How much fragrance oil should I use for better scent throw?

Most candle waxes perform best at around 6–10% fragrance load by weight. Using too little fragrance oil can lead to weak scent, while using too much can cause poor burning, sweating, or even weaken performance. Always check your wax supplier’s recommended maximum load and test small batches before scaling up.

Introduction
What Are Hot Throw & Cold Throw?
Key Differences Between Cold Throw & Hot Throw
How to Improve Cold Throw
How to Improve Hot Throw
Common Mistakes That Reduce Scent Throw
Best Fragrance Oils for Strong Scent Throw
FAQs
Conclusion

Introduction
What Are Hot Throw & Cold Throw?
Key Differences Between Cold Throw & Hot Throw
How to Improve Cold Throw
How to Improve Hot Throw
Common Mistakes
Best Fragrance Oils
FAQs
Conclusion

Cold Throw vs Hot Throw: How to Improve Candle Scent Performance

Q: Why does my candle smell strong cold but weak hot?

A candle that smells strong when cold but weak when burning is often caused by issues with wick size, melt pool depth, or fragrance oil binding. If the melt pool is too small, not reaching the edges, or the wax is not hot enough, fragrance molecules are not released efficiently. Using the wrong wick, overheating the fragrance oil during making, or not curing the candle long enough can also reduce hot throw.

Q: Which wax gives the strongest scent throw?

Paraffin and many coconut–soy blends are known for very strong cold and hot throw. Pure soy wax can give beautiful results too, but often needs careful testing of wick size, fragrance type, and cure time to reach its full scent potential. The ideal wax depends on your fragrance oils, containers, and the style of candle you want to create.

Q: How can I improve hot throw quickly?

To quickly improve hot throw, start by checking your wick size and melt pool. The melted wax should reach the container edges within 2–3 hours and be about 1/4–1/2 inch deep. Make sure you add fragrance oil at the correct temperature, stir thoroughly for at least 2 minutes, and choose fragrance oils that are known to perform well in candles, such as vanilla, sandalwood, citrus, and amber blends.

By HIQILI Updated: 2025

If you’ve ever made a candle and wondered why it smells amazing in the jar but faint when burning—or vice versa—you’ve experienced the difference between cold throw and hot throw. Understanding both is key to making strong, room-filling candles that customers love and DIY makers feel proud of.

Caucasian woman smelling a candle to test cold throw in a cozy home setting

This guide explains what each “throw” means, why they behave differently, and how to boost your candle’s scent performance with better techniques, materials, and fragrance oils.

What Are Hot Throw & Cold Throw?

Cold Throw

Cold throw is the scent a candle releases when it’s not burning. Customers smell this first—when opening the lid or picking up the candle—so it influences buying decisions for retail or gift giving.

Infographic-style illustration showing the difference between cold throw and hot throw in candles

Hot Throw

Hot throw is the scent a candle gives off while burning. This is what fills a room and determines how strong or effective your candle feels during use.

Both matter. Cold throw sells the candle; hot throw keeps people coming back.

Key Differences Between Cold Throw & Hot Throw

Cold Throw: Activated by natural evaporation of fragrance molecules from the wax surface.
Hot Throw: Released as melted wax heats and vaporizes fragrance oil.
Cold Throw depends more on wax hardness and fragrance concentration.
Hot Throw depends heavily on melt pool temperature, wick size, and fragrance oil quality.

One candle can have strong cold throw but weak hot throw—or vice versa—based on formula and technique.

How to Improve Cold Throw

Soy wax flakes and fragrance oil prepared for candle cold throw improvement

1. Choose the Right Wax

Soy wax → softer cold throw
Coconut-soy blends → stronger and more consistent
Paraffin blends → naturally strong cold throw

2. Use Proper Fragrance Load

Most waxes perform best at 6%–10% fragrance load. Too much FO can actually weaken throw by disrupting wax structure.

3. Pour at the Right Temperature

Incorrect pour temp prevents fragrance from binding correctly.

General guide:

Soy: 135–150°F (57–65°C)
Coconut blends: 160–180°F (70–82°C)
Paraffin: 170–185°F (76–85°C)

4. Cure Your Candles

Cold throw strengthens as fragrance binds to wax. Recommended cure times:

Soy candles: 7–14 days
Coconut blends: 3–7 days
Paraffin: 1–3 days

How to Improve Hot Throw

1. Size the Wick Correctly

Wick too small → small melt pool → weak hot throw Wick too large → overheating → evaporates FO too fast

A proper wick produces a melt pool:

¼–½ inch deep after 2 hours
Reaches the container edges by hour 2–3

2. Choose High-Performing Fragrance Oils

Some fragrance oils are naturally stronger in heat. HIQILI’s premium FO collection is designed specifically for candle performance.

3. Stir Fragrance Oil Thoroughly

Add FO at the correct temp (usually 165–185°F / 74–85°C) and stir for 2 minutes minimum to ensure proper binding.

4. Test Burn Every Candle

Burn for 2–3 hours and track:

Flame height
Melt pool diameter
Hot throw strength
Soot or mushrooming

Burning candle with an even melt pool showing good hot throw performance

Common Mistakes That Reduce Scent Throw

Using too little or too much fragrance oil
Pouring wax at incorrect temperatures
No curing time
Wrong wick size
Low-quality fragrance oils
Not mixing long enough

Fixing these often results in immediate scent improvement.

Best Fragrance Oils for Strong Scent Throw

Some fragrance oils simply throw better in wax—especially scents with strong base notes.

Fragrance oil bottles with amber, leather, and tobacco vanilla representing strong candle scent throw oils

Great FO choices for strong cold & hot throw:

Vanilla
Sandalwood
Amber
Leather
Tobacco Vanilla
Citrus blends (Lemon, Orange, Bergamot)
Fresh Linen / Clean Cotton types

Explore high-performance options here: Fragrance Oils 101: How to Use Them for Candles, Soap & Home Scents

FAQs

Why does my candle smell strong cold but weak hot?

Often due to wick size, poor mixing, or fragrance oil overheating. Fixing the melt pool is key to releasing scent during burning.

How much fragrance oil should I use?

Most waxes perform best at 6–10% fragrance load. Check your wax manufacturer’s recommendation.

Which wax gives the strongest scent throw?

Paraffin and coconut-soy blends generally provide the strongest all-around throw.

How can I improve hot throw quickly?

Try a larger wick, ensure correct FO temperature, and pick strong FO types like vanilla or sandalwood.

How long should I cure my candles for better cold and hot throw?

Cure time allows the fragrance oil and wax to fully bind, which improves both cold throw and hot throw. Soy candles generally benefit from 7–14 days of curing, coconut blends often need about 3–7 days, and many paraffin candles can perform well after 1–3 days. Store cured candles in a cool, dry place with lids on to protect the scent.

Conclusion

Both cold throw and hot throw play a major role in how customers—and you—experience a candle. By fine-tuning wax choice, wick size, fragrance load, and curing time, you can dramatically improve both throws and create candles that smell amazing from first sniff to final burn.

Want to learn more about fragrance oils for home projects? See our guide: Fragrance Oils 101: How to Use Them for Candles, Soap & Home Scents

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