of phthalate. Not all phthalates have been found to be harmful though so that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
I’ll let you know if I find out more on Candle Cacoon
Lyschel is insisting they have always been phthalate free and even said that they’re the “original phthalate free company”. So that’s that. I’m still confused about previous conversations but since those weren’t in writing I can’t shoot them back for an explanation. End result? They’re phthalate free I guess. *shrugs*
Hi
Can someone help me can you tell me which is the best supplier to get fragrances from please that’s not going to cost the earth thankyou
Lorraine 🙂
You have to do a lot of sampling. Even when they say they are good in soy, some of them don’t throw scent so well. http://www.mollyrue.com/
I’m making candles for my sister and friends for Christmas this year and am wondering if anyone has tried any wine scents they enjoy? I’m looking to buy one white wine scent and one red, like a chardonnay and a cab. I’ve found a few options on different sites but would love feedback from someone who has used these types of scents. I just purchased the 444 soy wax and large wood wicks to use.
Hello! I’m a first time candle maker, hoping to turn this into a little business but I’ve been looking at soy waxes and it looks like the ecosoya cb 135 and ecosoya advanced wax are the best options based on what I’ve seen online. Any opinions on which to use? Also, any other advice on how to get better scent throws and tips for starting up a candle buisnesses for a first time candle maker are much appreciated!!
Hi Everyone:) I LOVE this site, so thankful for everyone’s comments…I’m new to soy candel making & I buy from The Flaming Candel company, I use GW 464 and my candles look great but NO hot throw:( I was SO EXCITED to make these candles and now I’m so upset because I can’t afford these to be a bust. I added at the right temps using 1oz FO per pound & let them sit at least a week before buring….Can anyone PLEASE HELP. Has anyone used The Flaming Candle Company for FO’s and had luck or is it just something I’m doing wrong?:/ THANKS IN ADVANCE for any help!!
Just realized I spelled CANDLES wrong…in a post about CANDLES….*Blushing* ?
I’ve used both that wax and their oils. No company has consistently amazing oils that I’ve found except Candle Cocoon. Having said that, I also haven’t run into any duds from Flaming Candle but I know others who feel they have. There’s so much that can affect throw. Sometimes it’s the oil, sometimes the wax, sometimes the wick, sometimes the process. With 464 the one thing that jumps out at me is the cure time. I have never cured that wax less than one month. If you’d like to email me feel free. Maybe I can help you troubleshoot. Lahelarae@gmail.com
Happy sniffing!
Thank you very much for your help….I’m going to keep trying to get this right! But I might need more of your input!:) Thank you!!
Allow those candles to cure. It may very well be more of a waiting issue than anything. Send me an email please.
I’m having the same issue. I have great cold throw, but no hot throw. I have let them cured for a 2 weeks. I am also adding the FO at 180 degrees and stirring it for 2 minutes then pour into containers at 135 degrees.
Not every fo should be added at 180° or at the same percentage. Some require a cure of up to 60 days before they really come alive. I’ve not experienced any that improve beyond a 60 day cure but that’s possible as well.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Nature’s Garden. Most of my fragrances are from them, and though I have fragrances from others I keep going back to NG. The Cabernet Sauvignon Wine is absolutely delicious. And for a unique fragrance that no one can decide what exactly it smells like, but everyone loves – try Rattlesnake Grass.
Hi! I read ALOT of comments that have been super helpful. I am new, as in new born baby, to candle making. I have 100s of 4oz Kerr jam jars and am wanting to use them to make lavender rosemary candles for wedding gifts. I’m wanting to put fragrance oils and dried lavender and rosemary in them. So, I have a few questions:
1. How much fragrance oil should I use for 4 oz candles to make them have strong cold and hot throw?
2. What is the best company to buy lavender and rosemary (and maybe even vanilla) fragrance oils?
3. What is the best brand of soy wax that is still cost effective?
4. With such a small candle (40z), should I use a certain type of wick?
Thanks so much, the page has been amazing, I am welcome to any and all feedback!
Kari
Hi, I am new to candle making too, I am in the UK. Does anyone have any recommendations as to where to buy FO here? that you have used and are happy with. Also i would like to start with melts and eco soya seem to be out of stock at the moment can anyone give me an alternative that i can purchase in the UK? Thank you so much. Lara.
Hi there!
First of all, thanks for sharing all the info!
I’m starting a business in Brasil, and my idea is to use only Soy Wax. While I’m still looking for a good supplier for soy wax I will use one commercialized here that consist in a mix of 45-55% paraffin/ 45%55 Soy Wax. Do you think the oils you recommend will work fine or just I be looking for paraffin oils fragrances?
Thanks!
RA
What is the best temp to add you fragrance oil in? Some say between 140-150 , some 160 , some say 130. What works best for everyone???
Hi!
I’d like to know which are the best wicks for vintage tea cup or small candles.Thank you 💝
I absolutely love Candlescience ! They’re shipping is a bit much but it’s worth it! My favorites that have a strong cold & hot throw are:
Frankincense & Myrrh, Citron & Mandarin, Caribbean Teakwood, Grapefruit Mangosteen, Antique Sandalwood (customer favorite) and Black Sea.
