Hair Heroes..?

My hair can be a handful at the best of times, but with the cold weather drawing in, my poor, dried-out ends are in need of an extra boost..or three. So lately, I've been concentrating my (minimal) beauty-related shopping efforts on picking up a couple of helping hands for my dehydrated locks, the first and most notable of which being the Charles Worthington Salon at Home Secrets Collection Moisture Seal Intense Rescue Melting Balm (phew! Longest name ever!?) Thick and waxy in texture, this emulsifies into an oil when rubbed between the hands, and is spread generously through dry hair. Leave for twenty minutes and then wash and condition as normal, and hey presto - soft, bouncy, healthy-looking hair. Yes, I'm fully aware that I sound like a shampoo advert, but this little pot of magic really is something.

Next up, I've been brandishing this little Bumble & Bumble duo when styling my bonce (!) The Bumble & Bumble Thickening Hairspray (£7.50 for 50ml) is spritzed on generously and combed through while hair is damp, while the Shine On Finishing Spray is misted over the hair once styled for a glossier finish.

Now I may be about to shock some of you, given the fantastic reputation this stuff has, but I'm not at all convinced the Thickening Hairspray is all it's cracked up to be. In fact, I can't determine any notable difference between when I have and haven't used it.  I'm definitely glad I picked up the miniature version rather than immediately splurging £22 on the full-size! Bumble & Bumble do, however, recommend that this is layered up over their Tonic Lotion for best results, so it's a toss-up between giving that a go or shelving my spray for good.

As for the Shine On, this one does the job and makes a lovely finishing spray with a pleasant scent.  Used sparingly, it gives me a polished look which is perfect for the party season.

Which products have you been relying on to get your hair ready for the Christmas festivities?

If you haven't entered my Christmas giveaway yet then there is still time - enter via the widget below for your chance to win gifts from Yankee Candle, Ren, Bumble & Bumble, Bourjois and M&S!

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

xx

John Lewis Blogger's Secret Santa: Unwrapped!

Christmas has come early here at Mirror on the Wall!

You may remember me mentioning a few weeks back that I had been invited to take part in a very exciting Secret Santa gift swap this year - arranged for us bloggers by the one and only John Lewis. Now, unless you've been hiding under a rock, you will have undoubtedly seen, or at least heard about their Christmas advert for 2013, The Bear and the Hare. If you haven't, then I strongly suggest you hold on at the end of this post and give it a watch, as it's absolutely adorable!

Anyway, back to the matter at hand.

My John Lewis Blogger's Secret Santa gift - from the lovely Jessica Louise over at Forever Miss Vanity - arrived in two parts, and the first package was ripped eagerly open to reveal a beautifully embroidered red stocking. I was instantly excited, and upon reaching inside I was met with a plethora of Liz Earle goodies - now show me a beauty blogger who wouldn't be thrilled to bits with that! The treats included a full-size tube of the iconic Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, and travel-sizes of the Instant Boost Skin Tonic, Skin Repair Moisturiser, Orange Flower Botanical Body Wash and Nourishing Botanical Body Cream, as well as a couple of muslin cloths to boot. For me, this couldn't have come at a better time, as having recently reverted back to Cleanse and Polish, I had just reached the end of my tube of the limited edition Grapefruit and Patchouli version.

Exclusive to John Lewis, this Liz Earle Jan Constantine Stocking Skincare Giftset is available for £50, and I think that this would make a fantastic stocking-filler for any skincare lover out there.

Next up came the second part of the gift, and for me the most exciting of all. Jessica got it absolutely spot on with this one, and I shrieked with excitement upon tearing open the second box to be met with a beautiful Jo Malone box. I instantly knew that Jessica had been doing her homework, as I have often harped on about just how much I wanted to make a Jo Malone candle mine, and this Mandarin and Lime Basil delight now has pride of place on my living room mantelpiece!

John Lewis has got a range of luxury Jo Malone candles in-store, with the 250g setting you back £39. You can find the larger size of the Jo Malone Lime Basil and Mandarin Deluxe Candle by clicking the link, but I'd definitely recommend having a browse at some of their other scents too!

