What an SDS Actually Is (And What Makers Really Need It For)

If you make wax melts, diffusers, room sprays or candles, you will see SDS documents mentioned everywhere. Most makers either ignore them, assume they are the same as CLP, or panic because they look like a chemistry exam.

Let us strip it back. Here is what an SDS actually is, what you really use it for as a maker, and what it is definitely not.

What is an SDS?

SDS stands for Safety Data Sheet. It is a legal document that explains the hazards of the product as supplied, usually the neat fragrance oil in the bottle.

An SDS covers things like:

• how the oil behaves physically and chemically
• what hazards it has in its neat form
• what personal protective equipment (PPE) to use
• safe handling and storage
• first aid advice
• environmental and disposal information

It is written for professional users and emergency responders. You are not expected to understand every line, and you do not need most of it day to day as a wax melt or candle maker.

What a wax melt maker actually uses an SDS for

In reality, you do not use 90 percent of what is on an SDS. The parts that matter for makers are simple and practical.

1. Keeping proper records

For every fragrance you use, you should keep:

• the SDS
• the allergen declaration
• the IFRA certificate
• the CLP information or template for your finished product

This paperwork is your safety net. If Trading Standards ever ask questions, if a customer reports a reaction, or if you need to double check something later, you have the official documents to hand.

You do not need to memorise them. You just need to file them somewhere sensible. Digitally is usually best. 

2. Sense checking your supplier's CLP

Suppliers are human. Sometimes CLP templates are based on old SDS versions, copied from the wrong fragrance, or missing allergens that clearly appear in the paperwork.

You do not need to do a full CLP calculation to spot obvious problems. You can use the SDS as a basic sense check. For example:

• Do the key allergens mentioned on the SDS also appear somewhere in the supplier's CLP and allergen information for your product category?
• Does the overall "strength" of the classification feel similar, or does the finished CLP look far more hazardous than the neat oil without a clear reason?
• Has the supplier updated CLP after an obvious fragrance reformulation, or does the documentation clearly not match any more?

You are simply asking yourself, "does this look consistent" rather than trying to rebuild the classification from scratch. If something looks off, that is your cue to contact the supplier and ask them to double check their documents.

3. Using PPE and handling fragrance oil sensibly

This is the part that gets skimmed the most, and really should not.

Fragrance oil is a hazardous substance in its neat form. Even if it smells like birthday cake, it can still irritate skin, eyes and lungs.

The SDS gives you clear, boring but important advice like:

• wash skin thoroughly after handling neat oil
• avoid getting it in your eyes
• avoid breathing in concentrated vapour or mist
• wear suitable gloves when pouring or cleaning spills
• keep containers closed when not in use
• store away from heat and direct sunlight

You do not need a full lab set up. Simple things like nitrile gloves, basic ventilation and not wiping spills on your jeans make a real difference.

What an SDS is not

1. It is not your CLP label

Your CLP label shows the hazards of your finished mixture at the percentage you use in wax, Augeo, spray base and so on. The SDS shows the hazards of the product at the percentage written at the top of the sheet, often 100 percent neat oil.

Those two things are not the same. A 100 percent SDS does not describe a 10 percent wax melt. The hazards change as you dilute, and CLP rules for mixtures take that into account.

2. It is not a shortcut for DIY CLP

You cannot simply copy the hazard statements and pictograms from a neat SDS onto your candle or wax melt and call that correct CLP. If the SDS happens to be written for the exact percentage and product type you are using, then it may apply, but a standard 100 percent SDS does not.

The SDS is background data. Your finished CLP label should be based on proper classification of the mixture at your usage level, using the supplier's official CLP information or a correctly calculated template.

A very quick tour of the useful sections

You do not need to read all sixteen sections line by line, but it helps to know which bits are worth a glance.

Section 1: Identification

Tells you what the product is called, who supplied it, and which classifying ingredients are in there. Useful when you want to check you have the right paperwork for the right bottle.

Section 2: Hazards identification

Shows the hazard classification, signal word, pictograms and hazard statements for the product at the percentage the SDS is written for. This is where you see if the neat oil is classed as flammable, a sensitiser, hazardous to the environment and so on.

Section 3: Composition and information on ingredients

Lists the hazardous components that drive the classification, usually with percentage ranges. This is the section you or a specialist can use, together with allergen information, if a CLP ever needs recalculating.

Simple takeaway

You do not have to love SDS documents. You do not even have to read most of what is in them.

As a maker, you mainly need them to:

• keep your records tidy
• check that supplier CLP information makes sense for the oil you have
• handle neat fragrance safely, with sensible PPE

If something looks confusing or inconsistent, that is your sign to ask questions rather than guess. The SDS is a tool to support you, not a test you are supposed to fail.