
Aldi is selling a ‘relaxing' home buy to help you ‘unwind' – it's £21 less than a high-end alternative
IF you want to poshify your pad on a budget, Aldi's serene new homeware dupe may be right up your street.
Ever wandered into a perfectly colour-coordinated shop, enticed by the waft of woodland scents, only to recoil at the price tag you might want to check out Aldi ' s famous middle aisle.
Capitalising on its viral dupe of NEOM's candle last year, the budget retailer has just launched a Spa Candle for just £3.99- and its recieving rave reviews.
The swanky scented candle, which has a 45-hour burn time, is £21 cheaper than Skye Candles' similar product, the Rose and Ambler Island Tumbler which costs £25.
It also has a kaleidoscope of floral offerings, including Bergamot (a bougie orange,) Rose & Amber, Citrus, Lavender & Sandalwood or Jasmine, Neroli & Cedarwood.
Contrastingly, Skye Candles' costlier alternative offers less choice and is only available in, you guessed it, Rose and Amber.
Fans who flocked to the shops to nab one gave rave reviews.
Amber wrote on Facebook: "I loved the Spa candle, its such a special buy a few times in the past."
Janet wrote: 'Love my Aldi candles have a whole collection of them divine- no I've got a new one for my collection!'
John wrote: 'Well Aldi I didn't expect this– full of surprises, just when it gets too hot for a bath, you never disappoint.'
Mother of two, Liv wrote: 'I can confirm this smells lovely, such a luxurious treat.
'The clue is in the name, close your eyes and you really do feel like you're having a twenty-minute spa break in between mummy duties.'
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Skye Candle describes its candle as: "A modern reimagining of the classic rose scent, designed to appeal to those who prefer freshness over traditional heavier floral notes.'
But the 'delicate blend of amber' and 'understated elegance' comes at a hefty price tag, so it might be worth sniffing the cheaper dupe to see what you prefer before shelling out.
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Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Little Britain - in a remote corner of Saudi Arabia! What life is like for expat women living in desert compounds while their husbands help build a futuristic $500 billion city
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Samantha Barker, a mother-of-two from the UK, has become a digital ambassador of sorts for NEOM life. Her social media channels offer a curated look into her everyday routine: school runs, coffee outings, gym sessions, and salon appointments all set against a sunlit desert backdrop. In one vlog, Samantha shares a typical day – dropping the children off at school, heading to Starbucks with friends, hitting the gym, and later visiting the on-site salon for a massage and pedicure. 'Great' and 'amazing' are words that pepper her descriptions of life in the compound. She frequently praises the amenities available in what are supposed to be temporary accommodations: swimming pools, spa facilities, playgrounds, football pitches, and even a fully operational Starbucks – comforts that might seem unexpected in a region known for its harsh terrain and traditional conservatism. But not everything is cheaper under the Saudi sun. In another video, Samantha films herself comparing prices in the local supermarket. A large pumpkin, she notes, costs nearly 200SAR – around £40 – while punnet of blueberries or strawberries can run between £5 and £10. Still, she insists, 'considering where we are the prices are really really good.' To help soften the sticker shock, familiar British treats are stocked on the shelves: Celebrations and Roses chocolate boxes among them – small tokens of home for the thousands of UK nationals now living in this futuristic city-in-progress. And it's not just Samantha painting a glossy portrait of NEOM life. Another British influencer, Samara Abbott, also a mother-of-two, has lived in the camp for over two years. She describes her time there as 'incredible,' regularly showing off trips to new restaurants, coffee stops at Dunkin Donuts, and children's play areas. 'I can't believe I am saying this,' she admits in one video, 'but it has been nearly 2 years since I packed up my life in the UK and I got on an aeroplane with my then five-week-old baby to move to somewhere that I had never ever been before. 'It was absolutely madness if you ask me but honestly it was the best decision I have ever made in my life and it still is.' @ Can you believe this is 5 minutes from my doorstep! 