Waxes & reference · Scent Almanac

Wax	For	Melt point	Add fragrance	Pour	Max fragrance	Cure	Cold / hot throw
Container soy (464-style)	container	113–119°F (45–48°C)	185°F (85°C)	125–140°F (52–60°C)	10%	7–14 d	●●●●○ / ●●●○○
Container soy (444-style)	container	119–127°F (48–53°C)	185°F (85°C)	120–140°F (49–60°C)	10%	7–14 d	●●●●○ / ●●●○○
Coconut-soy blend	container, wax melt	105–120°F (41–49°C)	185°F (85°C)	130–150°F (54–66°C)	12%	3–10 d	●●●●● / ●●●●●
Paraffin-soy blend	container, wax melt	124–128°F (51–53°C)	180°F (82°C)	160–175°F (71–79°C)	12%	3–7 d	●●●●● / ●●●●●
Container paraffin	container, wax melt	125–135°F (52–57°C)	180°F (82°C)	160–175°F (71–79°C)	12%	2–5 d	●●●●● / ●●●●●
Pillar / votive paraffin	pillar, votive, wax melt	138–145°F (59–63°C)	185°F (85°C)	180–190°F (82–88°C)	6%	2–5 d	●●●○○ / ●●●●○
Beeswax	pillar, container, votive, taper	144–147°F (62–64°C)	160°F (71°C)	155–170°F (68–77°C)	6%	2–4 d	●●○○○ / ●●●○○
Rapeseed (container)	container	112–122°F (44–50°C)	176°F (80°C)	140–150°F (60–66°C)	10%	7–14 d	●●●●○ / ●●●○○
Palm (feather/crystal)	pillar, votive	135–145°F (57–63°C)	185°F (85°C)	185–200°F (85–93°C)	6%	2–5 d	●●●○○ / ●●●○○
Soy pillar & melt blend	pillar, votive, wax melt	125–135°F (52–57°C)	185°F (85°C)	140–160°F (60–71°C)	10%	3–7 d	●●●●○ / ●●●●○
Candle gel	container	160–200°F (71–93°C)	195°F (91°C)	185–200°F (85–93°C)	5%	1–3 d	●●●○○ / ●●●○○

Container soy (464-style)

The most popular beginner wax. Stir fragrance for a full two minutes; pour when the wax starts to thicken slightly for smoother tops. A second heat-gun pass fixes rough tops.

Clean, slow burn and good glass adhesion
Plant-based and easy to find
Creamy look

Frosting (white crystals) and wet spots are normal
Hot throw needs a full cure
Soft — containers only

Wicks: ECO, CD, HTP, wood · Typical fragrance 6–10% · Add at 185°F (85°C) · Pour 125–140°F (52–60°C)

Calculate with this wax

Container soy (444-style)

Pour on the cooler end of the range for smooth tops. Blends well with a little coconut wax for creaminess.

Slightly firmer than 464-style
Very smooth tops when poured cool
Good for layered containers

Frosting
Needs a longer cure for best throw

Wicks: ECO, CD, HTP, wood · Typical fragrance 6–10% · Add at 185°F (85°C) · Pour 120–140°F (49–60°C)

Calculate with this wax

Coconut-soy blend

Luxury-candle wax. Blends vary a lot (coconut-apricot, coconut-soy, coconut-rapeseed), so check the supplier sheet. Often wicks smaller than soy.

Strong hot and cold throw
Creamy, smooth tops with little frosting
Cures faster than straight soy

Pricier
Very soft — containers only, and it can sweat in hot rooms
Usually needs a wick one size smaller

Wicks: ECO, HTP, CD, wood · Typical fragrance 8–12% · Add at 185°F (85°C) · Pour 130–150°F (54–66°C)

Calculate with this wax

Paraffin-soy blend

A good choice when throw is the priority. Keep it within the supplier's temperature range. Very high pour temperatures can pull away from the glass.

