Fragrance Oils

 The Basics

Using candlemaking oils from the US or the UK tends to be a good useage of up to 8% in paraffin or 10% in soy.  Most candlemakers making very smelly candles won't really use much less than that.  

Some suppliers recommend UK grade for use in paraffin, but US oils for soy.  There are loads to choose from out there, so this is one area where it is really very good fun to be a guinea pig.

Many imports have very low levels of scent, or very poor quality scents.

To ensure that you have the correct percentages in your products, make sure you contact your oil supplier to find out what the recommendations are for their products.  

Products can differ in strength and their purposes so there is a big difference in the quality of them.  Some suppliers cut their oils with DPG so that they can be used for pot pourri refresher oils etc and those would not be as strong as the full strength oils that the main suppliers sell.    

Many many oil sellers actually don't know what they are selling.  

Gel candles need special oils that are poloarised and with higher resistance to flammability than is needed for most paraffin and soy waxes.   Ordinary candle fragrance oils would be a danger in gel candles.

Using essential oils for candlemaking is a hit or a miss.  

The heat of the wax can make some oils useless while other oils could be a flame thowing disaster if used incorrectly.  Make sure you do your research and use your oils correctly.  

Always contact the manufacturer for their recommendations.

If you are making your own, make sure you follow your assessment procedures for percentages to ensure they are appropriate.   

You cannot just use any oil in soap.  

It MUST  conform to IFRA regulations in the UK and appropriately tested for allergens that the US oils do not currently have.  

If you wish to use US body safe oils, then you will be required to have those oils tested by a cosmetic chemist to ensure they are safe to use in the UK (this can be an expensive task).  

Your other options are to buy oils from suppliers who already have the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) information and conformance details.

There is a huge selection of oils, but be careful what you choose.  

The manufacturer, or you, if you give them a go, is responsible for everything that you produce.    The choice is huge, but choose wisely.