How to Price Handmade Candles & Wax Melts
Fragrance and jars often cost more than wax. Labor for pouring and finishing still belongs in the unit cost.
Weigh the expensive lines
Fragrance oil at an 8% load is not a rounding error. Calculate oil ounces from wax weight, then multiply by what you actually paid per ounce, not the bulk drum price you hope to hit later.
Vessels, lids, warning labels and boxes are unit costs. A prettier jar can more than double the cost of the pour.
Pricing wax melts and tarts
Wax melts use clamshell molds, snap bars, or polycarbonate shapes instead of glass vessels and wicks. However, wax melts typically require a higher fragrance oil load (10% to 12%) for strong scent throw, making fragrance your primary raw material expense.
Wicks are a test, then a cost
Diameter charts are starting points. Wax type, fragrance and container shape change the burn. Budget wick cost and extra test vessels into overhead or waste until a formula is proven.