Fragrance Oil

Fragrance Oil

One of the easiest ways to give DIY projects a lasting and recognisable scent is with fragrance oil. It keeps its aroma steady in candles, soap, bath bombs, perfumes and home fragrances, without fading or shifting in heat or high-pH environments. Because it blends smoothly into different bases and needs only a small amount for a noticeable scent throw, it becomes simple to shape the atmosphere you want.

Benefits of Fragrance Oils

Fragrance oils are so popular in the crafting community because they offer a wide range of advantages for different DIY projects:

• Long-lasting scent that doesn’t fade quickly
• Reliable and steady performance during curing, heating, or setting
• Extremely large scent variety; fruity, floral, woody, gourmand, spa, holiday, perfume-like, and more
• Easy to blend into most bases without affecting colour or consistency
• Great for hobby crafters and small-batch sellers alike
  

For anyone who wants a scent experience that is strong, stable, and expressive, fragrance oils are the most versatile option.

What you can expect when using fragrance oils:

• The scent stays noticeable in the final product rather than fading during heating, curing or storage.
• The texture of the formula remains unchanged, no graininess, no separation and no impact on lather in soap.
• A small amount delivers a clear scent result, making it easy to control intensity by adjusting usage rates.
• The same fragrance can be used across different projects (candles, soap, bath bombs, perfumes, wax melts and room fragrances) without reformulating.
• The aroma develops over time rather than hitting all at once, thanks to layered notes (top, heart and base).

How to Choose the Right Fragrance Oil

Choosing the right fragrance oil starts with understanding what you want to make. Each product type reacts differently to heat, pH and evaporation speed, so deciding on the purpose first makes the selection much easier. Below is a quick guide to which oil characteristics work best for each type of project:

• Candles: Oils with strong, hot and cold throw give the best scent performance.
• Melt & Pour Soap: Choose oils that blend at low temperatures without changing colour or texture.
• Cold Process Soap: Select oils that do not accelerate trace or cause discolouration in high-pH environments.
• Bath Bombs: Quick-releasing oils that disperse well in water and feel gentle on the skin work best.
• Perfumes: Oils with depth and longevity help create a scent that lasts on the skin.
• Diffusers: Slow-evaporating oils ensure an even release of fragrance throughout the day.
• Lava Stones: Oils that adhere well to porous surfaces and evaporate gradually are ideal.

A few points are important for safe and comfortable use:

• Always check the IFRA usage guidelines for the product type you are making. Each scent has its own maximum usage rate depending on the category.
• Leave-on products (e.g., perfume, body oils) and rinse-off products (e.g., soap, shower gel) have different allowed limits, so it’s normal for the recommended percentage to vary.
• Some applications, such as baby products, facial care or sensitive skin formulas, may include additional restrictions in the IFRA documentation.
• For skin-contact products, some makers prefer natural fragrance oil options for a gentler aroma profile, especially when formulating daily-use items.
• When you’re working with a new scent, testing a small batch first helps you observe trace behaviour, colour change, scent strength and evaporation rate before producing larger quantities.

How to Use Fragrance Oils

Fragrance oils behave differently depending on the formulation, so using the right technique for each project ensures the scent performs as expected.

Candles: Fragrance Oil for Candles

Candles allow fragrance oils to show their full potential.

• Suggested usage: 6%–10% depending on wax type
• Add to the wax at the ideal temperature and mix thoroughly
• Cure time boosts scent throw in soy wax

A well-scented candle releases aroma even before burning and fills the room while lit, making fragrance oils perfect for cosy home atmospheres, especially when you buy fragrance oil that’s formulated for a strong, hot, and cold throw.

Soap: Fragrance Oil for Soap

The strength and stability of fragrance oils are preserved by both melt-and-pour soap and cold process soap. For this reason, many soap manufacturers opt to buy fragrance oil, particularly premium fragrance oil for soap, to sustain a wonderful scent over time.

• Use recommendations are 1%–3% for MP and 3%–5% for cold process.
• Because the scent holds up over time, many makers enjoy using them in seasonal collections, gift sets or themed soap projects.

Bath Bombs and Perfumes

Because bath bombs release scent immediately in water, lower usage is recommended.

• Bath bombs: 1%–3%
• Perfumes and body sprays: begin with the lowest recommended percentage
  Fragrance oils are perfect for custom signature scents or luxury-style perfume blends.

Before choosing a fragrance, take a quick look at the notes:

• Top Note: The first scent you notice; it creates the initial impression and usually feels fresh, bright or uplifting.
• Middle (Heart) Note: The main personality of the fragrance; it appears once the top note fades and shapes the overall character.
• Base Note: The deepest and longest-lasting part of the scent; it develops over time and leaves a warm and memorable finish.

If you’d like to explore how these notes work together step by step, you can find the full explanation here: Understanding the Fragrance Pyramid – The Secret Behind Every Fragrance.

When to Use Fragrance Oils vs Essential Oils

Both essential oils and fragrance oils can be used to scent DIY projects, but they behave differently during crafting. Knowing how they differ makes it much easier to choose the one that fits your project and the kind of scent experience you want.

