Quick answer: for soy and paraffin, heat to 185°F before adding fragrance, then cool to pour temp. Beeswax caps at 160–165°F for fragrance (higher causes discoloration), then pour at 145–160°F. Pour temps by wax: soy 125–135°F, container paraffin 150–165°F, beeswax 145–160°F, coconut 110–130°F.
Three temperatures every candle maker needs to know
Melting point is when solid wax becomes liquid. It tells you when you can start working with it — that’s all.
Fragrance addition temperature is hotter than the melting point. For soy and paraffin that’s 185°F. At lower temperatures, fragrance oil doesn’t bind properly and ends up pooling at the bottom or sweating out of the finished candle.
Pour temperature is cooler still — the specific range where you fill your containers. Pour too hot and the wax contracts hard as it cools, causing sinkholes and wet spots. Pour too cool and you get jump lines where the wax started setting mid-pour.
The sequence for soy and paraffin: melt → raise to 185°F → add fragrance and dye → cool to pour temp → fill containers. Beeswax follows the same steps but the fragrance addition temperature is 160–165°F, not 185°F.
Pouring temperature chart
| Wax type | Melting point | Add fragrance at | Pour temp (container) | Pour temp (pillar/mold) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soy (GB464) | 115–120°F | 185°F | 125–135°F | Not recommended |
| Soy (GB444) | 120–125°F | 185°F | 125–145°F | Not recommended |
| Coconut wax | 76–82°F | 175–185°F | 110–130°F | Not recommended |
| Coconut-soy blend | 100–110°F | 185°F | 150–170°F | Not recommended |
| Beeswax | 144–147°F | 160–165°F | 145–160°F | 150–165°F |
| Container paraffin | 115–130°F | 185°F | 150–165°F | — |
| Pillar paraffin | 130–145°F | 185°F | — | 160–180°F |
Check your wax supplier’s data sheet — temps vary by brand, especially for blended waxes.
Soy wax (GB464 and GB444)
GB464 melts at 115–120°F. CandleScience’s spec: heat to 185°F to add fragrance, pour at 135°F. Anywhere in the 125–135°F range works — lower end gives better glass adhesion, higher end gives slightly smoother tops.
GB444 has a slightly higher melt point (120–125°F), which helps in summer shipping or outdoor markets. The pour spec is the same as 464: heat to 185°F, start pouring at 135°F, workable range 125–145°F. Container only — not for pillars or votives.
Both waxes are draft-sensitive while cooling. Keep them away from vents and fans until fully set. Two weeks of cure time before burning gets the best scent throw.
What goes wrong:
- Too hot (above 160°F): crusty tops, sinkholes, aggressive shrinkage
- Too cool (below 120°F): jump lines, poor glass adhesion, fragrance settling at the bottom
Coconut wax
Pure coconut melts at 76–82°F — lowest of any common candle wax — so it overheats fast if you’re not watching it. Add fragrance at 175–185°F, pour at 110–130°F. It’s too soft on its own for container candles, which is why it’s almost always sold as a blend.
Coconut-soy blends (like GB454) pour much hotter — around 150–170°F — because the soy component raises the working range. CandleScience’s starting point for GB454 is 170°F; adjust ±5°F from there.
Craters and sinkholes are the most common complaint with coconut wax. Usually solved by pouring a few degrees cooler and letting the candles set slowly.
Beeswax
Beeswax melts at 144–147°F and has a narrow pour window. Add fragrance at 160–165°F — not 185°F like other waxes, because beeswax discolors above 185°F. Pour at 145–160°F.
Below 145°F you get horizontal layering lines from the wax cooling between passes. Above 165°F sinkholes and cracks become likely. Unlike soy, beeswax doesn’t patch well — a heat gun or second pour leaves a visible seam — so the first pour matters more.
For pillars, pour at the higher end (150–165°F) so the wax releases cleanly from the mold as it contracts.
Paraffin wax
Paraffin comes in different grades, so pour temps vary more than with other waxes. Container paraffin (melt point 115–130°F) pours at 150–165°F. Pillar paraffin (melt point 130–145°F) needs 160–180°F to release from molds.
Plan on a second pour. Paraffin contracts as it cools and leaves a divot around the wick — that’s normal. Keep a small amount of wax warm to fill it after the first pour sets.
Add fragrance at 185°F, same as soy. Paraffin is more forgiving cosmetically, but overheating still hurts fragrance bind.
What the problems look like
Sinkholes near the wick — poured too hot. Cool the wax lower before pouring and let candles set away from drafts.
Wet spots (wax pulling from the glass) — poured too hot, or containers were cold. Warm your jars slightly before pouring.
Jump lines (horizontal rings in the wax) — poured too cool, or a draft hit the surface mid-pour.
Rough or crusty tops in soy — poured too hot, or cooled too fast.
Fragrance sweating or pooling — fragrance added when the wax was too cool. Add at the correct temperature and stir for at least two minutes.
Get a probe thermometer
Infrared guns read surface temperature, which runs cooler than the actual wax. Clip-on thermometers at the pitcher’s edge have the same problem. A probe thermometer held in the center of the liquid wax is the only one that gives you an accurate number.
To calculate wax and fragrance amounts for your batch, use the Candle Wax Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What temperature should I pour soy wax candles?
Pour at 125–135°F for GB464 or GB444. Heat to 185°F to add fragrance first, then
let it cool before filling. Above 145°F risks sinkholes and crusty tops; below
120°F causes jump lines.
What temperature should I pour paraffin wax candles?
Container paraffin: 150–165°F. Pillar paraffin: 160–180°F. Add fragrance at 185°F
before cooling to pour temp. Paraffin almost always needs a second pour to fill
the divot that forms around the wick as it cools.
What temperature should I pour beeswax candles?
Pour at 145–160°F. Below 145°F you’ll get visible layering lines; above 165°F sinkholes
and cracking become more likely. Add fragrance at 160–165°F, not 185°F — beeswax
discolors if heated past that.
What temperature do you add fragrance oil to candle wax?
Soy and paraffin: 185°F. Beeswax: 160–165°F. If you add fragrance too cool it won’t
bind properly — you’ll get oil pooling at the bottom or sweating out of the finished
candle.
What happens if you pour candle wax too hot?
The wax contracts hard as it cools, pulling away from the glass (wet spots) and
sinking around the wick (sinkholes). Soy poured above 150°F often gets rough, crusty
tops too.
What happens if you pour candle wax too cool?
Jump lines — visible rings where the wax started setting before the pour was done.
In beeswax it shows up as horizontal layering. Either way you also lose glass adhesion.