Luxury candles have become more than just décor—they’re now an expression of lifestyle, ambiance, and personal identity. Among the most recognizable names in the premium fragrance world are Voluspa and Nest New York, two brands that consistently dominate social media aesthetic videos, influencer hauls, and gift-giving guides.

Both companies are known for their bold scent profiles, chic packaging, strong brand recognition, and upscale positioning. However, when it comes to choosing between the two—whether for yourself or for gifting—the differences matter. Burn quality, wax type, scent structure, longevity, design aesthetic, price, and overall value all play important roles in whether you’ll love the candle long-term.

In this in-depth breakdown, we’ll compare Voluspa vs Nest New York across every category that matters to consumers—performance, ingredients, scent quality, price, throw, packaging, and product variety. And throughout this guide, we’ll reference how Affinati 3-Wick Soy-Blend Candles offer a compelling alternative for customers wanting all the luxury and performance without the $48–$84 candle pricing.

This comprehensive guide is designed to rank for popular long-tail keywords such as:

• “Is Voluspa better than Nest?”

• “Nest New York vs Voluspa review”

• “Voluspa vs Nest New York comparison”

• “Best luxury candle alternatives to Voluspa and Nest”

• “Voluspa vs Nest scent throw”

• “Are Nest candles worth it?”

Let’s dive in.

Shop Affinati

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1. Brand Overview

Voluspa

Founded in 1999, Voluspa is known for vibrant packaging, Japanese-inspired aesthetic design, and globally sourced fragrance ingredients. Their candles are decorative, collectible, and heavily giftable. Many consumers buy Voluspa because of the artwork-like metal tins, embossed glass jars, and variety of fragrance families (fruity, floral, woody, gourmand, tropical).

Voluspa’s brand personality:
Colorful, bold, artistic, maximalist, globally inspired.

Nest New York

Nest emerged in 2008 with a focus on fine fragrance craftsmanship and elegant, elevated home scenting. Known for complex, perfumery-style formulas created by some of the world’s most respected noses, Nest New York skews toward a luxury perfume aesthetic. Their candles feel more formal, elevated, and “interior-design-approved.”

Nest’s brand personality:
Luxurious, refined, perfumery-focused, timeless, sophisticated.

Both brands appeal to different lifestyles—but their differences become clearer when we dig into the details.

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2. Wax Type & Ingredients

Voluspa Wax Type

Voluspa uses its proprietary “coconut wax blend,” which includes:

• Coconut wax

• Apricot wax

• A small portion of food-grade paraffin

Pros:

• Very creamy, smooth wax

• Holds fragrance oil well

• Burns evenly

• Often produces strong throw

Cons:

• Contains paraffin

• Some blends can tunnel if wicks aren’t trimmed

• Not the cleanest burn compared to full soy-based blends

Nest New York Wax Type

Nest typically uses a paraffin wax blend—not soy.

Pros:

• Very consistent burn

• High fragrance oil load

• Strong hot throw

• Long shelf-stability

Cons:

• Paraffin is petroleum-derived

• Produces more soot

• Not preferred by clean-burn enthusiasts

Affinati Comparison

Affinati uses a premium soy-blend wax designed for:

• Cleaner burn

• Less soot

• Longer wick lifespan

• High fragrance load

• Strong scent throw even in large rooms

For customers specifically looking for cleaner ingredients, Affinati delivers a stronger value proposition than both Voluspa and Nest—and does so with large 3-Wick performance at a significantly better price.

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3. Wick Type & Burn Performance

Voluspa

• Most Voluspa candles use cotton wicks, sometimes double-wick or triple-wick depending on container size.

• Burn behavior is mostly clean, but some fragrances can mushroom.

• Voluspa tins can become very hot, so they require steady, flat surfaces.

Nest New York

• Nest uses cotton wicks as well, typically 1–3 depending on size.

• Their paraffin blend burns steadily but often faster than soy candles.

• Some users report soot if wicks are not trimmed aggressively.

Affinati

Affinati’s 3-Wick 17 oz jars use:

• Clean-burning cotton wicks

• Optimized wick widths for even melting

• Deep, even pools after 1–2 hours

• Reduced soot compared to paraffin blends

The key difference?
Affinati’s wax blend and wick ratio are tuned for large-room fill, whereas many prestige brands rely on name recognition instead of wick optimization.

