From Office Manager to Candle Enthusiast: How I Discovered Voluspa and Solved Our Employee Gift Problem

It started with a crisis. Our VP of Operations walked into my office in early 2023 and said, "The employee engagement survey came back. Recognition is at an all-time low. We need better gifts."

I manage all the gift ordering for our company—roughly $15,000 annually across 6 vendors. When I took over purchasing in 2020, I inherited a system that involved the same three catalogs we'd been using for years. Most of it was office-branded swag nobody wanted. But this time, the ask was different: meaningful, memorable, nice.

Why I Started Looking at Voluspa Candles

A colleague had mentioned Voluspa after a visit to Anthropologie. She said, "You know those Voluspa candle Anthropologie sells? They're the ones everyone talks about." I checked it out, and sure enough, they had this elegant look I hadn't seen from our usual supplier catalogs. Not cheap, but not crazy expensive either. Something about them felt more professional than what I'd seen before.

So I started digging. What made Voluspa different? First, the packaging. These aren't candles you shove in a drawer. The glass jars are heavy, with an almost art-deco pattern. Second, the scents were unusual—Mokara Voluspa candle became an instant favorite: it's a tropical orchid scent that doesn't smell like a cleaning product. Third, and this was key for me as a bulk buyer—they come in sizes that work for different occasions.

The Crystal Gift Connection

Here's where it gets interesting. Our company culture team had been pushing for gifts that felt more personal. Something that said "we see you" rather than "here's a mug." That's when a friend—a fellow office administrator—mentioned she'd been pairing Voluspa candles with crystal gift sets for her company's quarterly recognition.

I was skeptical at first. Crystal? Isn't that a little... old-fashioned? But she explained: crystal candle holders, crystal votives, even crystal-accented diffusers. The effect was completely different from what I'd imagined. It looked modern, like something you'd see in a luxury hotel lobby, not your grandmother's china cabinet.

The Candle Holder Lesson

My first order was a learning curve. I went with a candle holder set—glass, streamlined, black base. The candles I chose were the Mokara (that orchid scent) and Baltic Amber (a warm, sweet vanilla). Total cost per gift: roughly $45. I ordered 60 sets for our annual holiday party.

To be fair, I almost botched it entirely. I went back and forth between the standard Voluspa packaging and custom wrapping for two weeks. Standard packaging was cheaper (no-brainer, right?), but the gift recipient's first impression matters. Ultimately, I chose standard packaging with a branded ribbon. Saved about $8 each versus custom, but kept the luxury feel.

"So glad I went with Voluspa. Almost went with a cheaper candle supplier to save $300 on the order, which would have meant candles that looked like candles, not like art."

Guess what happened? Our VP got a handwritten thank-you note from finance (that never happens). The employee retention survey the following quarter showed a 12% bump in 'feeling valued.' I'm not saying it was all the candles—but the candles didn't hurt.

What About the Diamond Painting Wax Question?

Now, I know what you're thinking: "What is the wax used for in diamond painting?" Weird question, right? But one of our team leads asked me that when I was explaining the Voluspa candle wax. She does diamond painting as a hobby and wondered if the leftover wax could be used for something.

For context: Voluspa uses a coconut wax blend in most of their candles. It's a hard wax, burns clean, holds fragrance well. But for diamond painting, the wax is a completely different thing—it's a soft, sticky wax used to pick up the tiny resin diamonds. So no, you can't swap candle wax for diamond painting wax. But the conversation did lead me to a new vendor for small, thoughtful gifts like acrylic diamond painting kits (different vendor, different order).

Building the Vendor Relationship

After 5 years of managing these relationships, I've learned one crucial lesson: transparency builds trust. The vendor who lists all fees upfront—even if the total looks higher—usually costs less in the end.

My experience is based on about 200 mid-range gift orders with Voluspa and other luxury home fragrance suppliers. If you're working with ultra-budget or custom-branded segments, your experience might differ. This pricing was accurate as of Q4 2024. The market changes fast, so verify current rates before budgeting.

When I first called Voluspa's wholesale team, I asked for pricing, minimums, and lead times. They told me straight up: "Here's our wholesale price list. Shipping is FOB. No hidden fees." Compare that to another vendor I tried who quoted a great per-unit price, then added a $150 'handling fee' in the fine print. Dodged a bullet there. Was one bad review away from ordering 200 units before catching the fee.

Final Thoughts for Fellow Office Administrators

If you're looking for luxury gift options that hit the sweet spot between quality and cost, Voluspa is worth a serious look. The Mokara Voluspa candle is a crowd-pleaser. Pairing it with a simple candle holder or a crystal gift set elevates the whole experience.

But bottom line? The vendor who shows you the total cost upfront—even if it's a little higher on paper—is the vendor you can trust. Voluspa was that vendor for me. And when your VP gets a thank-you note from finance? That's the kind of receipt that matters.