Excellent throw
Smooth, glossy tops and good adhesion
Forgiving for beginners

Not all-natural
Can soot if overwicked

Wicks: LX, CD, HTP · Typical fragrance 8–12% · Add at 180°F (82°C) · Pour 160–175°F (71–79°C)

Calculate with this wax

Container paraffin

Burns hotter than soy, so start one wick size smaller than a soy chart suggests.

Strongest scent throw of any wax
Cheap, consistent and bright colors
Short cure

Petroleum-based
Soots when overwicked

Wicks: LX, CD, HTP, RRD · Typical fragrance 6–10% · Add at 180°F (82°C) · Pour 160–175°F (71–79°C)

Calculate with this wax

Pillar / votive paraffin

Pour hot for glossy sides. Poke relief holes around the wick as it sets, then top up with a second pour about 10°F hotter.

Hard and releases cleanly from molds
Holds color well
Good for embeds and chunk candles

Shrinks as it cools, so you need a second 'repour'
Holds less fragrance

Wicks: square braid, LX · Typical fragrance 3–6% · Add at 185°F (85°C) · Pour 180–190°F (82–88°C)

Calculate with this wax

Beeswax

For containers, add 10–30% coconut oil (by weight of wax) to reduce cracking and tunneling. Wick generously: beeswax is viscous and drowns small wicks. Never heat above 185°F (85°C), because it discolors.

Natural honey scent and golden glow
Long, bright, clean burn
No additives needed

Expensive
Holds fragrance weakly and its own smell competes
Cracks and pulls away in containers unless softened

Wicks: square braid, TCR, CD · Typical fragrance 3–6% · Add at 160°F (71°C) · Pour 155–170°F (68–77°C)

Calculate with this wax

Rapeseed (container)

Treat like container soy. Some blends are sold as 'soy-free' containers.

Grown locally in the UK and Europe
Creamy finish, slow burn

Frosting, like soy
Can be harder to find in the US

Wicks: ECO, CD, wood · Typical fragrance 6–10% · Add at 176°F (80°C) · Pour 140–150°F (60–66°C)

Calculate with this wax

Palm (feather/crystal)

Pour very hot into warmed molds for big crystals. A cold mold gives a finer feather.

Beautiful feathered or crystal patterns
Hard, long-burning pillars

Sustainability concerns: buy only RSPO-certified
The crystal pattern needs a hot pour and a slow cool

Wicks: square braid, LX · Typical fragrance 3–6% · Add at 185°F (85°C) · Pour 185–200°F (85–93°C)

Calculate with this wax

Soy pillar & melt blend

The usual pick for wax melts and clamshells. Pour cooler to reduce frosting.

Firm enough for molds and wax melts
Good release from silicone

Softer than paraffin pillars, so it can bow in the heat

Wicks: square braid, ECO, CD · Typical fragrance 6–10% · Add at 185°F (85°C) · Pour 140–160°F (60–71°C)

Calculate with this wax

Candle gel

Heat gently and never leave it unattended. Buy fragrances labeled gel-compatible, keep to the supplier's maximum, and keep embeds non-flammable and away from the wick.

Clear and jelly-like, so it can hold embeds (glass, shells)

Only gel-compatible fragrance oils (non-polar, low in some solvents); wrong oils cause cloudiness or pooling fire risk
Burns hot — use thick glass only
Never use wood wicks or flammable embeds

Wicks: HTP, CD · Typical fragrance 3–5% · Add at 195°F (91°C) · Pour 185–200°F (85–93°C)

Calculate with this wax

These are starting points for container candles in the wax named. Always test burn: make one candle, burn it 1 hour per inch of diameter (up to 4 hours), and adjust.

ECO (cotton + paper filaments)

For Soy, coconut and vegetable waxes

Flat braid that curls as it burns, so it partly trims itself. The easiest series to start with in soy.

CD (flat cotton, paper-cored)

For Soy, paraffin, parasoy, and beeswax in containers

Sturdy and stays upright. Burns a little hotter than ECO.

