Lavender Vanilla 3-Wick Candle - Affinati

Voluspa vs Capri Blue: Ultimate Candle Comparison Guide

Introduction: Two Titans of Modern Luxury Home Fragrance

In the world of premium scented candles, Voluspa and Capri Blue stand out as two of the most influential, recognizable, and trend-setting brands on the market. Whether you’ve walked through a department store, browsed an aesthetic boutique, or scrolled through social media influencers’ home tours, you’ve seen their iconic jars: Voluspa’s ornate embossed designs and Capri Blue’s unmistakable cobalt-blue vessels.

Both brands have loyal fan bases. Both brands are known for strong scents, statement packaging, and gift-ready appeal. And both brands dominate the conversation whenever shoppers search for phrases like:

  • “Best luxury candles”

  • “Voluspa vs Capri Blue review”

  • “Which candle has stronger scent throw?”

  • “Best candle alternative to Capri Blue Volcano”

  • “Clean burn luxury candles soy wax alternatives”

But despite their similarities, there are major differences in wax type, scent style, packaging quality, pricing, burn performance, ingredient safety, and long-term value. In this in-depth guide, you’ll learn:

  • How each brand crafts their candles

  • Which brand is best for scent strength

  • Which brand burns cleaner and longer

  • Which brand performs better for large rooms vs small rooms

  • What makes Capri Blue’s Volcano so iconic

  • Why Voluspa has become an aesthetic best-seller

  • Which brand is better for gifting

  • And why many shoppers are now migrating toward newer artisanal brands like Affinati for cleaner ingredients, more modern scents, and stronger value

Whether you're a candle expert, a fragrance lover, an interior design enthusiast, or someone building a personal collection, this guide will help you make the best choice.

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Brand Backgrounds — Voluspa vs Capri Blue

Voluspa: Aesthetic Luxury, Global Ingredients, and Signature Embossed Packaging

Founded in 1999 by Troy and Traci Arntsen, Voluspa is known for being one of the most design-forward candle companies in the world. Their vessels—embossed, metallic, textured, and intricately patterned—look like high-end décor pieces even before you light them.

What defines Voluspa?

  • Coconut wax blend

  • Rich global fragrance profiles

  • Long burn times

  • Giftable packaging

  • Mid-luxury pricing

Voluspa focuses heavily on luxury presentation. For many customers, the jar is as important as the scent itself.

Their fan-favorite collections include:

  • Goji Tarocco Orange

  • Baltic Amber

  • French Cade Lavender

  • Forbidden Fig

  • Santiago Huckleberry

Each line features ornate jars that can be repurposed for décor, storage, or vanity styling.

Capri Blue: Modern, Trendy, Social Media-Driven Fragrance

Capri Blue—best known for its legendary Volcano fragrance—rose to fame through boutiques, Anthropologie stores, college dorms, and Instagram home influencers. Their aesthetic is young, modern, and instantly recognizable.

What defines Capri Blue?

  • The iconic Volcano scent (tropical citrus, sugar, and freshness)

  • Cobalt blue jars

  • Modern design vibe

  • Soy-blend wax

  • Strong branding and social influence

Capri Blue built its empire on Volcano, which has become a cultural phenomenon that appeals to shoppers across ages and lifestyles.

Their top scents include:

  • Volcano

  • Aloha Orchid

  • Pineapple Flower

  • Coconut Santal

  • Havana Vanilla

Capri Blue candles frequently appear in curated gift boxes, dorm room hauls, and boutique styling videos.

Wax Quality — Coconut vs Soy, and Why It Matters

Wax quality determines burn time, soot, scent throw, air quality, and overall performance.

Voluspa Wax: Proprietary Coconut Wax Blend

Voluspa uses a coconut-based wax blend that is:

  • Extremely soft and creamy

  • Known for superior fragrance diffusion

  • Clean burning

  • Long lasting

  • Excellent for powerful scent throw

Coconut wax is widely regarded in the fragrance community as one of the highest-performing waxes available.

Capri Blue Wax: Soy Wax Blend

Capri Blue uses a soy-based wax blend, often mixed with other natural and synthetic waxes for stability.

Soy wax is:

  • Eco-friendly

  • Smooth burning

  • Lightweight

  • Extremely popular for mass-market and boutique brands

Soy blends are great—but they generally do not throw scent as powerfully as coconut wax blends.

Verdict: Which Wax Is Better?