🥲🥂🫶🏼💫📍🧿 #neom #neomsaudi #turkish #girlsnightout #datenight #mumsoftiktok @Aida McPherson @sarasid @Akdeniz Turkish Cuisine ♬ original sound - She continued: 'I absolutely love the community here, and I just wouldn't change it for the world.' The utopian lifestyle promoted online paints a rosy image of NEOM – one of safe playgrounds, virtually no traffic, and communal coffee mornings for stay-at-home mums. Families gather at a central food hall offering buffet-style meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In one clip, which since appears to have been deleted, South Africa-born Jessica Herman reveals a 'day in the life' in Neom after she and her husband moved there with their two sons in recent months. In one clip, which since appears to have been deleted, South Africa-born Jessica Herman reveals a 'day in the life' in Neom after she and her husband moved there with their two sons in recent months. Shots of Neom in its infancy, which is just a camp at present for staff working on the development and their families, show the purpose built homes, cafes and parks Neom (pictured) is set to cost $500 million and is funded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, plus domestic and overseas investors In particular, she focuses on her evening as she gets the children ready to go to dinner, where she meets her husband who has just finished work. She shows herself walking on what appear to be largely empty roads as she heads to the food hall. After meeting her husband, Jessica reveals what the brightly-lit dining hall looks like as she surveys the wide selection of food on offer and boasts: 'We have the best fruit here.' When the family has finished dinner, Jessica shows her oldest son running around and says: 'Now it's time for [him] to run around and go crazy until he gets completely exhausted.' The 'day in the life' clips, many of which have been deleted since they went viral, show mothers spending their time going shopping and having lunch in the food hall Elsewhere, a vlogger named Aida McPherson, who describes herself as an 'expat' living in Saudi Arabia, has revealed her daily life in Neom which includes going to Starbucks in the morning for an iced coffee, before sitting with 'the girls' for a catch up. She also visits the communal food hall for breakfast, which runs for a certain time period in the morning. In one video, she describes her visit to the Tabuk Park Mall, one of her 'favourite places', via a coach. Aida films herself folding down her pram to put it in the coach, where she takes a seat with her friends as they travel to the mall. Once there, she visits a supermarket called Lulus where she buys dried fruit. A glimpse inside the mall reveals some well-known brands including Timberland and H&M have shops there. She visits McDonald's for lunch before doing some shopping for her children. As she heads home, the coach passes a sign which says: 'I [heart] Neom.' In a comment underneath her video, Aida explains that the city is currently a 'construction camp only for employees'. She explains: 'You need to work for Neom in order to stay in the camp.' Elsewhere she adds that her husband was offered a job in Neom, which was why she and the family decided to move there. In another clip, Aida shows herself visiting the supermarket after feeling 'bored', before later going to a friend's apartment block for a visit. She appears to travel to her friend's home on the back of a motorcycle-style taxi service, which drives through largely empty streets. Another expat, who goes by the TikTok handle GGNEOM, posts clips of herself living in the Saudi compound while also quizzing her friends on what they enjoy about living there. In one clip, she asks people to finish the sentence: 'If you live in Neom...' and shows different people's responses to the prompt. One woman says: 'You have a lot of support to self heal', while another says: 'You enjoy a lot of sports.' One of the women asked the question is Aida, who replies: 'You will have the best community and lots of food.' Elsewhere another mother Sara Sid, who appears to be friends with some of the other mumfluencers, showed followers what her average day looks like - including two visits to Starbucks. Sara Sid, who appears to be friends with other mothers who live in Neom, has also posted vlogs about living in the Saudi city It's a seemingly idyllic world, meticulously designed for comfort and cohesion. But scratch beneath the polished surface, and a different picture begins to emerge. Despite its sleek branding and glowing endorsements from TikTok stars, NEOM has been dogged by controversy. Human Rights Watch has reported serious concerns over labor abuses, particularly among the migrant workforce that is physically building the city. Some workers describe overcrowded, squalid housing 'packed like sheep,' plagued by leaking ceilings, bed bugs, and