HTP (cotton + paper, high-tension)

For Viscous waxes (coconut, soy blends) and gel

Self-trimming. Good when ECO won't give a full melt pool.

LX (stabilized flat braid)

For Paraffin, parasoy and pillars

Very consistent flame with little carbon build-up.

TCR (cotton, for veg & beeswax)

For Beeswax and vegetable containers

Round braid with a tighter structure for viscous waxes.

RRD (cotton, round, cored)

For Paraffin containers and heavily scented or colored wax

Burns hot. Handy when a heavy load of dye or fragrance clogs other wicks.

Square braid

For Beeswax, pillars, tapers

Sized as 6/0 (smallest) → 1/0 → #1 → #4. Stands up well in hard waxes.

Wooden (crackling)

For Soy, coconut and parasoy containers

Soft crackle and a wide, low flame. Trim to about 1/8 in (3 mm); too tall drowns it. Width sets the melt pool. Add a 'booster' ply for wider jars.

Starting sizes by jar width

Series	2.0 in	2.5 in	3.0 in	3.5 in	4.0 in
ECO	ECO 2–4	ECO 4–6	ECO 6–8	ECO 10–12	ECO 12–14 (or two ECO 4–6)
CD	CD 3–5	CD 5–8	CD 8–12	CD 12–16	CD 16–18 (or two CD 5–8)
HTP	HTP 52–62	HTP 73–83	HTP 93–104	HTP 104–1212	two HTP 73–83
LX	LX 12–16	LX 18–22	LX 24–26	LX 28–30	two LX 18–22
wood	0.375 in wide	0.5 in wide	0.5–0.75 in wide	0.75 in + booster	1 in + booster
square braid	2/0	1/0	#1	#2	#3

The chart assumes container soy. Paraffin, parasoy, coconut blends and gel usually take one size smaller; beeswax takes one size larger. The candle calculator adjusts for this automatically.

Reading a test burn

Tunneling (a hole down the middle): The wick is too small, or the first burn was too short. The first burn should last 1 hour per inch of diameter.
Mushrooming, soot, flame taller than 1 in: The wick is too big, or it needs trimming to ¼ in. Heavily dyed or heavily scented wax can also cause it.
Melt pool deeper than ½ in, or very hot glass: The wick is too big. Go down a size.
Small, drowning flame: The wick is too small, or it's clogged by fragrance or dye. Go up a size or try another series.

Typical fragrance rates. Your wax's maximum and your supplier's IFRA certificate always take precedence.

Product	Usual range	Of
Candles	6–10%	wax weight
Wax melts	8–12%	wax weight
Reed diffuser	20–30%	total liquid
Room & linen spray	1–5%	total liquid
Electric (water) diffuser	3–5 drops	per 100 ml water (essential oils only)
Cold-process soap	3–6%	oil weight (essential oils about 3%)
Melt-and-pour soap	1–3%	soap base weight
Laundry & cleaning	1–3%	powder or salt weight

About IFRA certificates

Fragrance oil suppliers publish an IFRA certificate for each oil. It gives the maximum safe percentage for each product category, such as candles, soap, lotion and room spray. For anything that touches skin, stay under the figure for that category. Candles and diffusers are usually far less restricted than soap or lotion.

SAP values and fatty-acid profiles are the standard soap-making figures that the lye calculator uses. KOH SAP = NaOH SAP × 1.403.

