There’s an overflow of morning daylight shots on the blog, let’s balance it out a bit and go deeper. Chilly ‘Ber breezes have found their way home and I’ve found a value-for-money scented candle alternative to burn versus Diptyque candles. While I’ll never fully give up on owning Diptyque candles from time to time, Voluspa votive candles are more affordable luxury candles made in the U.S. but crafted with the same loving attention to detail, and they provide the same subtle but noticeable level of scent throw as Diptyque.
BLACK FIGUE & CHYPRE, 12Oz Classic MAISON NOIR Candle (Php2100, Dimensione) BURN – Approx. 85-90 hrs.
A breathtaking duo of currant and black fig blended into a heart of mysterious chypre…
It looks quite swag doesn’t it? It’s a 12 oz candle, it’s huge! Bigger than Diptyque’s Baies Noir candle for less! And I love how their label design is their own, very ornately classic, this Figue & Chypre one is from Voluspa’s MAISON NOIR collection which are either deep berry based, musky, or sweet and warm, perfect selections to burn in the evening during fall or a great accent to have in a bachelor pad. I plan to own one more when I make a trip back, I want a particular one from the MAISON BLANC collection (glass also looks like this but think white) which looks more dainty and feminine. The Voluspa MAISON BLANC collection comprises of scents that are, on the other end of the spectrum, fruity or floral and fresh…bright and perfect for a pre-springime or daytime burn come Jan and Feb.
To make my point quickly before rolling in the rest of the photos, let me do a price comparison between these sizes: Diptyque’s Baies Noir Candle 10.5 oz (Baies scent in black glass) costs Php3950 (converted from $90 on website), while this VOLUSPA 120z Black Figue & Chypre (& Currant) candle which smells almost EXACTLY THE SAME AS BAIES cost me Php2100 from Dimensione. That lower price for more at TWELVE Ounces, in an equally beautiful, tallish, ombre noir glass mug I can use for makeup brushes after. Another price comparison, by the way for the smaller candles…Diptyque travel size candle (2.4oz): Php1400+, VOLUSPA travel size candle (2.5-2.8oz): Php695! Do I have your attention now? Read more to get the full review and more photos.
Nearly every beauty blogger who has a soft spot for scented votive candles aspires to be able to afford an armful of signature Diptyque votive candles to burn during the last quarter of the year. However, Diptyque candles while beautifully crafted and scented are sad to say, very expensive locally. While it’s easy to scrap the issue and say Diptyque candles are worth it, I’d much rather wise up and purchase them abroad or receive them as a gifts if I can’t justify spending that much for myself over here. If you can totally afford them without making much of a dent in your balance, go ahead, but I can’t. In the event of buying one it may feel as if you’ve given blood or something. I’m glad that Voluspa candles give me an option. By the way, check out the box, it’s worthy of housing a fabergé egg.
100% Cotton Wicks are carefully sized for each unique Voluspa fragrance to ensure a perfect burn. A natural proprietary (their own) base blend of Coconut and Apricot waxes for all their candles are used to hold a high volume of fragrance for maximum throw.
Check out the size of that thing, it’s nearly as big as my face and the ombre noir glass is even thicker than Diptyque’s candle glasses. I checked out the scent throw, upon lighting them for awhile at first you begin to wonder with these luxury candles (even with Diptyque, even Jo Malone, I stick my face in short of the flame to check) if they’re giving off any scent at all, the key is to leave the room for a few seconds (make sure candle is in a safe place) so your nose resets and walk back in and you’ll totally smell the difference.
If you’re in the room from the time a luxury candle is lit the fragrance builds up gradually (especially after the initial phosphorus burn of the match which interferes at first) so you don’t notice it till after about 10-15 minutes, but someone else who suddenly walks into the room will, that’s really how it is. When you blow out the candle the wet wax continues to give off subtle fragrance until it dries off and in some cases depending on the brand the candle still perfumes the room even when it isn’t lit. There are other certain potent candles that completely engulf a room in fragrance, but I prefer not to be completely overwhelmed that way, especially if I’m going to use the candle at the dinner table to entertain guests it shouldn’t be too distracting. I just want tender slightly smoky whiffs of pleasant scent to float freely throughout the room. This candle also comes in a 2.5ish oz travel size at Php675/695…but the glass isn’t black, it’s standard clear. If you own a Diptyque Baies candle, bring it with you to Dimensione, do an on-the-spot sniff comparison and judge for yourself, don’t just take my word for it 
. They’re both black currant based scents which is what makes them strikingly similar. I purchased my 12 oz. VOLUSPA Figue & Chypre Maison Noir candle from Dimensione, BGC Taguig. What do you think about my find? Yay or nay?
