Why Are Voluspa Candles So Expensive? A Buyer's Take on the Forbidden Fig Diffuser, Votive Candles, and Wax Beads

When I took over purchasing for a 400-person company in 2020, I became the person responsible for everything from printer toner to client gifts, including the 'why is this candle $40?' conversation. I'm an office administrator, so I manage roughly $140,000 in annual spend across 14 vendors—some of it boring, some of it fragrant. I report to both operations and finance, which means I care about the invoice matching the PO just as much as the scent. Since then, I've processed 60-80 orders a year, so I've learned to separate hype from value.

There is no single answer to 'why are Voluspa candles so expensive?' and there isn't one universal 'should I buy them?' It depends on where the candle is going, who will smell it, and whether you are paying for the scent or for the packaging. Let me break it down the way I wish someone had broken it down for me.

The Short Version: Expensive Compared to What?

Voluspa sits in the premium-but-reachable tier of home fragrance. Based on publicly listed prices, January 2025, a classic Voluspa candle is roughly $32-$45 depending on size, and a reed diffuser is about $36-$50. Votives are closer to $12-$18. Prices exclude shipping; verify current rates. A generic store-brand candle can be $8, and a prestige niche candle can be $80.

So why does Voluspa cost what it costs? I think it's four things:

• Fragrance concentration. The scent is the product. More fragrance oil means better throw, meaning the room actually smells like the wax, not just hot wax.
• Wax blend. They use a coconut/vegetable wax blend in many lines. It burns more cleanly than basic paraffin, and that adds cost.
• Packaging. The jars, lids, boxes, and giftability. You are paying for the fact that it doesn't need wrapping.
• Brand and distribution. Luxury positioning, retail presence, and the cost of getting a glass jar to a distributor all get folded into the price.

That doesn't make it 'worth it' or 'not worth it.' It just means the price is explained, not arbitrary. There is also a hidden buying cost: the 'will this actually get used?' factor. A $40 candle in a conference room that nobody lights because there's no lighter is $40 of perfume on a shelf. A $15 votive that actually gets burned can be a better value.

Three Scenarios, Three Different Answers

The mistake I made early on was trying to use one solution everywhere. When I compared the lobby and the breakroom side by side, I finally understood why that doesn't work. The lobby got compliments. The breakroom just got empty.

Scenario A: The visible, client-facing space

If you're buying for a reception area, conference room, executive bathroom, or a client gift, this is where Voluspa makes sense. You're not just buying fragrance; you're buying the visual message. People remember how a space smells, and a beautiful jar on a side table says 'we thought about the details.'

For an unattended space, I'd choose a reed diffuser over a candle every time. No open flame, no glass lid left off, no housekeeping issues. So glad I switched the executive bathroom to a diffuser. Almost ordered a glass jar candle, which would have been a hazard with the cleaning crew. The Voluspa Forbidden Fig diffuser is a good example: a fig-forward scent with enough complexity to feel expensive, and it throws well in a medium-sized room without being loud. It's one of those scents that people ask about, which is exactly what you want in a lobby.

I'll also say this from the buying side: don't assume small orders get ignored. I've placed $200 orders with fragrance vendors and received sample kits and personalized follow-up calls. Those are the vendors I later use for $20,000 orders. Small doesn't mean unimportant. If a salesperson treats your two-diffuser gift order like a nuisance, that's a preview of how they'll treat you when a shipment goes wrong.

Scenario B: The back office, breakroom, or high-traffic area

Here, I'd skip the $40 candle. Not because it's bad, but because the audience doesn't care. In a breakroom, the candle gets moved, the lid gets lost, and someone uses the jar to hold paperclips. You don't need luxury fragrance in the supply closet.

What you do need is something small and simple. A votive candle can be perfect for a bathroom or a desk. It's cheap, low-commitment, and easy to replace. Just remember that 'votive' means the wax is designed to liquefy, so it needs a holder (think a glass cup or a ceramic dish). An individual votive won't typically fill a big room, but it doesn't need to. When I buy votives in bulk, I check holder fit and burn time before ordering—cheap lesson from a batch that didn't fit.

For continuous scent in a breakroom, I'd probably use a wax warmer with standard wax melts. And this is where the wax-bead question comes in:

Can you melt wax beads in a microwave?

Technically, yes. Wax beads will melt in a microwave. But for home fragrance wax melts, I'd avoid it. What I mean is that a microwave heats too unevenly—you can end up with hot spots that burn off the fragrance oil, and overheated wax can get dangerously hot. The 'just melt it faster' approach often ruins the scent and sometimes creates a safety issue.

If you absolutely must, use a microwave-safe container, no metal, heat in 15-20 second bursts, stir between bursts, and watch the temperature closely. But a dedicated wax warmer is safer and cheaper in the long run. In my experience, the batch I ruined in the microwave cost more than the warmer would have. (Note to self: I really should keep a backup warmer in the office supply closet.)

Scenario C: Events, client gifts, or welcome kits

This is the third path. If you need 20 to 100 gifts for a product launch or holiday welcome kit, Voluspa's diffusers and candle sets work well because they arrive looking finished. A reed diffuser is also less fragile to ship than a large candle, and it doesn't require a fire extinguisher policy. That's enough for a lot of corporate events.

But if your budget is tight, don't feel forced into the luxury name. A smaller votive candle with a thoughtful note can land just as well. The rule I use is: if the gift is from a company, pick something the recipient will actually use. If the gift is from me to a long-time client, I might choose the Forbidden Fig diffuser because it is reliably lovely—but I've also skipped it when the budget wouldn't stretch.

So Which One Are You?

Here's the practical checklist I use when I'm ordering:

• If the space is seen by clients, or the item is a gift for someone important, the Voluspa price is probably defensible.
• If it's for a breakroom, a desk, or a place where things get treated rough, buy a votive candle or wax melts and save the expensive stuff.
• If you're honestly not sure, order one Forbidden Fig diffuser and one votive candle. Put them in different rooms for two weeks. The difference in how people react will tell you which one you need.

That last part is the one I wish I'd done sooner. The numbers can tell you what's cheapest, but they won't tell you why one room feels different from another. Sometimes you need to smell it to believe it.

Jane Smith

I’m Jane Smith, a senior content writer with over 15 years of experience in the packaging and printing industry. I specialize in writing about the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in packaging design, sustainability, and printing techniques. My goal is to help businesses understand complex printing processes and design solutions that enhance both product packaging and brand visibility.