Winner: Voluspa
Coconut wax almost always burns smoother, cleaner, and with stronger fragrance performance than soy blends.

Scent Profile Comparison — Which Brand Smells Better?

Capri Blue Scent Style

Capri Blue fragrances tend to be:

  • Bright

  • Sweet

  • Fruity

  • Youthful

  • Tropical

  • Vibrant

Capri Blue is ideal for shoppers who want fresh, uplifting fragrances and bold citrus or sweet profiles.

Their signature scent—Volcano—combines tropical fruits, sugared citrus, and a bright, energetic aroma that fills a room and instantly boosts mood.

Voluspa Scent Style

Voluspa’s fragrance direction is more:

  • Luxurious

  • Earthy

  • Spiced

  • Floral-forward

  • Complex

  • Global-inspired

  • Sensual and warm

Where Capri Blue feels fun and pop-culture-coded, Voluspa leans into high-end perfumery.

You’ll find notes like:

  • Agarwood

  • Amber resin

  • Fig

  • Patchouli

  • Saffron

  • Orris root

  • Jasmine petals

  • Yuzu citrus

  • Tahitian vanilla

Voluspa’s scents often feel deeper, richer, and more layered.

Which Brand Smells Better?

It depends on your taste.

  • If you love bright, sweet, sunny, tropical, Capri Blue wins.

  • If you love warm, exotic, romantic, complex, Voluspa wins.

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Scent Throw — Which Candle Fills a Room Better?

Capri Blue Scent Throw

  • Generally medium to strong, depending on the jar size

  • Volcano is especially powerful

  • Performs best in medium-sized rooms

Voluspa Scent Throw

  • Strong to very strong due to coconut wax

  • Excellent for large spaces

  • Consistent performance across the brand

Winner: Voluspa

Voluspa consistently delivers some of the strongest scent throws in mainstream luxury candles.

Burn Quality & Cleanliness

Voluspa Burn Performance

  • Very clean

  • Minimal soot

  • Long burn times

  • Strong fragrance release throughout the burn

  • High-quality wicks

Capri Blue Burn Performance

  • Smooth burn

  • Mild soot depending on wick trimming

  • Volcano burns most evenly in 3-wick format

  • Some jars can tunnel if not burned properly

Winner: Voluspa

Coconut wax simply delivers a cleaner burn with less residue.

Packaging & Aesthetics — A Battle of Visual Appeal

Capri Blue Packaging

  • Modern

  • Bold colors

  • Simple but trendy

  • Signature cobalt blue aesthetic

  • Heavy emphasis on youthful style

Great for:

  • College students

  • Young adults

  • Trendy apartments

  • Dorm rooms

  • Modern décor themes

Voluspa Packaging

  • Ornate embossed glass

  • Metallic finishes

  • Decorative lids

  • Designed to double as home décor

  • Looks premium even when unlit

Great for:

  • Luxury spaces

  • Gift giving

  • Home décor styling

  • Instagrammable shelf displays

  • Living rooms and common areas

Winner: Voluspa

Their packaging is considered some of the most elegant in the candle world.

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Price Comparison — Which Brand Is More Affordable?

Both brands fall into mid-luxury price points.

Capri Blue Pricing

  • 19 oz jars: ~$34–$40

  • 8 oz jars: ~$24–$28

  • Specialty vessels: ~$40–$48

Voluspa Pricing

  • 18 oz jars: ~$32–$38

  • 12 oz jars: ~$24–$28

  • Gift sets: ~$40–$65

Winner: Tie

Both are similarly priced, though Voluspa often feels more “premium” for the price due to packaging.

Ingredients & Clean Burning — Which Brand Is Safer?

Capri Blue

  • Soy blend

  • Fragrance oils with synthetic components

  • Not marketed as 100% natural

  • Clean but not fully natural

Voluspa

  • Coconut wax blend

  • Phthalate-free fragrances

  • High-quality oils

  • Cleaner burn overall

Winner: Voluspa

Best Candles From Each Brand — Top 10 Lists

Top 10 Best Voluspa Candles

  1. Goji Tarocco Orange

  2. Baltic Amber

  3. French Cade Lavender

  4. Forbidden Fig

  5. Mokara

  6. Santiago Huckleberry

  7. Tahitian Coconut Vanilla

  8. Panjore Lychee

  9. Yashioka Gardenia

  10. White Cypress (seasonal best-seller)

Top 10 Best Capri Blue Candles

  1. Volcano

  2. Aloha Orchid

  3. Pineapple Flower

  4. Coconut Santal

  5. Blue Jean

  6. Tinsel & Spice

  7. Pumpkin Clove

  8. Havana Vanilla

  9. Smoked Clove & Honey

  10. Glam Volcano (specialty glass)

Which Brand Is Better for Gifting?

