How to calculate usage percentage rates in your project.
A lot of times we’re asked how to use the correct percentage rates for each fragrance. We know that math is not everyone's cup of tea, but this rate is very, very important. Using more than the suggested rate is not recommended and can be harmful and certainly nobody wants that!
Every single fragrance oil sold by us and other reputable suppliers will have a maximum usage rate as defined by IFRA (International Fragrance Association) and/or the Manufacturer. Both the manufacturer and IFRA work very hard to determine what amount is safe to use and it’s important to use the info correctly. We include this information on every bottle's label so you’ll always have it available.
We sell Fragrance Oil by weight - not volume. 1 oz of fragrance from us WEIGHS 1 oz, but the volume may actually be more or less than 1 oz. (The density of the oil may be thicker which means it weighs more, but is less in volume). So when measuring the correct amount to use you will want to have a scale handy as we do not recommend volume measurements ( 1 oz in volume may be more than is safe to use!)
Here is how to apply the usage percentage to your project.
Let's say you are making a 1 pound soap product and you want to use our Coffee Shoppe fragrance. The MAXIMUM recommended usage rate for Coffee Shoppe in the soap category is 6%. That means you can use UP TO that amount. Many times you will want to use less as the scents are quite strong. But, for the sake of this example, let’s say to want to use all 6%. The math formula works like this.
Multiply the number of ounces of product you want to make by the percentage rate. The answer will be the final weight of the fragrance.
Sounds easy, right? The part that gets most people is the percentage rate...you have to CONVERT the percentage number to a decimal number in order multiply it. How do you do that? Easy enough -- move the decimal point 2 places to the left and remove the percent sign!
1 lb of soap is 16 oz.
6% converted to a decimal is 0.06
Multiply 16 oz soap x 0.06 usage rate = 0.96 oz by weight of fragrance oil
To summarize: The formula for 1 lb of soap with a 6% usage rate is: 16 x 0.06 = 0.96
Remember that everything is measured with a scale - both your product and the fragrance.
Easy once you get the idea! If you need more help feel free to ask anytime! J
~Alissa