Instagram post 2191330333998626248_3273331858 Gifted| Do you have a morning ritual?
When it comes to getting out of bed and helping me look like I’m one of the living, there are certain things I always rely on.
First is my @lumie.lights alarm clock. They’re not cheap but this has been a life saver for me. Granted, I’m not jumping out of bed, so excites to get to work but the gradual build in gentle light helps my body feel less attacked by that awful iPhone alarm and I’m often awake before it reaches full intensity!
The second is a cup of tea. I very rarely skip my morning cuppa. I wake up, make it and pop back into bed for 20 minutes just adjusted and preparing myself mentally for the day ahead. Plus look at memes of course.
The last thing is a good under eye brightener. I’ve been really loving the Flawless Eye Retouch from @transformulas to help me look fresh in the morning. Not too thick or matte, simply paint under the eye and blend. The light reflective particles instantly smooth and conceal to make my eyes look brighter but in a really natural way. I’m not about that heavy cakey makeup look and this is just amazing.
What’s your morning routine?
Instagram post 2189180982895414005_3273331858 Hello 1st of December, I’m ready for you!
Today is tree day. We’re having a big cooked breakfast, opening our advent calendars and decorating our new house for our first Christmas which I’m very excited about. Then to finish, a big roast dinner. The perfect Sunday!!
Also big big shout out to @lifeofpingkan and @hyphyhip. I just love doing photoshoots with these two. I only have to mention an idea I have and they help me execute it and photograph it better than I even imagined it! 💋
Instagram post 2187707010173471285_3273331858 TGIF! So excited for this weekend because it’s the 1st of December and you know what that means?!? Christmas Tree!!!! Have you put yours up yet or are you go for this Sunday too? 
Tonight I’m having a chilled one. Anyone else wake up and already look forward to getting home and doing nothing? It’s my absolute fave. Top choices are reading a book or I’m already on the fifth season of Bones and loving it!
Instagram post 2185528045044400754_3273331858 Bold Lips! 💋
I am a peachy nude girl through and through but there’s something about this @fentybeauty lipstick in Clapback that makes me feel kickass! It’s a rich navy blue and it’s the only non-conventional lip colour I’ve ever bought. Something about the shade and finish called to me the second I saw it! Never mind the Fenty Mattemoiselle lipsticks feel great on. Not a touch of dryness and the colour is beyond pigmented. 
Haven’t quite been daring enough to wear it outside yet though even though I’ve had it for a year though... whoops.
What’s the boldest lip colour you’ll wear?!
Instagram post 2167408175811453203_3273331858 Gifted| It’s the 1st of November and to me that means it’s the start of the festive season. Ok I’m not talking get the tree up and lights everywhere but little bits of fun and magic every day are a must for me this month. I’m talking mince pies, lots of chocolate, Greggs festive bakes 😋 and @pret Christmas sandwiches (I’m sooooo ready). Plus it’s time to get out the winter cosy pyjamas and relax in festive bubble baths. Which brings me on to one of my favourite bath products, the @lush Snow Fairy Bubble Wand! For starters it’s pink so it’s a win and I love how easy it is to swish round in the water creating swirls of sparkly pink bubbles, all with that classic Snow Fairy scent.
Instagram post 2166668354130372191_3273331858 Happy Halloween!!! 🎃🕸🍬👻🤡
What are your plans for this evening? Party? Trick or Treating? Or hiding away?! I’ve got my pumpkin carved (on the instastory) and my buckets of sweets ready! This year I’ve got skittles and of course the classic haribo packs. I wanted mini smarties but couldn’t find them anywhere! I’m not a big fan of sugary sweets like Swizzels so always get something I would actually eat. After all, a fair few packets will need to be tested by me for research purposes! 
What’s your favourite Halloween sweet treat? Any you really hate? Parma Violets = blerghhhh 🎃🕸🍬👻🤡
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Owen Drew Candles vs Jo Malone candles
December 10, 2017 Flirting with Fragrance•Fragrance

The Battle of Home Fragrance (Owen Drew Candles vs Jo Malone)

If there is one item I love to decorate my house with, it’s a candle. Simple and elegant, they make even the most plain of rooms a heavenly scented haven you never want to leave.

White Linen & English Lavender Owen Drew Candles

White Linen & English Lavender Owen Drew Candles

My favourite candle brand has to be Owen Drew Candles. From classic fresh scents to candles with more sensual notes, Owen Drew has them all and I’ve fallen in love with each and every candle. After divulging the details of my love affair with Owen Drew Candles I noticed comments regarding how similar they appear to those by Jo Malone. So I thought this would be a great opportunity to do a comparison, spill the tea as it were and let you decide which home fragrance you need in your life.

Now first I want to say, this post is in no way going to be me just bashing Jo Malone. In fact, when it comes to perfume, Jo Malone have some of my favourites fragrances: Lime, Basil & Mandarin is the perfect summer scent and I adore Pomegranate Noir so much I actually splurged on getting a large bottle after finishing several of the smaller size. However, now that I own candles from both brands, there are things that have stood out to me that I simply must share.

 

Price

First up and it’s a biggie, Price.

At £45, Jo Malone candles are far from cheap. In my young lifetime (whispers 28), I’ve only owned four Jo Malone candles. This is largely in part due to the fact I can’t afford to regularly purchase such pricey candles. I’ve usually bought them as a treat to myself after passing my degree or moving into my first house. Even then, I still felt that twang of guilt about spending so much on one single candle, but what was a girl to do? I wanted that luxury feel. I wanted high-end candles. I was a damsel in candle distress, a Cinderella until Owen answered my cry for help and said you shall fill your home with luxury candles and all at the affordable price of £25. At nearly half the price you not only get the same size candle as Jo Malone but one that burns for just as long!