Essential Oils vs Fragrance Oils: Key Differences

• Scent structure: Essential oils have one natural botanical scent; fragrance oils are built in layers (top, heart and base notes), so the aroma develops over time rather than appearing all at once.
• Stability in crafting:  Essential oils may fade or soften in high heat or high-pH environments; fragrance oils remain steadier during curing and heating.
• Longevity: Fragrance oils usually last longer in candles and soap; essential oils tend to create a softer scent over time.
• Project style: Essential oils suit aromatherapy and wellness-focused projects; fragrance oils work well for themed, seasonal or perfume-inspired creations.
• Variety: Essential oils are limited to what nature provides; fragrance oils offer fruity, floral, gourmand, woody, spa, holiday, designer-inspired scents and more.

Which one to choose?

Essential oils are a good fit if you prefer natural botanical aromas or if the wellness feeling of the scent is the most important part of your project. Fragrance oils are a better match when you’re looking for a strong and long-lasting scent, especially if you want layered perfume-style notes or steady performance during heating and curing. For a more detailed comparison on how fragrance oils and essential oils behave in soap and candle making, including safety considerations, scent longevity, and usage tips, check out our full guide here: Fragrance Oils versus Essential Oils: What’s the Difference When Making Soap and Candles.

Designer-Inspired Fragrance Oils

Designer fragrance oils are scents inspired by well-known perfumes, and many of them are also referred to as dupe fragrance oils when they closely match the original aroma. These oils are often used in candles, body mists, wax melts, car fresheners, and personal fragrance products because they capture the character and complexity of classic perfumes without requiring advanced blending skills.

They offer a wide range of scent styles, including gourmand, floral, unisex, masculine, and feminine profiles, making it easy to build a recognisable theme across different projects. Many crafters like using the same designer-inspired fragrance in both home and body products to create a consistent scent identity that feels coordinated and personal.

Explore Sub-Categories

Fragrance oils are divided into subcategories according to performance and usage style to facilitate selection:

Bath Bomb Fragrance Oil

The fragrance oils in bath bombs are designed to open rapidly and dissolve in water instantly, giving off a scent burst without being harsh on the skin. They’re a great place to start for anyone looking to buy fragrance oil for spa-style products, and they’re perfect for playful, bubbly blends and self-care rituals.

Cold Process Fragrance Oil

Cold process fragrance oils are made to hold their scent through saponification without accelerating traces or discolouring. They are a favourite among manufacturers looking for fragrance oil wholesale options for batch production because of their dependability.

Fragrance Lamp Fragrance Oil

Fragrance lamp fragrance oil is designed for aroma lamps and warmers, creating an inviting atmosphere by slowly diffusing scent for hours. For users who prefer a flameless experience, it works as a great substitute for candles, especially when experimenting with fragrance oil diffuser aromas.

Melt and Pour Fragrance Oil

Melted and pour fragrance oils are ideal for quick and easy soap projects because they mix easily into MP bases and remain strong after hardening. Makers who love quick customisation often buy fragrance oil for MP because it keeps its strength even in low temperatures.

Candle Fragrance Oil

Strong cold and hot throw is produced by these oils, which disperse uniformly in wax and maintain their fragrance strength while burning. Because of their predictable performance, many makers prefer fragrance oil for candles when creating cosy home atmospheres ranging from vanilla and sandalwood to festive bakery notes.

Lava Stones Fragrance Oil

Lava stones fragrance oil adheres to porous stones and evaporates gradually, making them ideal for lava stone diffusers. They provide a persistent and portable fragrance. They are a great option for work desks, meditation areas, and car diffusers; users who prefer natural fragrance oil profiles particularly like them.

Perfume Fragrance Oil

Perfume oils are designed for roll-on perfumes, body sprays, and individual scent combinations. They preserve longevity and complexity while enabling users to try out signature scents, such as designer fragrance oils and dupe fragrance oils. Fragrance oil for perfumes provides a deep and enduring aroma profile for personalised body products.

FAQs about the Fragrance Oil

Q1. What is the purpose of fragrance oil?

To produce a persistent and evocative fragrance, fragrance oil is added to candles, soap, bath bombs, perfumes, and home fragrance products. It doesn’t change texture when it blends into various bases.

Q2. Are fragrance oils safe for the skin?

Yes, as long as it’s used within the suggested usage rates listed in the IFRA documentation. Patch testing should always be done before using leave-on products, like body oils or perfumes, to ensure that different skin types can tolerate them.

Q3. What is the difference between fragrance oil, essential oils and natural oils?

Essential oils come from plants and have one natural scent, fragrance oils are blended and layered for stronger and more stable aromas, and natural fragrance oils offer the same layered structure but are made only from natural aromatic isolates.

Q4. How do I choose the right fragrance oil?

Consider the kind of project you are working on and the mood you wish to create. It’s much easier to choose if you sample different scent families before buying fragrance oil. Look for strong, hot, and cold throw in candles, high pH stability in soap, and slow evaporation for diffusers.

Before You Start Crafting

Fragrance oils make it simple to give DIY projects a clear and lasting scent without changing the way a formula behaves. If you’re still finding your favourite aromas, you can buy fragrance oil in a few scent families and try them across different projects to see what feels right for you. Most makers eventually discover a small group of scents they truly enjoy, and those become the fragrances they reach for again and again.