Fragrance Oil - General Information

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Welcome to our general information section on candle fragrances. To shop for oils, click on the titles on the left.

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Candle Fragrance Oil

Any fragrance product marked with an * is a formulation of Eroma and is not part of and has no association with any other product of the same or similar name.
At Eroma we test hundreds of new fragrances every month and are proud to offer you the best high quality fragrance oils from our latest testing. All fragrance oils are tested in natural waxes for compatibility and scent throw. We reject over 99% of all fragrance oils tested and hence end up with a high quality boutique line of cosmetic grade oils which we know you'll enjoy.

Fragrance Oils

• These are synthetic in substance, in that they are not formulated directly from plant origin. Having said this, many fragrance oils do contain a high percentage of essential oils.
• In general, fragrance oils work better in candles than essential oils, the reason being that many are fine-tuned for the type of wax, whereas essential oils are fixed in composition.
• The important consideration is that fragrance oils are no different to, say, a high quality designer perfume, so if you're looking for a candle that produces a beautiful fragrance, then this is the oil to use for your candles.
• Typical usage is around the 7% to 8% or 70 to 80 grams of essential oil per 1,000 grams of wax. Most waxes can handle up to around 10%. However, this will require prior testing.
• In order to achieve accurate results and consistency, it's necessary to use accurate digital scales.
• Note: Whilst blending fragrance oils is possible, we have not conducted testing and therefore cannot guarantee end results.
• Take care to accurately follow instructions when adding fragrance as if the wax is too hot, the fragrance oil can vaporise and in some circumstances ignite. Please make sure you follow instructions when adding fragrances: hot temperatures can damage the fragrance leading to a different scent than desired.

Essential Oils

Please note: Whilst some essential oils may perform reasonably in candles, we do not recommend their use. The flashpoint, especially in citrus type essential oils, is quite low and with an ignition source a candle can easily catch on fire. Essential oils do tend to work quite well in 'melts' whereby the heat source is coming from the tealight and not from the direct flame of the wick. For candle making we recommend using fragrance oils only as they are much safer and designed for candles with a much larger variety. All essential oils due to their raw nature may discolour the wax. If essential oils are to be used in a candle application, please test in small quantities first and increase the ratio gradually to no more than 6%, being mindful of the high flammability of the raw material. As advised before, we do not recommend the use of essential oils in candles.

• There are many essential oils on the market and price varies considerably between them.
• If you are looking for an all-natural candle, then use uncoloured natural waxes, blended with essential oils. (Please see note above)
• Common oils used include lavender, lemongrass and various mint types. However, many will not blend and burn well, so testing is essential.
• Typical usage is around 5% to 6% or 50 to 60 grams of essential oil per 1,000 grams of wax.
• In order to achieve accurate results and consistency it will be necessary to use accurate digital scales.
• Note: The blending of essential oils is very common. However, you will need to seek further information on this.
• Care should be taken to accurately follow instructions when adding fragrance as if the wax is too hot, the essential oil can vaporise and in some circumstances ignite. Hot temperatures can also damage the fragrance, leading to a different scent.

These oils are formed directly from the plant source. There are many ways that this extraction takes place:

Steam Distilled:

When steam distillation is used in the manufacture and extraction of essential oils, the botanical material is placed in a still and steam is forced over the material. The hot steam helps to release the aromatic molecules from the plant material since the steam forces open the pockets in which the oils are kept in the plant material. The molecules of these volatile oils then escape from the plant material and evaporate into the steam. The temperature of the steam needs to be carefully controlled - just enough to force the plant material to let go of the essential oil, yet not too hot as to burn the plant material or the essential oil. The steam which then contains the essential oil is passed through a cooling system to condense the steam, which forms a liquid from which the essential oil and water is then separated. The steam is produced at greater pressure than the atmosphere and therefore boils at above 100 degrees Celsius which facilitates the removal of the essential oil from the plant material at a faster rate and in so doing prevents damage to the oil.

Solvent Extraction:

When we talk about the broad term of solvent extraction, it does not only refer to chemical solvents like hexane, but also to other forms, such as solid oil and fat as well as carbon dioxide. Solvent extraction is particularly suitable for botanical material that has a very low yield of essential oil, or where it is made up of mostly resinous components and as such delivers a far finer fragrance than that of distillation. During this type of extraction, non-volatile components of the botanical material, such as waxes and pigments, are also extracted and in some cases this is then removed during another process.

*Disclaimer
Website Disclaimer: References to other sites are provided as an information service only and should not be construed as an endorsement of any organisation or product. Conversely, omissions should not be construed as non-endorsement. Although care has been taken to provide links to suitable material from this site, no guarantee can be given about the suitability, completeness or accuracy of any of the material that this site may be linked to or other material on the Internet. Eroma will not accept any responsibility for the content of material that may be encountered.

General Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and completeness, no guarantee is given nor responsibility taken by Eroma for errors or omissions in this information and Eroma does not accept responsibility in respect of any information or advice given in relation to or as a consequence of anything contained above. The above information is issued by Eroma Pty Ltd for guidance only and we acknowledge that other important precautions may be applicable and that are not contained in this document. Therefore we take no liability for the information contained above in any way, shape or form and we recommend that you seek further information from the relevant authority.