Shop Affinati 3-Wick Candles

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4. Scent Throw (Cold & Hot)

Scent throw is often the #1 reason shoppers choose between Voluspa and Nest New York.

Voluspa Scent Throw

Voluspa is known for bright, unmistakable throw:

• Cold throw: Very strong

• Hot throw: Strong–medium depending on size

• Coconut apricot blend holds fragrance well

Popular scents like “French Cade Lavender,” “Goji Tarocco Orange,” and “Baltic Amber” are widely praised for filling open-concept rooms.

Nest New York Scent Throw

Nest is also considered strong throw, especially in:

• “Holiday”

• “Bamboo”

• “Moroccan Amber”

Nest candles can fill an entire floor if you let them burn long enough, though paraffin blends sometimes get hotter and therefore burn faster.

Affinati Scent Throw

Affinati focuses on big, room-filling performance—especially with:

• 3-Wick 17 oz candles

• 10 oz Signature vessels

• High-quality fragrance oils

Scents like Mahogany Teakwood, Vanilla Dream, Driftwood & Sea Salt, Midnight Ember, and Coconut Dream are formulated to throw strongly without becoming overpowering.

While both Voluspa and Nest offer strong fragrance, Affinati candles often outperform them on cost-per-burn and cost-per-throw because of the larger wax pool from 3 wicks and optimized burn depth.

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5. Scent Categories (Who Does What Better?)

Both brands excel in certain categories. But they serve different customers depending on preference.

Voluspa’s Strengths

Voluspa excels in:

• Tropical scents

• Fruity blends

• Gourmands

• Floral-fruit fusions

• Exotic spices

• Resinous woods

Their fragrances tend to be:

• Bright

• Layered

• Exotic

• Crowd-pleasing

Nest New York’s Strengths

Nest performs best in:

• Perfumery-style scents

• Clean florals

• Musks

• Ambers

• Holiday blends

• Botanical fragrances

Nest New York’s scents feel more:

• Elegantly blended

• High-end perfume-like

• Balanced and smooth

• Luxury hotel-coded

Affinati’s Strengths

Affinati offers a large, growing scent library that blends the best elements of both brands:

• Clean, spa-like scents (Eucalyptus Tea, Lavender Vanilla)

• Strong masculine woods (Rustic Sandalwood, Teakwood)

• Tropical creamy profiles (Coconut Dream, Island Coconut)

• Dessert gourmands (Pumpkin Cheesecake, French Vanilla)

• Seasonal favorites (Spiked Eggnog, Fresh Gingerbread)

• Coastal freshness (Driftwood & Sea Salt)

Affinati’s curation leans toward:
luxury hotel fragrance meets warm, home-comfort blends.

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6. Burn Time & Overall Longevity

Voluspa Burn Time

• Small tins: ~25 hours

• Classic jars: ~60–75 hours

• Large jars: ~100 hours

Voluspa candles last reasonably long because their wax blend burns slowly.

Nest Burn Time

• Standard: ~50–60 hours

• 3-wick: ~75–90 hours

• Large luxury sizes: ~100–120 hours

Nest tends to burn a bit faster because of the paraffin, but the fragrance concentration compensates for that.

Affinati Burn Time

• 17 oz 3-Wick: 70–90+ hours

• 10 oz Signature: 60–70+ hours

• Wooden Wick 21 oz: up to 100 hours

Although Affinati burns slightly faster than paraffin blends (typical for soy-based wax), the room-filling throw is significantly stronger because of the wick count and optimized melt pool.

This is important for customers who want big, even, noticeable scent performance without burning for 4+ hours at a time.

Shop Honey Lavender 3-Wick Candle

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7. Packaging & Design Aesthetic

Voluspa Packaging

Voluspa is famous for:

• Embossed glass jars

• Patterned tins

• Bright, colorful designs

• Art-inspired labels

• Collectible packaging

Voluspa candles double as home decor pieces.

Nest New York Packaging

Nest embraces:

• Clean, high-end lines

• Black boxes with ribbon

• Minimalistic glass tumblers

• Frosted and clear glass

• Elegant typography

Nest designs feel upscale and appropriate for gifting.