I’m using Golden Brand 444 and was wondering about what temp the wax should heat to as well as what temp I should I add in fragrance as well as when to pour. Is it the same as the 464 wax? I’ve read a lot of mixed info do I heat it to 185° then remove it from the heat to add the fragrance and pour at 135° or should I heat to 180° let it cool until 155-160° before adding scent then stirring for the 3-5 minutes? What would you suggest? I’m new to this and would like to turn this into a business eventually. Also any tips on the best wicks would be great as well.
Also I was wondering which place has the best Tabacco, Vanilla and black pepper type fragrance oil?
Aztec (candlemaking.com) has a wonderful tobacco fragrance. I made some candles with and let cure 2 weeks. Very impressed. Used 1 1/3 ounce per pound of soy wax.
I am looking for the best hot throw Christmas fragrances. Any suggestions on your experiences?
I was very fortunate to find the right wick, soy, and fragrance oils with minimal trial and error thanks to a lot of research. I primarily use WSP and Candle Cocoon fragrance oils. They are comparable price wise. I did not find as others commented that I could use 1/2 the amount of Candle Cocoon oil. I use 12% consistently per lb of wax for all oils. Excelllent strong hot throw in WSP fo’s (just to name a few) include Sands of Morocco, Perfect Pumpkin, Hot Buttered Rum, Hot Cocoa, Vanilla Oak, Vanilla Fig, Vanilla Lavender, Spiced Cranberry, and Blueberry Muffin. Great hot throw in Candle Cocoon have been Cranberry Compote, Orange Tea & Crumpets, Creme Brûlée’ Cafe, and Ooey Gooey Caramel. I have several more that are curing to test. I did NOT like the number one seller for several years from Candle Cocoon. Vanilla Voodoo is very chemical smelling. Also a note regarding cure time. MANY of the fragrance oils I burned after three weeks great in a small room but very weak in larger room. Some I almost gave up on. After 3 month cure what an amazing difference!!! Many of my friends and family members noted the same thing! I have learned to be very patient with cure time.
Hi Catherine!
I’m looking for some pointers. What kind of wax and wicks have you had success with? I feel like I’m going through supplies trying to find the right combinations with no luck. What is WSP?
Thank you!
Hi Everyone!
I’m trying to find a FO that smells like the drink White Russian. Kahlua scent would work just as well. Also, has anyone had any luck using Aztec FO’s? I would love to hear comparisons from other companies.
Thanks!
Hi there,
I am looking for the three scents listed below:
Rose
Lavender
Chamomile
Thank you!
Anyone have an input on what company sells these scents and have good throw
Hi everyone!
I am very new and eager to learn everything about the art of candle making. I have questions if anyone can help me:
Should I heat my containers before I pour?
What is the average cure time?
Any recommendation on blending FO’s?
When heating wax, do you recommend the double boiler method, container on stove or hot plate?
What is the best way to clean up wax from the pour pot to prepare for a different batched scent?
I have read every comment and question on this feed and I am super excited to get started.
Thank you!!!
I have a great experience with Lonestarcandle it gives a cool smell as well as during combustion
Fruit slices
Peach slices
endless love
Chiffon pink
But I’m still looking for oriental oils
Wow, I love this blogs! I found tremendous information. I was looking for something like this site!!!
It’s true,to get a hot throw in soy wax candles. are difficult!
I use Candle Science.com but not have too many option or hot throw the only ones are: CACTUS FLOWER AND JADE , PUMPKIN SOUFFLE AND SEA SALT AND ORCHID.
THAT’S IT!
Stumbled upon this post. Love all of the info and comments. Has anyone used “The Wooden Wick Co.”? If so, any thoughts of their scents?
I have used Wooden Wick and I did not have “Hot Throw” success. I did use 100% Soy Wax so that could be the reason. This is a late response so if you have tried their products and it worked for you I’m open to any suggestions.
They have really great scents. If my candles would cooperate this would be a really great product.
Scents Purchased:
Wild Orange + Cypress
Spiced Pear + Whiskey
Calabrian Lemon + Lilac
Thank you, a million times thank you for the list of suggested scents!!!
Same issues that everyone else is talking about. Soy wax 444. Only great hot throw has been from candle science Apple Maple Bourbon (AMB) and it is tremendous! Knock you socks off. Heavy maple which is fine. I would add a little more bourbon to it next time. Gave it as gifts and everyone says the same: They love it.
Aztec tried jasmine and japanese cherry blossom. Little cold throw and zero hot throw however it sounds like not enough FO was used. Only .5 oz plus about .2 oz jasmine. In a 10 oz jar that was not enough. Trying to do same trial and error as everyone else out there so keep sending comments good bad or otherwise!
I’ve read that you can add more FO to a cool candle on the base by the wick. Going to try this so the wax isn’t totally wasted! At least it looks pretty while burning.
Hello! This site is wonderful and filled with great info! What length of time is standard for wax melts/candle cure times?