Voodoo Love Spells: What They Are and What to Know Before Ordering

"Voodoo love spell" is one of the most searched phrases in love magic. It is also one of the most misused. Before you order one, it helps to know what the word really means.

What is Vodou?

Haitian Vodou is a religion, with its own spirits (the lwa), priests and priestesses (houngan and mambo), temples and community ceremonies. It grew from West and Central African traditions and Catholicism in Haiti. New Orleans Voodoo grew from related roots in Louisiana. Both are practised by real communities today, with initiation and lineage.

What about Hoodoo?

Hoodoo, or rootwork, is African American folk magic from the southern United States. It is a practice, not a religion, and it has a long tradition of love work: honey jars, candles, roots and petitions. It is often confused with Voodoo, but they are different things.

Are online "voodoo love spells" real Vodou?

Rarely. Most are general candle or doll spells sold under a dramatic name. A real Vodou practitioner will usually tell you about their house and lineage, and many would not sell a spell to a stranger online at all. A "voodoo master" promising a lover back in 24 hours is selling a label.

Do voodoo love spells work?

The tradition matters less than the practitioner. A love spell works through clear intention, good materials, timing and experience. A label does not add power, and a frightening name is often there to sell, not to describe.

What tradition do I practise?

I am an eclectic witch with a green witchcraft focus: herbs, candles, crystals and the garden. I do not practise Vodou or claim to. My love work draws on folk magic that many traditions share, such as the honey jar and the dressed candle, cast at my own table.

What about voodoo dolls?

The pin-stuck doll is mostly a Hollywood image. Poppets, small figures that stand for a person, appear in many European and American folk traditions, and in love work they are used to bring two people together, never to hurt anyone.

On my table

For reconciliation I set a small jar of honey beside a pink candle, with rose buds and lavender and your packet between two pieces of rose quartz. For passion the candle is red, dressed with cinnamon oil, and a red ribbon is tied loosely around your packet. You receive photographs of the table either way, so you can see exactly what was done.