Who better to ask about how to find true happiness while balancing the demands of a career and the need for personal time than British beauty entrepreneur, Jo Malone CBE?
Now a household name thanks to the global success of her first fragrance company Jo Malone London, which she sold to Estee Lauder in 1999, the perfumer and now founder of Jo Loves, a beautiful scent, bath, body and and candle collection, emphasises the importance of living in the moment and working with passion rather than obligation.
“My work-life balance is more important to me now,” she explains to HELLO! “I work because I enjoy it. I am very privileged to be in this position, but I work because I just couldn’t give it up; it is a part of me and I love it,” she shares.
Jo has experienced her own fair share of challenges, but she insists that to overcome them, we must find our own unique path. “Always find your own way and think differently,” she explains. “I will always try to think of three solutions. When you have those, I think then that I am not powerless,” she explains.
This entrepreneurial mindset plays a crucial role in Jo’s happiness, as she’s unafraid to tackle setbacks with creativity and determination. “I want to always be known for living my life with passion and creativity,” she explains. “Everything I do in my life is about discovering how to encourage moments of creativity and joy,” she says.
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In the last year, Jo and her husband, Gary have moved to Dubai where she has found joy in a healthier lifestyle, particularly through exercise. “I live on the beach and walk a lot,” she explains. “I also love Pilates and try to do some whenever I am travelling,” she says.
Beauty and creating fragrance is also a key part of Jo’s happiness plan too, as it is such an intrinsic part of who she is. “I love captivating scents that evoke memories,” she explains. “Many of my scents are inspired by moments in my life that I want to capture and bottle up to remember forever. They are stories of life.”
And maintaining her skin and overall appearance is important and is focused on simplicity and effectiveness. “The Miracle Balm by Jones Road is my favourite. As you get older, you might just need a little bit more help; and this is probably one of the best products I've ever used for this,” she says.
Jo also loves the Revolution Superdewy Liquid Blush, which she sometimes applies to her lips for a touch of gloss, but it’s her signature Chanel lip gloss that she must have with her at all times. “Having glossy lips is the key to looking refreshed for me; those three products can take me from a meeting, to a lunch, and finishing with a black-tie dinner! There is nothing more I need,” she reveals.
Recent years have brought Jo numerous moments of joy, including receiving her CBE and seeing her brand, Jo Loves thrive. “Seeing Jo Loves grow and opening Jo Loves stores globally... There are so many standout moments for me, another one being creating the Fragrance Paintbrush because it really did change our destiny,” she reflects.
As Jo continues to find new ways to channel her creativity and passion, she is excited about the future. “I am creating a wonderful project which I am working on that I will soon be able to share. It’s about understanding different cultures and learning from different cultures. We have several new exciting chapters for Jo Loves on the horizon,” she hints, leaving us all at HELLO! eager to see what she’ll accomplish next.