Oil	NaOH SAP	KOH SAP	Lauric	Myristic	Palmitic	Stearic	Ricinoleic	Oleic	Linoleic	Linolenic	Iodine	Notes
Olive oil	0.135	0.189			14	3		69	12	1	85	Gentle, conditioning and slow to trace. At 100% it's castile, which needs a long cure.
Coconut oil (76°)	0.183	0.257	48	19	9	3		8	2		10	Hardness and big bubbles. It strips skin above about 30%, unless you raise the superfat (salt bars use 20%).
Palm oil	0.142	0.199		1	44	5		39	10		53	Hard, long-lasting bars. Buy RSPO-certified, or swap in tallow, lard or a shea/cocoa butter mix.
Castor oil	0.128	0.180			1	1	90	4	4		86	Boosts and stabilizes lather. Keep it to 5–10%, because more makes a sticky bar.
Shea butter	0.128	0.180			5	40		48	6	1	59	Creamy and conditioning, and helps hardness. 5–15% is typical.
Cocoa butter	0.137	0.192			28	33		35	3		37	Very hard bar. Unrefined adds a faint chocolate smell. Keep to 15% or less, or the bar gets brittle.
Mango butter	0.137	0.192			7	42		45	3		45	Like shea but lighter. Adds hardness.
Sweet almond oil	0.139	0.195			7			71	18		99	Silky and conditioning.
Avocado oil	0.133	0.187			20	2		58	12		86	Rich and conditioning. Good in facial bars.
Sunflower oil (high oleic)	0.134	0.188			4	4		81	9	1	83	Cheap and conditioning. Keep it under 20% and add rosemary extract to slow rancidity (DOS).
Canola / rapeseed oil	0.132	0.185			4	2		61	21	9	110	Cheap stand-in for olive. Keep it low, because its linolenic acid can go rancid.
Rice bran oil	0.128	0.180		1	22	3		38	34	2	100	Creamy, silky lather.
Lard	0.138	0.194		1	28	13		46	6		57	Hard, white, creamy bar. A traditional base.
Beef tallow	0.143	0.201	2	6	28	22		36	3	1	45	Very hard, long-lasting, creamy bar.
Babassu oil	0.175	0.246	50	20	11	4		10	2		10	Behaves like coconut oil. A swap for people who don't like coconut.
Palm kernel oil	0.156	0.219	49	16	8	2		15	3		20	Like coconut oil but harder. Buy RSPO-certified.
Hemp seed oil	0.135	0.189			6	2		12	57	21	165	Very conditioning but goes rancid easily. Keep it to 5% or less.
Grapeseed oil	0.126	0.177			8	4		20	68		131	Light. Goes rancid easily, so keep it low.
Apricot kernel oil	0.135	0.189			6			66	29		100	Light and conditioning.
Argan oil	0.136	0.191			14	6		45	35		95	Luxury oil. Better added after the cook in hot process.
Jojoba oil	0.066	0.093									83	A liquid wax, not an oil, so it saponifies only partly. Use 5% or less.
Beeswax (in soap)	0.069	0.097									10	Hardens the bar but speeds trace. Use 1–3% and soap warm.
Stearic acid	0.141	0.198				100					2	Hardens bars and helps liquid soap thicken. Can speed trace.

What the qualities mean

Hardness (29–54): How hard and long-lasting the bar is.
Cleansing (12–22): How strongly it strips oil. Too high feels drying.
Conditioning (44–69): How gentle it feels on skin.
Bubbly (14–46): Big, fluffy lather.
Creamy (16–48): Dense, lotion-like lather.
Iodine (41–70): Softness and rancidity risk; lower is harder and keeps longer.
INS (136–165): Overall balance of a bar recipe; 136–165 is the classic sweet spot.

Dipropylene glycol (DPG)

Reed diffuserRoom & linen spraywicks medium

The standard reed-diffuser base. Odorless, slow-evaporating, and wicks well. Mixes with most fragrance oils. Low flammability.

Commercial reed diffuser base

Reed diffuserwicks fast

Premixed and odorless (often a glycol ether or an isoparaffin blend). The easiest, most reliable choice. Follow the supplier's fragrance ratio, usually 20–30%.

Isopropyl myristate (IPM)

Reed diffuserwicks slow

Carries scent well but wicks slowly. Often mixed with DPG or a reed base.

Fractionated coconut oil

Reed diffuserwicks slow

Wicks poorly in reeds, so it works better in a roller than a diffuser. Use it only mixed into another base.

