Weight vs. Volume: Why Isn’t My Fragrance Bottle Full?

There’s nothing quite like opening a box of new fragrances. But before the
making begins, you might notice that one bottle looks a little less full
than another.

“Did some leak? Did I get the right amount?”

It’s a fair question! A little space at the top can be perfectly normal.
Here’s why.

We Measure Your Oil on a Scale

At Indigo Fragrance, our oils are sold by weight.
If you order 8 ounces, that means 8 ounces of fragrance oil measured on a
scale. (The bottle and cap aren’t included in that weight).

Volume is different. It tells you how much space the oil takes up inside
the bottle.

Think of it this way:

weight is what the scale measures; volume is the space the oil fills.

Same Weight, Different Fill Levels

Every fragrance has its own blend of ingredients, and some blends weigh
more than others. The name for that difference is density.

Imagine filling two identical bottles with different fragrances. You weigh
out exactly 8 ounces of each oil. One may reach higher up the bottle, while
the other leaves a little more room at the top.

Different fill lines. Same 8 ounces of oil.

You may also notice that some oils pour more slowly than others. That’s
their thickness, or viscosity. It’s another way fragrances can differ,
but thickness alone doesn’t tell you how full the bottle should look.

A Quick Note About “Ounces”

This part is easy to mix up:
ounces and fluid ounces aren’t the same thing.

Ounces measure weight on a scale. Fluid ounces measure volume, like the
markings on a measuring cup.

So an 8-ounce bottle of fragrance oil sold by weight doesn’t necessarily
contain 8 fluid ounces. That little word “fluid” makes a difference!

Questions? We’re Here for You

A bottle doesn’t have to be filled to the brim to contain the amount you
ordered. The fill line alone can’t tell you whether any oil is missing.

Of course, if your bottle feels oily, the packaging is wet, or something
just doesn’t seem right, please reach out.
We’re happy to help you check it out.

Whether this is your first bottle or your hundredth, we want you to feel
good about what’s in your maker stash. Questions are always welcome
around here!

Happy making,
Your Indigo Fragrance Family