Few numbers cause more confusion in candle-making groups than flash point. Some makers believe you must never add fragrance oil to wax hotter than its flash point, or the fragrance will "burn off" or the candle will be dangerous. The truth is more useful, and it matters most in places many makers never think about: storage and shipping.
What Flash Point Actually Measures
Flash point is the lowest temperature at which a liquid gives off enough vapor to briefly ignite when an ignition source, like a small flame, is brought near it in a controlled test. It is usually measured in a closed cup under laboratory conditions. It is not the temperature at which the oil catches fire on its own, and it is not the temperature at which it boils away.
You will find the flash point in Section 9 of the SDS and on the spec sheet for each fragrance.
The Pouring Myth
Many fragrance oils have flash points below the 180 to 185°F where makers commonly add fragrance to wax. That does not mean the fragrance is burning off or that the process is unsafe. Flash point describes ignition of vapor in a closed test with a flame present; your pouring pitcher is not a closed cup with a flame over it.
What does happen at higher temperatures is some evaporation of the lightest top notes. That is why the usual advice is to add fragrance around 180 to 185°F (or whatever your wax manufacturer recommends), stir thoroughly for two minutes, and not hold the wax at high temperature longer than needed. Follow your wax supplier's temperatures first; they are designed for the best fragrance binding.
Where Flash Point Really Matters
1. Heating and workspace safety. Never heat fragrance oil on its own, never melt wax over an open flame or directly on a burner, and keep open flames away from where you blend and pour. Use a double boiler or a melter with temperature control.
2. Storage. Lower flash point materials are more flammable. Store bulk fragrance and essential oils away from heat sources, sparks, and direct sun. Citrus essential oils, for example, have relatively low flash points because they are rich in limonene. Our storage guide covers the details.
3. Shipping. Flash point is one of the properties used to decide whether a liquid is regulated as a flammable or combustible material for transport. In the United States, liquids with a flash point at or below 140°F (60°C) are generally classed as flammable liquids for shipping. Rules depend on the material, the quantity, the packaging, and the carrier, so check Section 14 of the SDS and your carrier's requirements before you ship raw fragrance or essential oils yourself. Finished candles are shipped differently from bottled oils.
Flash Point and Your Candle's Performance
Flash point does not tell you how well a fragrance will throw. Scent throw depends on the fragrance itself, the fragrance load, your wax, the wick, and cure time. A fragrance with a lower flash point is not a weaker candle fragrance. Choose fragrances by testing them in your wax, not by flash point alone.
Quick Reference
- Find it: SDS Section 9 or the spec sheet.
- Pouring: follow your wax manufacturer's temperatures; stir fragrance in thoroughly.
- Heating: double boiler or controlled melter only, no open flames nearby.
- Storage: cool, dark, away from heat and sparks.
- Shipping raw oils: check SDS Section 14 and your carrier's rules.
From the eScential Team
Here are the flash points from the spec sheets for all 24 of our fragrance oils. Twelve of them have a flash point of 176°F, below the 180 to 185°F where most makers add fragrance, and all twelve are rated for candles:
- Amber Musk: 176°F
- Apple Harvest: 176°F
- Candied Lemon & Mint: 176°F
- Fig & Oakmoss: 176°F
- Herbal Citrus Mint: 176°F
- Juicy Fresh: 176°F
- Myrrh & Saffron: 176°F
- Powdery Bouquet: 176°F
- Roasted Coffee & Tobacco: 176°F
- Soothing Lavender: 176°F
- Spiced Tonka & Chai: 176°F
- Sword & Shield: 176°F
- High Tide: 185°F
- Original Fabulous: 185°F
- Kaia: 189°F
- Lemon Fabulous: 192°F
- Caramel Drizzle: 212°F
- Elegant Swan-Soft: 212°F
- Fresh & Clean: 212°F
- Fresh Baked Scone: 212°F
- Iced Sugar Cookie: 212°F
- Melon Candy: 212°F
- Rosalina: 212°F
- Spiced Cinnamon Vanilla: 212°F
Our natural flavors are very different. Many are alcohol based, with spec-sheet flash points as low as 55°F, so they belong far from heat and flame, and they are never for candles.
Real Question: Lemongrass
A customer asked us through Ask Angus: "Flash point for lemongrass essential oil"
Our answer: the documents for our essential oils, including Lemongrass Oil Guatemala Type, are not posted on the product pages yet. Email info@escentialgroup.com and we will send the SDS, where the flash point is listed in Section 9.
A Note on Safety
Fragrance and essential oils are flammable or combustible. Never heat them directly, never leave melting wax unattended, and keep a lid and a fire extinguisher rated for grease fires nearby (never use water on a wax fire). Follow the handling and storage guidance on each product's SDS, and use fragrances within their IFRA (International Fragrance Association) limits. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Pour Smarter
Flash point is a safety and shipping number, not a pouring rule. Respect it where it matters, follow your wax supplier's temperatures, and choose fragrances by how they perform. Browse our candle fragrances, each with an SDS and spec sheet on the product page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add fragrance oil to wax above its flash point?
Yes. Adding fragrance at your wax manufacturer's recommended temperature, often around 180 to 185°F, is standard practice. Flash point describes vapor ignition in a closed lab test, not what happens in your pouring pitcher.
Does a low flash point mean a weaker candle scent?
No. Scent throw depends on the fragrance, load, wax, wick, and cure time, not on flash point.
Where do I find the flash point of a fragrance oil?
In Section 9 of the SDS and on the product's spec sheet.
Why does flash point matter for shipping?
It is one of the properties used to classify liquids for transport. In the US, liquids with a flash point at or below 140°F (60°C) are generally classed as flammable for shipping. Check the SDS and your carrier's rules.
What should I do if wax catches fire?
Turn off the heat and smother it with a lid or a fire extinguisher rated for grease fires. Never use water on a wax fire.