Perfumer's alcohol (SDA 40B)

Room & linen sprayReed diffuserwicks fast

Best for sprays: dissolves oils and dries fast. A few percent in a reed base speeds up wicking. Flammable.

High-proof vodka (80–100 proof)

Room & linen spraywicks fast

An easy-to-buy spray base. Won't fully dissolve oils, so shake before use or add a solubilizer.

Witch hazel (alcohol-based)

Room & linen spraywicks fast

A gentle spray base. Needs a solubilizer to disperse the oils.

Polysorbate 20 (solubilizer)

Room & linen spray

Makes oils disperse in water-based sprays. Start at 1 part to 1 part fragrance and go up to 3:1 if the spray is still cloudy.

Distilled water

Room & linen sprayElectric (water) diffuser

Use distilled, not tap: minerals clog sprayers and diffusers. Water-based sprays need a preservative if kept over two weeks.

Never mix

Bleach + Vinegar or any acid (citric acid, toilet cleaners): Releases chlorine gas.
Bleach + Ammonia (some glass cleaners, urine): Releases toxic chloramine vapor.
Bleach + Rubbing alcohol: Can form chloroform and other harmful compounds.
Hydrogen peroxide + Vinegar (in the same bottle): Forms peracetic acid, which is corrosive to skin, eyes and lungs.
Different drain cleaners + Each other: Can react violently and splash.

An honest note about homemade laundry soap. Homemade laundry 'soap' (bar soap + washing soda + borax) is soap, not detergent. It cleans lightly soiled clothes, but in hard water it can leave a dulling film and build up in HE machines and on towels. Many washer makers advise using only HE detergent. For a truly 'homemade' route, use the powder on everyday loads, strip-wash towels now and then, and add scent with the salt boosters rather than more soap.

Cleaning ingredients

Ingredient	What it does	Caution
Washing soda (sodium carbonate)	Water softener and grease cutter for laundry and dishes	Alkaline and irritating: wear gloves, keep it off skin and eyes, and don't use it on aluminum, wool or silk.
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)	Mild abrasive and deodorizer	Gentle. Mixing it with vinegar in a bottle cancels both out and builds pressure.
Borax (sodium tetraborate)	Laundry booster and water softener	Don't swallow it. The EU classes it as a reproductive toxicant, so store it away from children and pets. Some makers leave it out.
Oxygen bleach (sodium percarbonate)	Whitener and stain lifter (releases hydrogen peroxide in warm water)	Irritating to eyes. Keep it dry and sealed. Never store it in a closed container once wet, because it releases gas.
Citric acid	Descaler and rinse aid; the fizz in toilet bombs and dishwasher tabs	Irritating to eyes. Don't use it on natural stone.
White vinegar (5% acetic acid)	Descaler, rinse aid and fabric softener substitute	NEVER mix with bleach. Don't use it on stone countertops. Repeated use can wear rubber seals in some washers.
Liquid castile soap	Gentle cleaning surfactant	Don't mix it with vinegar or lemon: the acid splits it into a greasy curd.
Soap flakes / grated bar soap	The 'soap' in homemade laundry powder	True soap leaves residue in hard water and in HE machines. See the laundry notes.
Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate)	Carrier for scent crystals and bath salts	Gentle.
Coarse salt	Carrier for scent boosters; scrubbing	Gentle.
Isopropyl alcohol (70%+)	Quick-drying glass and surface cleaner	Flammable. NEVER mix with bleach.
Hydrogen peroxide (3%)	Stain remover and disinfectant	Store it in its dark bottle. Don't combine it with vinegar in one container.
Sodium coco sulfate / SLSA	Foaming surfactant for toilet bombs and liquid cleaners	Fine powder that irritates the lungs: wear a mask when measuring.
Vegetable glycerin	Humectant; helps sprays and liquid soap	Gentle.

Label every homemade cleaner with what's in it and the date, and keep them out of reach of children and pets. Never reuse food or drink bottles for cleaners.