Capri Blue

  • Casual gifting

  • College students

  • Birthdays

  • Trendy home décor lovers

Voluspa

  • High-end gifting

  • Housewarmings

  • Luxe holidays

  • Weddings

  • Corporate gifts

Winner: Voluspa

Which Candle Lasts Longer?

Capri Blue

  • Medium burn times

  • Soy blend

  • Typically burns 45–80 hours depending on size

Voluspa

  • Coconut wax

  • Often burns 70–100+ hours

  • Slower, cleaner melt

Winner: Voluspa

Overall Winner — Voluspa or Capri Blue?

If you care about:

Benefit Winner
Scent Throw Voluspa
Burn Cleanliness Voluspa
Packaging & Design Voluspa
Bright, fruity scents Capri Blue
Cultural trend appeal Capri Blue
Value for price Voluspa
Longevity Voluspa

Overall Winner: Voluspa
But Capri Blue remains unbeatable for bright fruity citrus scents like Volcano.

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Why Many Shoppers Are Now Switching to Newer Brands Like Affinati

This is where many candle lovers discover a surprising truth:

Both Capri Blue and Voluspa are great — but neither offers the new-generation clean performance or bold scent throw that shoppers now demand.

Modern candle buyers want:

  • Soy-blend performance with coconut-wax strength

  • Cleaner formulas

  • Modern, sleek packaging

  • Stronger scent performance than mass-market brands

  • Affordable luxury without $40+ price tags

This has led many consumers to explore artisanal alternatives like Affinati, a rising brand known for:

  • Big 17 oz 3-Wick Candles

  • Premium soy-blend wax

  • Extremely strong scent throw

  • Modern fragrances like Honey Lavender, French Vanilla, Coconut Dream, Driftwood & Sea Salt, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Espresso Luxe, Vanilla Noir, Amethyst Grove, etc.

  • Luxury-grade packaging without inflated pricing

Affinati sits in the sweet spot between:

  • Capri Blue’s modern vibe

  • Voluspa’s luxury aesthetic

  • And performance levels of premium boutique candles

If a shopper loves Volcano, they often gravitate to Affinati’s:

  • Citrus Grove

  • Pink Sands

  • Summer Sorbet

If they love Voluspa’s Baltic Amber or Forbidden Fig, they love:

  • Velvet Harvest

  • Rustic Sandalwood

  • Midnight Ember

Affinati positions itself as the next evolution of luxury home fragrance: strong, modern, clean, and designed for high scent impact.

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Final Verdict — Which Should You Buy?

Buy Capri Blue If You Want:

  • Tropical fruity scents

  • Fresh, sweet, bright notes

  • Trendy design

  • Volcano-style citrus

Buy Voluspa If You Want:

  • Luxurious packaging

  • Rich, warm, complex scents

  • Stronger fragrance throw

  • Long burn times

  • Aesthetic home décor styling

Try Affinati If You Want:

  • Clean, modern packaging

  • Stronger scent throw than both brands

  • A wide variety of sophisticated fragrances

  • Large 3-wick candles at accessible prices

  • A refined, luxury-modern aesthetic

  • Seasonal favorites and year-round classics

  • A brand built around premium ingredients and clean-burn performance

Conclusion: Voluspa vs Capri Blue — Two Great Brands, Two Different Styles

Both Voluspa and Capri Blue are excellent choices for candle lovers, but they serve different fragrance personalities:

  • Capri Blue = bright, sweet, vibrant, tropical, youthful

  • Voluspa = rich, elegant, luxurious, complex, decorative

But as consumer preferences shift toward cleaner ingredients, stronger scent performance, and large modern vessels, more shoppers are embracing Affinati’s 17 oz 3-Wick Candles and premium soy-blend formulations.

If you love home fragrance and want to expand your collection beyond the mainstream big names, Affinati offers an elevated experience without the inflated luxury price tag.

Read More:

1. Why You Shouldn’t Buy Goose Creek Candles | Better Alternatives Explained

2. Yankee Candle vs Bath & Body Works | Best Candle Brand

3. The Cleanest Candle Brands (Toxic vs Non-Toxic Guide)

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