Personally, I'm absolutely pleased as punch with my Secret Santa gifts, and I hope Jessica is too. I'm so greateful to have been given the opportunity to take part in such a fantastic event and it's really got me into the festive spirit.

Now? It's time for a freshly baked mince pie and a glass of mulled wine.

 

Have you taken part in a Secret Santa this year?

Where will you be doing your Christmas shopping?

xx

Lush Santa's Lip Scrub

Having missed out on Lush's Christmas offerings for the last few years, I was in there like a shot when they rolled out their festive favourites this time round. I'd been meaning to pick up a lip scrub for some while, as I do tend to suffer from dry, flaky lips at the best of times, so as you can imagine, the winter months are even more of a catalyst. Is there anything more annoying when you're keen to showcase the latest lippy to have joined your collection?? I think not, and with Christmas just around the corner, I'd say it's a pretty likely scenario.

After a thorough discussion with one of the very knowledgeable sales assistants, I made my selection, the first item being Santa's Lip Scrub. At the time, I was drawn in by the assistant's suggestion that it was made with fig, but upon closer inspection on arriving home, I noticed that it was actually cola. Is there fig somewhere in the ingredients? Not that I can see. Maybe I misheard her.

Anyway, onto the product itself. As with all Lush lip scrubs, it comes in a sturdy screw-top pot, which is handy for keeping it fresh, as well as ensuring that nothing goes to waste. Very much a coarse sugar-scrub in texture, I massage this into my lips a couple of times a week to leave them feeling smooth, soft, and ready for a vibrant lip colour. I was advised that there's a balm to go with this, which I may well pick up on my next visit. I wouldn't have thought I'd much enjoy any cola-flavoured beauty product, but it's actually quite pleasant, and more reminiscent of those gummy cola bottle penny sweets from back in the day. Remember how they actually were a penny!?? How times have changed - I saw them at 5p in the local shop last week.

Anyway, I digress. This does the job, and I'll definitely be using it up. But frankly, I didn't really see where the Christmas theme was meant to fit in. Unless we're relating it to the Christmas Coca Cola adverts, which really, I think is clutching at straws.

Are you a fan of the Lush Christmas range, or do you have another favourite festive beauty product?

Don't forget to enter my Christmas Giveaway if you haven't already!

xx

Cosy Nights and Festive Scents

Brrr! Winter has been on its way for a while now, and the switch on of the Christmas lights last Thursday and the arrival of the German markets in the city centre can only mean one thing: The festive season is upon us! Now, I've been seeing numerous gift guides and advent calendars popping up on my Bloglovin' feed for a good few weeks now, but only now that we are nearing the end of November has it really begun to feel real. The temperature has  dropped dramatically over the past couple of days, leaving me wanting to do nothing more than snuggle up under a blanket on the sofa, with a glass of mulled wine in hand and some Christmas candles burning. I can always rely on Yankee Candle to get me in the mood (for festivities, that is! How rude.) and with an array of delicious winter scents to choose from at quite reasonable prices compared to other brands, I haven't been able to resist picking up a couple in recent weeks.

Spiced Orange is a deliciously warming scent, reminiscent of juicy oranges, cloves and nutmeg - think the afore-mentioned mulled wine.When I'm in the mood for something a bit less heady and a little more dreamy, I opt for Fireside Treats, which envelops you in a bundle of cosiness, literally like toasting marshmallows on a roaring fire. Love.

What are your favourite Christmas scents? Are you in the festive mood yet?

Don't forget to enter my Christmas Giveaway if you fancy landing yourself some treats from Ren, Bumble & Bumbleand more.

xx

The Weekly Selection

It's been a few weeks since I last did one of these, and suffice to say, there are one or two beauty treats I've been very much looking forward to sharing with to you. Ok, make that four.

