Natural Wholesale · Base care guide
Adding scent to your bases
A practical guide to choosing, measuring and blending fragrance or essential oils into a suitable unscented base.
Check the directions for your specific base first. A finished base can be used as supplied; adding scent is optional.
Before you blend
Choose a scent that suits the product.
Start with an Unscented base and a fragrance or essential oil intended for the product you are making. A body lotion, face cream and rinse-off wash may have different restrictions.
For fragrance blends, check the supplier’s current IFRA Certificate of Conformity for the intended use. For essential oils, review the supplier’s usage guidance and relevant restrictions, including sun-exposure precautions where applicable.
A fragrance limit describes how much may be used for that application. It does not confirm that a particular base can hold that amount or that the finished formula has been assessed for safety.
Measure accurately
Work in grams, not drops.
Calculate scent as a percentage of the total finished batch weight, including the scent. Use a scale precise enough to measure your smallest ingredient amount reliably.
The calculation
Scent weight
Finished batch weight × percentage ÷ 100
Base weight
Finished batch weight − scent weight
Weigh the base even when it is sold by the gallon. Fluid volume is not the same as weight.
A 100 g finished batch at 0.5%
| Ingredient | Weight |
|---|---|
| Unscented base | 99.5 g |
| Fragrance or essential oil | 0.5 g |
| Finished batch | 100 g |
Choose the appropriate rate for your specific scent and base before using this calculation.
Make a small test batch
Prepare. Measure. Blend. Evaluate.
Follow the base’s specific processing instructions. These steps are a starting point for bases suitable for direct scent addition.
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Prepare your workspace
Use clean, sanitized, dry tools and containers. Gather your base, scent, precision scale, mixing vessel, spatula and a suitable sample container. Follow the scent supplier’s handling instructions.
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Weigh & record
Weigh the base and scent separately. Record their names, lot numbers, weights, scent percentage and mixing date so you can reproduce the batch.
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Blend evenly
Add the measured scent gradually and mix thoroughly, scraping the sides and bottom of the vessel. Avoid whipping in excess air. Do not heat the base unless its directions call for it.
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Evaluate before scaling
Check scent, color, thickness, texture and separation after mixing and over time. Test in your intended packaging. A smooth-looking mixture alone does not establish stability or safety.
A few useful answers
Common questions
Can I add scent to any base?
Check the individual product’s guidance. Lotions, creams, washes, gels and oil-based products behave differently. An oil may blend into one formula but separate or change the texture of another. Watery bases may need additional formulation work to disperse oils; do not assume direct mixing is suitable.
Can I use the same amount of every scent?
No. Usage limits and compatibility vary. Natural origin does not make an essential oil suitable at every concentration. Changing the scent or combining oils calls for a fresh review of the blend and a new test batch.
What if I have already weighed the base?
To calculate a percentage of the finished mixture, use: scent weight = base weight × percentage ÷ (100 − percentage). For example, 100 g of base at a final concentration of 0.5% needs approximately 0.503 g of scent. This is a math example, not a usage recommendation.
Can I add actives, extracts or water too?
Those additions need separate formulation guidance. They can affect pH, preservation and stability. Do not dilute a finished base or add extra ingredients simply because they appear to mix in.
What if the color or texture changes?
Some changes appear immediately; others develop over time. Keep a sample of the original base for comparison. If the test batch separates or changes unexpectedly, pause before making more. Adding extra scent, water or thickener is not a reliable fix.
Have a base in mind?
Send us the product name and the scent you plan to use. We can help you find the available guidance for that base.