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Fragrance Note Blender: Top, Middle & Base Scent Calculator
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Fragrance Note Blender: Custom Scent Calculator

The Fragrance Note Blender takes the math and guesswork out of creating custom candle scents! Don't worry if you are a beginner—just select one of our easy Quick Presets below, or play with the sliders to design your own custom Top, Middle, and Base note recipe. We do all the balancing for you.

Fragrance Note Blender

Balance your custom scents perfectly.
Auto-Balancing Active!
Your inputs equal 0 parts. We have automatically converted them into perfect percentages for your bottle below!
Examples: Lemon, Bergamot, Peppermint, Grapefruit
Examples: Lavender, Rose, Jasmine, Cinnamon, Apple
Examples: Vanilla, Sandalwood, Amber, Musk, Cedar
Top Note
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Mid Note
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Base Note
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Visual Scent Profile
"A perfectly balanced, classic perfume structure. Excellent room fill with a smooth dry-down."

How to Blend Candle Fragrance Oils

Creating your own custom candle scent recipes is the ultimate way to stand out as a candle maker. However, simply mixing equal parts of three different oils rarely yields a balanced result. To create a well-rounded, room-filling scent, professional perfumers and candle makers use a fragrance oil mixing ratio known as the Perfume Pyramid.

Understanding the Perfume Pyramid

Fragrance notes evaporate at different speeds based on their molecular weight. By balancing these three layers using the note blender calculator above, you ensure your candle smells amazing both when unlit (cold throw) and while burning (hot throw).

Top Notes (15% - 25%)

The first impression of your candle. They consist of small, light molecules that evaporate quickly.

Common Notes:
  • Citrus (Lemon, Bergamot)
  • Herbs (Peppermint, Basil)
  • Light Fruits (Grapefruit, Berry)

Middle Notes (40% - 50%)

The "heart" of the candle making blend. These make up the main body of the scent.

Common Notes:
  • Florals (Rose, Lavender, Jasmine)
  • Spices (Cinnamon, Clove)
  • Heavy Fruits (Apple, Pear)

Base Notes (20% - 30%)

The heavy, lingering foundation that anchors the lighter scents and stops them from fading.

Common Notes:
  • Woods (Sandalwood, Cedar)
  • Resins & Musks (Amber, Patchouli)
  • Gourmand (Vanilla, Tonka Bean)

Pro Tips for Blending Scents

  • Weigh Everything: Always use a digital scale. Do not use drops or milliliters to mix recipes, as different oils have different densities. (Not sure how much total oil your candle needs? Use our Fragrance Load Calculator first!)
  • Use Blotter Strips: Before wasting wax, dip Q-tips or perfume testing strips into your oils and place them in an empty glass jar. Smell the jar after 1 hour to see how the dry-down notes interact.
  • Let it Cure: Custom blends require time to bind with each other and the wax. A blend that smells harsh on Day 1 might smell incredibly smooth and balanced after a 14-day cure.

Frequently Asked Questions

The industry standard for a well-rounded custom candle fragrance is the 20/50/30 rule. This means 20% Top Notes, 50% Middle Notes, and 30% Base notes. However, you can adjust this depending on the profile you want (e.g., using more top notes for a bright citrus summer candle recipe).
Yes! You can absolutely mix fragrance oils from different companies. Just ensure that all the oils you are using are specifically formulated and rated as safe for candle making and skin contact if you are making massage candles.
If you only mix top and middle notes (like Lemon and Rose), your candle will smell great in the jar, but the scent will "burn off" very quickly when lit. Base notes are heavy molecules that anchor the lighter notes and provide a lasting, powerful hot scent throw.
Use the "blotter strip" method. Dip paper perfume testing strips (or Q-tips) into your oils according to your calculated ratio. Place the strips inside an empty glass jar, put the lid on, and wait 1 hour. Open the jar to smell exactly how the notes have interacted before pouring any wax.
This process is called "maceration." While you can use your custom fragrance blend immediately, letting the raw oils sit together in a sealed amber glass bottle for 24 to 48 hours allows the chemical compounds to bind, resulting in a much smoother and stronger final scent.