Affinati Packaging

Affinati aligns with:

• Luxury minimalism

• Clean white or black labels

• Modern typography

• Elegant glass vessels

• Premium feel for gifting

The brand reflects refined living—elevated, modern, luxurious, yet approachable.

Affinati’s aesthetic fits seamlessly into kitchens, bathrooms, offices, studios, home theaters, and high-end home décor environments.

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8. Price Comparison

Voluspa Prices

• Small tin: $12–$18

• Classic jar: $30–$38

• Large: $40–$78

Voluspa is considered "affordable luxury."

Nest New York Prices

• Standard 8.1 oz candle: $48

• 3-Wick: $84

• Luxury sizes: $150–$250

Nest is firmly in the luxury bracket.

Affinati Prices

• 10 oz Original / Signature candles: $14.95–$17.95

• 17 oz 3-Wick candles: $21.95–$29.95

• Seasonal luxury vessels: $22.95–$34.95

Affinati delivers:
Nest-level luxury performance at Voluspa-level pricing.

This is a major selling point for shoppers wanting strong, refined fragrances without the $48–$84 price tag.

Shop Affinati French Vanilla 3-Wick Candle

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9. Seasonal Collections

Both Voluspa and Nest have strong seasonal offerings.

Voluspa’s Seasonal Scents

• Gilt Pomander

• Spiced Pumpkin Latte

• Frosted Holly Berry

• Candy Cane Lane

Voluspa tends to lean playful and cheerful for holidays.

Nest New York’s Seasonal Scents

• Holiday

• Birchwood Pine

• Hearth

• Blue Cypress & Snow

Nest captures the essence of high-end winter fragrances beautifully.

Affinati’s Seasonal Scents

Affinati offers both cozy and luxurious options such as:

• Fresh Gingerbread

• Spiked Eggnog

• Pumpkin Cheesecake

• Vanilla Bean Noel

• Rustic Sandalwood

• Bonfire Nights

These are formulated for large, cozy scent throw—perfect for fall and winter traffic spikes.

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10. Value for Money

If we compare the three brands purely on value, this becomes one of the clearest distinctions.

Voluspa

Great for giftable vessels, bright scents, and decorative value. Strong bang for the buck.

Nest New York

Pricier, but leans heavily on perfumer-level fragrance quality and gift appeal.

Affinati

Provides high-end scent performance, strong throw, clean-burning wax, and large 3-Wick sizes at a mid-price point—making it the highest value per ounce, per burn hour, and per throw.

Affinati blends what customers love about Voluspa (variety, fun, strong throw) with what they love about Nest (luxury, refinement, performance)—but at a more accessible everyday price.

Shop Affinati Wooden Wick Candles

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11. Which Brand Is Best for You?

Choose Voluspa if you love:

• Colorful packaging

• Global scent inspiration

• Fruit-forward and exotic blends

• Collectible jars

• Affordable luxury

Choose Nest New York if you love:

• High-end perfumery scents

• Elegant, luxurious aesthetic

• Complex layered notes

• Clean florals and musks

• Designer-level home fragrance

Choose Affinati if you want:

• Strong, room-filling throw

• Large 3-Wick performance

• Clean-burning soy blends

• Affordable luxury pricing

• Seasonal and signature scents

• Modern, gift-ready packaging

• Better cost-per-burn than either brand

Affinati stands as the best balance of performance, price, luxury, and clean-burning formulation.

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12. Final Verdict: Voluspa vs Nest New York

Both brands are high-quality, iconic, and worth purchasing depending on what you value most.

• Voluspa is perfect for casual gifting, everyday home fragrance, and decorative jars.

• Nest New York excels in refined, perfumery-style scents suitable for luxury gifting and premium interior design.

But there’s a gap in the market between $30 candles and $84 candles—and that’s exactly where Affinati shines.

Affinati delivers:

• Comparable (or stronger) scent throw

• Cleaner burning soy-blend wax

• Beautiful packaging

• Affordable price

• Large 3-Wick, 10 oz Signature, and 21 oz Wooden Wick formats

• A massive and growing scent library

• Fast shipping + excellent customer experience

For shoppers who want luxury performance without luxury markup, Affinati candles outperform both Voluspa and Nest New York on value, burn performance, and room-filling scent ability.

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