When selecting colours and scents for candles, it’s tempting to treat them as independent choices — pick a fragrance you love, add dye for aesthetics, and pour. But colour and fragrance actually interact in subtle ways that affect how a candle burns, how strong the scent is, and how it looks when lit. Understanding those interactions can help you make candles that don’t just smell nice, but perform well too.
Dye Types: Blocks vs Liquids vs Granules
Candle makers generally use three main types of dye for candles:
- Block dye: solid, usually grated or shaved into wax. Produces rich, intense colour. Good for small batches where you want precise control over hue.
- Liquid dye: easier to mix in, gives smoother blending. Better for consistency over larger batches.
- Granulated / powdered dye: somewhere between block and block; useful when you want fine control, maybe for lighter shades or gradients.
Each dye type also has different melting and mixing behaviours, which can influence fragrance release and burn appearance.
Fragrance Load and Colour Strength
The strength (or vividness) of a colour in wax can affect how fragrance is perceived. Dark or heavily coloured wax can sometimes suppress or muddle lighter fragrance notes. For example:
- Light floral or citrus scents may be harder to detect if the wax is deeply pigmented dark blue or red.
- Heavily scented wax (high fragrance load) can also slightly affect colour — the oil, especially when it has its own tint, may alter the final shade.
So when you pick a strong colour dye AND a bold fragrance, these two interact. Sometimes you’ll need to adjust either the fragrance load or the dye amount to balance both colour and scent.
Wax Type Matters for Colour & Scent
Different waxes — soy, paraffin, beeswax, blends — have different melting points, densities, and opacities. These differences influence how well the dye and fragrance are carried.
- Soy wax tends to be more opaque and has a lower melting point. Dyes may appear softer, and “cold throw” (how strong it smells before lighting) may be less intense.
- Paraffin wax is usually clearer (depending on additives), so colour tends to “pop” more. Fragrance throw (especially hot throw, when burning) is often strong here.
- Natural waxes (like beeswax or eco-blends) often have their own natural tint, which shifts how added dyes look. A yellow beeswax base will warm up colours (e.g. turning “white” candles more cream).
Matching Dye & Fragrance to Container & Wick
The container size, shape, and even glass colour impact how a candle looks with certain dyes — and how it burns with certain wick & fragrance combinations:
- A large diameter jar with a narrow wick might show colour well, but won’t burn evenly unless the wick is sized properly.
- Transparent or lightly tinted glass jars will show off colours vividly; darker or colored glass somewhat mutes dye shades.
- Scent oils, especially dark ones, can leave residues on lighter coloured wax or glass, sometimes discolouring them or creating “smoky” appearance if wick is too large.
Testing & Adjusting: Key Steps
Here are practical steps candle makers often take to achieve optimal balance of colour and fragrance:
- Small test pours: Make small sample candles with varying dye levels and fragrance loads to see how they look, smell, and burn.
- Observe cold throw vs hot throw: How a candle smells when it’s unlit vs. burning. Some fragrances shine only when warmed (hot throw).
- Check burn pool: Even melt from edge to center of container ensures colour and scent work uniformly. If edges stay un-melted, you might need a larger wick or different wax blend.
- Watch for staining or mottling: Some dyes (especially block dyes) can settle unevenly or create streaks. Adjust melt temperature or stir more thoroughly.
If you’re looking to experiment with high-quality dyes, various wax types, containers and wicks — and want resources that guide you through the process step by step — Candlewic has an extensive collection of supplies and detailed learning material covering colour and fragrance in candle making.