poor ventilation. Safety is another major concern. According to reports in The Wall Street Journal, there have been alarming incidents on-site, including gang rapes, suicides, attempted murders, and reckless driving, with inadequate emergency services compounding the issues. Even more troubling are claims that entire indigenous communities have been forcibly removed to make way for the mega-city. Former CIA agent Col Rabih Alenezi, now living in exile in the UK, told the BBC he was ordered to evict members of the Huwaitat tribe – a group with deep historical roots in the area. An artist's impression of what The Line will look like. While working on the construction site 21,000 workers have died in the last eight years He claims that one protester was shot and killed during the evictions. The Saudi government has refused to comment. Despite these revelations, construction surges ahead. NEOM's developers have secured $5.6 billion in housing deals to expand residential compounds to eventually accommodate more than 100,000 people. According to NEOM's website, the city's vision is to become a 'global hub for business' powered by sustainability and innovation, backed by the Kingdom's sovereign wealth fund and international investors. The centerpiece of the project, The Line, is a planned 170km linear city intended to house 9 million residents, where daily essentials are promised to be 'within a five-minute walk.' Renderings depict sleek, mirrored skyscrapers stretching across the desert – a stark contrast to the modest but modern compounds where expats like Samantha and Samara live today. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said: 'We cannot ignore the livability and environmental crises facing our world's cities, and NEOM is at the forefront of delivering new and imaginative solutions to address these issues.' Whether NEOM becomes the beacon of innovation it claims to be or a cautionary tale of overreach and erasure remains to be seen.


Scottish Sun
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Scottish Sun
5 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
How to get the perfect summer glow up with Aldi's middle aisle beauty buys including a £4.99 serum that smells amazing
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WITH the summer season right around the corner for Brits, many people are hoping they finally get their well-deserved glow-up. And with the cost-of-living crisis still haunting us, many people are being extra vigilant when it comes to spending the pounds. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Shoppers are racing to Aldi after they announced their latest middle aisle products Credit: Alamy From beauty products to at-home accessories and everything in between – managing to purchase new things for yourself can be difficult if you don't have the spare cash. And that's where Aldi comes in handy for this. The budget supermarket has stocked up on all the essentials that are perfect for summertime – including products that will give you that summer glow. And the products don't break the bank either. Taking to their TikTok account, Aldi have shared their latest middle aisle beauty buys including a £4.99 serum by Lacura. They claim that the serum, which is watermelon flavour, will give you that bronze glow even on a dull day. The brightening and bronzing serum is an 'essential' for your skincare routine, as it has a lightweight formulation. It is formulated with niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to give your complexion a dewy glow. The product claims to leave your skin appearing brighter and hydrated after using it, and customers can choose between brightening or bronzing. And that's not all they are selling beauty-wise. I tried Aldi's Dyson airwrap dupe at bargain price - and it gave me easy hair salon look They've got Lacura lip balms for £3.49. Aldi is also selling products to kit your home out as well. They've got a bergamot and vanilla candle for £9.99, as well as a bladeless fan for £39.99, which some shoppers say is great for white noise. And that's not all when it comes to refreshing smells. The supermarket is also stocking Hotel Collection Spa Essential Oils for £3.39, and Satin Pillowcases for £3.99. 5 Hand holding Lacura Watermelon Bronzing Serum (£4.99) Credit: tiktok/@aldiuk 5 Hotel Collection Premium Glass Candle (£9.99), Bergamot & Vanilla scent Credit: tiktok/@aldiuk 5 Lacura lip balm display in store, £3.49 Credit: tiktok/@aldiuk The Aldi video gained 721 likes, with 37 people rushing to the comments section to share their thoughts. One person wrote: 'Aldi I'm in loveee with your summer Fridays dupe.' A second added: 'Such sweet treats.' To which Aldi replied: 'The best treats!'