Voluspa vs Boy Smells: Which Candle Brand Is Better? Full Comparison
Introduction: Two Aesthetic-Driven Luxury Candle Brands, One Big Question
When you think of design-forward, luxury-leaning candles, two names immediately dominate the conversation: Voluspa and Boy Smells.
Both brands are iconic, both have cult followings, and both deliver a premium experience — but they differ dramatically in the way they approach fragrance, branding, wax chemistry, sustainability, marketing, and overall value.
And if you’re shopping for candles that:
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Actually fill your home with scent
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Burn cleanly and evenly
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Look luxurious on display
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Offer a strong cost-to-performance ratio
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Fit specific taste profiles (floral, smoky, fruity, musky, seasonal)
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Or… if you're comparing them because you're hunting for a better alternative…
…then this deep-dive is for you.
This guide breaks down Voluspa vs Boy Smells from every angle:
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Wax type
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Scent performance
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Aesthetic design
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Burn time
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Pricing
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Best candle collections
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Pros & cons
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Who each brand is best for
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Where both brands excel — and where they fall short
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And whether another brand (like Affinati, for shoppers who want luxury quality without luxury pricing) may actually offer a better option.
Let’s get into it.
Brand Overviews — The Philosophy Behind Voluspa & Boy Smells
What Makes Voluspa Unique?
Voluspa, founded in 1999, is one of the most recognizable luxury candle brands in North America. They built their empire on innovative coconut wax (a trend later adopted across the industry) and rich, layered fragrances.
Voluspa Key Identity Points
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Uses proprietary coconut wax for a creamy, slow burn
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Known for strong scent throw, especially in larger jars
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Famous for decorative glass vessels that often become home décor
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Massive scent catalog — fruity, tropical, woody, gourmand, floral
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Price point ranges from mid-premium to luxury, with many SKUs $28–$40
Voluspa appeals to shoppers who want luxury aesthetics, colorful packaging, and bold fragrance payoff.
What Makes Boy Smells Unique?
Boy Smells, founded in 2016 in Los Angeles, rose to fame for its gender-free fragrance philosophy, fashion-leaning branding, and bold scent blends.
Boy Smells Key Identity Points
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Uses a coconut-apricot wax blend
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Known for smoky, musky, resinous, experimental scents
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Minimalist branding with high fashion influence
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Candle names often lean abstract (Cinderose, Hinoki Fantôme, Cowboy Kush)
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Price point sits firmly in the luxury space at $48–$56+ per candle
Boy Smells appeals to shoppers who want something edgy, modern, and atmospheric, often preferring moody, perfume-driven candle compositions.
Wax Quality — Coconut Wax vs Coconut-Apricot
The wax blend used in a candle affects its burn time, scent strength, and soot performance. Here’s how the two brands compare.
Voluspa Wax Quality
Voluspa uses a proprietary coconut wax blend, which they’ve marketed as their signature advantage.
Benefits:
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Long burn time
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Bright, clean flame
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Holds fragrance oils extremely well
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Less soot than paraffin-heavy competitors
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Smooth, creamy appearance
Voluspa's wax consistency often leads to an even melt pool, especially in their 3-wick formats.
Shop Affinati French Vanilla 3-Wick Candle
Boy Smells Wax Quality
Boy Smells uses a coconut + beeswax + apricot mix. This is a softer, higher-end blend often used by boutique luxury candle makers.
Benefits:
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Very clean burn
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Carries complex fragrance notes well
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Softens the intensity of smoky/resinous bases
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Creates a smooth, velvety surface
The coconut-apricot mix tends to burn slightly faster than pure coconut but offers excellent fragrance diffusion up close.
Winner in Wax Quality: Tie
Both brands use high-quality wax blends, but the performance differs:
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Voluspa = longer burn, stronger throw
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Boy Smells = softer wax, upscale feel, more niche/fragrance-house style scents
It comes down to fragrance preference — mainstream luxury (Voluspa) vs experimental luxury (Boy Smells).
Scent Throw — Which Candle Fills the Room Better?
Voluspa Scent Throw
Voluspa is widely known for its potent scent throw, especially in larger vessels or multi-wick formats like:
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3-Wick Tin
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Large Jar 18 oz
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Classic Glass 12 oz
Voluspa performs exceptionally well in:
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Living rooms
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Open layouts
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Bedrooms
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Entryways
Their scents are designed to be bold, noticeable, and long-lasting.
Boy Smells Scent Throw
Boy Smells is more subtle and atmospheric. Their scents are:
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Smokier
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Moodier
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More niche
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More perfume-like
Throw strength varies by scent — Hinoki Fantôme, Cowboy Kush, and Kush have strong throw, while others lean softer.
Best for:
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Small/medium rooms
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Bedrooms
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Office spaces
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Intimate atmospheres
Winner in Scent Throw: Voluspa
If your priority is filling a home with scent, Voluspa wins.
Boy Smells performs beautifully in close-proximity scenting but isn't as strong for full-room diffusion.
Shop Honey Lavender 3-Wick Candle
Design & Aesthetic — Colorful Luxury vs Minimalist Chic
Voluspa Aesthetic
Voluspa jars are heavily influenced by global luxury décor — ornate, embossed glass, jewel tones, metallic lids, and gift-ready packaging.