Rose Velvet & Oud Owen Drew Candles

Rose Velvet & Oud Owen Drew Candles

 

Throw

You’re paying for the incredible fragrance throw.

That’s what I’d expect most people to say when justifying the price of a Jo Malone candle. After owning both, I can honestly say this is not the case. Yes, my Pomegranate Noir smells incredible and fills the whole room with scent but so does every one of my Owen Drew candles. Barely twenty minutes after being lit, my Mulled Pear & Cranberry smells so amazing I know I won’t just be lighting this festive scent at Christmas and as I mentioned in my first review, I’ve even had friends commenting on how lovely my house smells moments after walking through the front door. Ultimately, Owen Drew candles have some serious throw and they do it all made out of 100% soy wax.

Cedarwood & Jasmine Owen Drew Candles

Cedarwood & Jasmine Owen Drew Candles

Ingredients

Yup. 100% gen-u-wine soy wax. This not only makes Owen Drew candles completely vegan but they also happen to be cruelty free and for someone like me who is concerned with buying more ethical products, this is a really important factor. As most of you may know Jo Malone do not test on animals here in the UK, but the fragrances are required to be tested by law in countries like China and therefore as a brand it’s not really cruelty free. Plus after spending a long time putting my beauty spy skills to use, I found that Jo Malone do not disclose what sort of wax they use to make their candles. Maybe they use soy wax but considering this is a plus point to a luxury candle you’d think they would say this at least somewhere on the site. What’s likely is that like many other well-known brands they use a mix of waxes, one of which could be paraffin.

Sandalwood & Amber Owen Drew Candles

Sandalwood & Amber Owen Drew Candles

Health & Home

The biggest reason Owen starting his company was because soot and smoke produced by paraffin based candles was collecting on the walls and ceilings, ruining his home. It’s not just damage to your house you should be worried about either. When burnt, paraffin wax produces waste products that can have extremely adverse effects on your health, as well as produce carcinogens that have been linked to lung cancer. Take a look at the rim of my Jo Malone candle, completely black with soot. This didn’t just happen to my Pomegranate Noir but every Jo Malone scented candle I’ve owned. The worst thing was I just assumed this was normal. Yes I could clean it, but I don’t think I should have to considering the price. It wasn’t until I tried my Owen Drew Candles, which have been lit every chance I’ve had, that I realised all natural soy wax is better for the care of your health and home.

Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Candles

Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Candles

Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Candles

So does this mean I won’t ever use a Jo Malone candle again? Well, use is the operative word here, given as a birthday or Christmas gift I’d certainly have it in my home but would be wary of burning it too long. Personally, I would always choose to spend my hard earned cash on an Owen Drew or two, scoring high across the board they really are England’s finest luxury candles.

Captial B Lips Pout

 

 

 

 

 

 

*These candles were sent for review purposes but I always give an honest review, where all opinions and views are 100% my own.

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  1. Alice says

    December 10, 2017 at 9:57 pm

    I am a lover of a good candle although honestly I don’t think I could ever spend more than £10 on a single candle and that’s at a stretch! I’d have to really love it to spend £10 on it haha. These candles look so gorgeous and luxury though, I’ve heard that Aldi do really good Jo Malone dupes but I’m not entirely sure what wax etc they use! That is quite horrible looking at that black rim of the candle though, I recently had a Yankee Candle explode in my room because I think the top of the glass got too hot so I’d be careful with that, it’s so scary!
    Alice Xx

    Reply
    • A love affair with Beauty says

      December 16, 2017 at 9:28 am

      It is definitely a treat to spend more than a tenner on a candle but sometimes you deserve a little treat haha. One of my blogger friends bought the Jo Malone dupes from Aldi and she said although they look lovely and smell nice right up close they just don’t have the same throw as Jo Malone does.
      Wow really!? I have a few Yankee Candles, so I’ll be more careful with mine. I do know my big one has a black rim of soot too but I do love the smell. X

      Reply
  2. Jacqueline says

    December 10, 2017 at 10:20 pm

    Hi I 100% have to agree Owen Drew Candles for me are the best like you I have purchased Jo Malone until i stumbled on Owen Drew , I believe they burn better and throw their scent the furthest so your living room smells amazing ,certainly will impress Home fragrance connoisseurs for sure,not to mention it’s incredible value for money .

    Reply
    • A love affair with Beauty says

      December 16, 2017 at 9:22 am

      Totally agree with you. Jo Malone candles aren’t bad by any standard but Owen Drew are just better. I’m so glad I found his candles because I have tried a lot and unfortunately I do seem to prefer the higher priced ones like Jo Malone and Diptyque but the prices are just insane! Owen Drew candles are such a bargain for what you get and when you look at the finer details like 100% soy wax and the unique wick, they’re even better. X

      Reply
  3. Pinar says

    December 12, 2017 at 10:36 am

    I’ve never bought either but always wanted too! Great photos!

    Pinar | http://www.beautybakingbella.com

    Reply
  4. A love affair with Beauty says

    December 16, 2017 at 9:32 am

    Same here. The Jo Malone candles do smell lovely but the price is just too much for me. Obviously Owen Drew candles aren’t mega cheap either but they are luxury candles and in terms of all the different points like wax type and throw, to me they are even better than Jo Malone. X

    Reply
    • Emma Roberts says

      October 27, 2019 at 3:08 pm

      I’m so disappointed to realise Jo Malone are selling in China, using paraffin wax and not being honest. I have 9 Jo Maolone candles including 3 of the £300 giants. I do like Owen Drew, however they burn quicker and I didn’t get the scent throw as I do with Jo Maolone. I bought one for my best friend as well as myself and she loved it. I’m going to try them again. I won’t be purchasing Jo Malone from now on.

      Reply
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