If I could only burn one candle for the rest of my life, it would be this one. I figured that my first review on this blog should feature one of my favorites – the Capri Blue Volcano Candle.
Let’s Talk About The Scent
To me, Volcano smells like a tropical vacation. It has a citrus-y scent that is sweet, but not cloying. I don’t actually like a lot of candles that could be described as sweet so Volcano is a bit of an outlier in my regular candle rotation (which is dominated by herb-y scents like basil and eucalyptus). The sweetness of this candle isn’t overpowering or headache inducing the way that some fruity fragrances can be.
I consider this to be a fairly strong candle. The hot throw is incredible. It doesn’t just fill the room. The scent travels around the house. If I burn this candle in my living room, I can also smell it in the dining room and the kitchen. For that reason, I tend to avoid using it in smaller spaces like bathrooms so that it’s not too overwhelming.
The cold throw is also fairly strong and that’s why I’d recommend at least going to smell this candle in a store if this review piques your interest at all. From the cold throw, you can get a very accurate sense of what it’ll smell like when lit. They usually have Capri Blue at Anthropologie and I’ve seen it in several boutiques whether I’m here in Houston or traveling in other major cities. It is a very popular candle.
The closest comparison I can think of for those who are familiar with Bath & Body Works is the Midnight Blue Citrus candle. That one feels like it’s in the same fragrance family, but I still think Volcano is a better candle overall. It is also very similar to the Trader Joe’s Mango Tangerine candle, but again, I think Volcano has a much more complex scent profile.
Price Point
You can get the 19 oz jar of the Capri Blue Volcano candle for $34. Brands always give a “burn time” and the 19 oz version supposedly has 85 hours of burn time. I always like to do the math on how much I’m paying to burn a candle per hour (because let’s be real – having a candle addiction sometimes feels like lighting money on fire). This one comes out to 40 cents per hour. That feels worth it to me. If you just want to sample the scent, a smaller commitment is the 3 oz. mini tin for $12.
Capri Blue candles are more expensive than something you’d find in the candle aisle at Target, but less expensive than most “luxury” candle brands. I don’t know if you would consider Capri Blue to be a luxury brand, but I think their pricing is very reasonable considering the quality of the candle, the length of burn time, and the beautiful blue apothecary jar.
Candle Quality
I hate when candle brands aren’t up front about the wax blend they use. If a brand does not explicitly tell you what they’re using, it’s probably because they are trying to hide the fact that they use paraffin wax. I personally do not mind, but a lot of people consider it to be more of a “dirty” burn than a soy or beeswax candle. I will not get into the science of that right now because we’d be here all day, but the short version is that I don’t consider any candle to be clean burning. They all produce soot. They all release “stuff” into the air. I know that was a bit of a tangent but I say all of that to make the point that I do not mind the fact that Capri Blue candles use some paraffin.
The wax blend in a Volcano candle is mostly soy with a little bit of paraffin and to be honest, this is the blend I like to use when I make my own container candles. Paraffin has a better hot throw than soy so it’s better for scented candles. Soy has a creamier finish than paraffin so it looks better in a jar. Mixing them together gives the best of both worlds in my opinion.
I can’t tell you how many Volcano candles I’ve purchased over the years, but I have never had issues with candle quality. It’s not overly sooty after a burn. The wick size is always perfect for the container so it melts evenly. I have never had issues with tunneling.
Final Burning Thoughts
The signature version of Volcano is the cobalt blue jar, but my favorite is actually the dual tone pink and orange jar. I get a hit of dopamine just looking at it. There are a lot of other designs to choose from and that’s why I like giving this candle as a gift. It’s not just a good candle; it’s also a beautiful home decor piece.
My go to is the 19 oz. jar. They sell several sizes including a jumbo 48 oz. version, but I have never actually seen that one in person. I think it would look beautiful in our living room, but it’s a $98 candle! I have never spent that much on a single candle but I won’t lie, I am considering it. Maybe one day…
It’s crazy to think that I have been burning Volcano since my early 20’s and I am now in my mid-30’s. Needless to say, I have had a very long relationship with this candle and I can’t recommend it enough. If you’re the type of person who is into citrus-y scents, I hope you decide to try it out!