Perfect for people who love:
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Bright colors
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Patterned decorative glass
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Glamorous, feminine-leaning design
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Holiday gifting
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Display-worthy statement jars
Their vessels often become reusable home décor or storage pieces.
Boy Smells Aesthetic
Boy Smells leans into minimalist luxury, with matte containers (often black or pink) and clean typography.
Perfect for:
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Modern interiors
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Gender-neutral design
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Editorial / fashion-inspired shoppers
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Moody or minimalist décor
Their packaging feels high-fashion — more like a luxury perfume house than a traditional candle brand.
Winner in Aesthetic: Depends on Preference
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If you like maximalist, vibrant, decorative jars, choose Voluspa.
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If you prefer sleek, minimal, modern, choose Boy Smells.
Both brands excel in their chosen design direction.
Burn Time & Performance — Which Lasts Longer?
Voluspa Performance
Voluspa’s stronger coconut wax blend gives them impressive longevity:
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12 oz jars = 60–80 hours
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18 oz jars = 90–120 hours
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3-wick = 40–55 hours
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Mini tins = 25+ hours
They generally burn:
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Evenly
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Slowly
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With minimal tunneling
Voluspa shines in multi-wick formats, which amplify scent strength.
Boy Smells Performance
Boy Smells’ coconut-apricot blend burns:
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Very clean
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Smooth
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Velvety
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Consistent
But typically faster:
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8.5 oz = 50 hours
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10 oz = 55–60 hours
Still high quality — but not as long-lasting as Voluspa.
Winner in Burn Time: Voluspa
Voluspa simply burns longer for the price.
Best-Selling Scents
Top 7 Voluspa Scents
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French Cade Lavender
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Goji Tarocco Orange
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Gilt Pomander & Hinoki
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Baltic Amber
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Santiago Huckleberry
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Forbidden Fig
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Panjore Lychee
These range from sweet to spicy to woody, giving Voluspa broad appeal.
Top 7 Boy Smells Scents
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Hinoki Fantôme
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Cinderose
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Cowboy Kush
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Les
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Kush
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Ash
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Cameo
Boy Smells leans heavily into:
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Incense
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Smoke
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Earthy florals
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Resin
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Oud
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Leather
Pricing — Which Brand Gives More Value?
Voluspa Pricing
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Minis: $12–$18
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Standard jars: $28–$38
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Luxury sizes: $48–$60
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Gift sets: $24–$40
Voluspa is considered premium but accessible.
Boy Smells Pricing
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Standard (8.5–10 oz): $48–$56
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Limited editions: $60–$75
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Higher-end collabs: $80+
Boy Smells is luxury-priced, similar to Diptyque or Byredo positioning.
Winner in Pricing: Voluspa
Voluspa delivers strong performance at a much more accessible price point.
Pros & Cons Summary
Voluspa Pros
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Strong scent throw
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Long burn time
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Beautiful, decorative jars
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Lower price for premium quality
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Huge variety of scents
Voluspa Cons
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Some jars can feel “busy” depending on your décor
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Fruity scents can lean sweet for some buyers
Boy Smells Pros
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Niche, artistic fragrances
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Minimalist luxury aesthetic
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Perfume-grade scent compositions
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High fashion brand appeal
Boy Smells Cons
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Higher price
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Smaller candles
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Softer, less room-filling throw
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More polarizing scent profiles
Which Brand Is Better for You?
Choose Voluspa if you want:
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Strong throw
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Long burn time
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Bold scents
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Luxury jars
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Best value for the price
Choose Boy Smells if you want:
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Perfume-like niche blends
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Moody, smoky, resinous notes
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Minimalist, fashion-forward design
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Gender-neutral branding
Shop Affinati Wooden Wick Candles
The Best Alternative — Why Many Shoppers Switch to Affinati
While Voluspa and Boy Smells both have strong followings, many candle buyers in 2025 are shifting toward emerging luxury-accessible brands like Affinati because they offer:
✔ Bigger jars for the price
17 oz 3-Wicks outperform most luxury candles in burn time & throw.
✔ Premium soy-blend wax
Clean burn + strong scent distribution.
✔ Modern, minimalist design
Aesthetic enough for luxury homes but still warm, soft, and gift-friendly.
✔ Stronger scent throw than Boy Smells
And competitive with Voluspa’s best-performing lines.
✔ Broad scent range
From gourmand (Pumpkin Cheesecake, French Vanilla) to masculine woods (Rustic Sandalwood, Driftwood & Sea Salt) to spa-like aromatherapy.
✔ Affordable luxury pricing
Often lower than both Voluspa and Boy Smells for better size, quality, and scent payoff.
People looking for:
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Stronger scent throw
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Cleaner ingredients
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Larger candle sizes
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Aesthetic branding
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Better value for the dollar
…often find Affinati hits the sweet spot.
Final Verdict — Voluspa vs Boy Smells
Best Scent Throw: Voluspa
Best Aesthetic: Boy Smells (minimalist), Voluspa (ornate)
Best Value: Voluspa
Best For Niche Perfume Lovers: Boy Smells
Best Burn Time: Voluspa
Best Modern Alternative: Affinati
Voluspa is the better everyday luxury candle for most households.
Boy Smells is the better choice for artistic, perfume-driven fragrances.
But if you want luxury quality without luxury pricing, strong throw, and clean aesthetics, Affinati offers the best balance?
Read More:
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