I'm often found loitering around the Bumble & Bumble stand in Boots, desperately wanting to grab all they have to offer, throw it into my shopping basket and sprint for the till point. Alas, I usually have to summon the strength to peel myself away, as at pushing thirty pounds a pop, their products are definitely not cheap. Imagine my delight then, when I stumbled upon a little shelf of miniature Bumble & Bumble goodness, tucked sneakily away in the depths of the general haircare oil. For between £7.50 and £10, you can pick up all manner of coveted haircare products, for a fraction of the price of their heftier cousins, in miniature. Genius, I tell you. Needless to say, one or two items definitely did venture till-wards with me, one of those being the lovely Buble & Bumble Shine On Finishing Spray, £10 for 60ml. Granted, it might be still a little bit on the pricey side for the amount of product, but if you're a fan of trying before you buy full-size then this is a great idea. I've been spritzing this onto my dull mop after styling each day, for a bit of extra dazzle, and it's not half bad.

Speaking of lank locks, I couldn't help but pick up the Charles Worthington Salon at Home Moisture Seal Intense Rescue Melting Balm (aaaand breathe....), a novel concept if I may say so. Rather than slathering this onto wet hair as you would expect with a hair masque, this thick balm is rubbed between the palms where it becomes an oil, and slicked generously onto dry hair. Leave for twenty minutes, and hey presto, you're ready for your shampoo and conditioner as normal. Having only used this once, I'll reserve full judgement until later, but I did definitely find my hair to be more manageable after dipping my toe in for the first time.

Another new product welcomed into the fold has been the Ren Resurfacing AHA Concentrate, which has been on my shopping list for an age. I finally cracked last week, after much umming and ahhing over whether or not it was worth it, given that I already have and enjoy the Clarins Brightening Exfoliator Toner. Once again, we aren't yet full acquainted, but after a couple of uses I can report that this smells fruitily fantastic (much like the Glyco mask from the same range) and leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth in the mornings.I shall report back soon!

Last but not least is this delightful Indulgent Fig & Orange Oil Moisturising Hand and Nail Cream from M&S. Smells divine and does the job, which is all you can ask, really!

Candle-wise, I've been loving the warming scent of my latest Christmas Yankee in Fireside Treats - sweet and toasty, without being sickly or overpowering. Definite winner.

Which products have been floating your boat this week?
Have you entered my Christmas Giveaway?

xx

Mirror on the Wall: Christmas Giveaway!

It's the most wonderful time of the year, and in my eyes, there couldn't be a better time for a bit of a festive giveaway. Not only that, but for my first ever competition on Mirror on the Wall. 

Yep, that's right, in all the time I've been posting on here, never before have I given you the chance to win a bundle of fantastic treats, and now that I'm settled back in the UK, I just want to say a big thank you to all of you for getting me through my time living abroad. If you're a regular reader then you'll know what a difficult time it was, and finding the blogging world and making friends with some of the lovely people behind my favourite posts played a huge part in helping me push on through the final stretch!

I wanted to share some really great prizes with you, so with that in mind, I have lined up a bundle of goodies that I myself just can't live without.  To be in with the chance of winning:

1) Small Yankee Candle Jar in Christmas Eve

2) Ren Invisible Pore Detox Mask

3) Bumble and Bumble Shine Finishing Spray (small)

4) Indulgent Fig & Orange Oil Moisturising Hand and Nail Cream

5) Seventeen Quicker Slicker Colour in 'Potion'

6) Bourjois Colour Boost in Red Sunrise

All you have to do is fill in the Rafflecopter form below. I've made a point of not including a ridiculous amount of different entry options, because frankly I find that quite annoying! However, there are a few things you can do to get yourself into the prize draw, and I wish all of you the best of luck! 

The competition closes at midnight on Christmas Eve, and for anyone who goes getting any funny ideas about cheating, don't do it - I will be checking each entry to make sure there hasn't been any foul play going on, and if it does turn out to be the case then you will, of course, be disqualified. Just saying.

*All prizes will be brand new and unopened.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

xx

John Lewis Blogger Secret Santa

source

Hello my lovelies, hope you've all had a fantastic week. I'm sure it hasn't escaped your notice, but Christmas is now slowly creeping up on us, and with the nights drawing in, the weather getting colder and the shops beginning to fill up with all manner of Christmas goodies, I for one am beginning to get a little bit excited.

So when I was contacted on behalf of John Lewis and invited to join in their Blogger Secret Santa, I absolutely jumped at the chance to get involved - what could be more exciting than surprising another lovely blogger with some gorgeous goodies, and receiving an exciting mystery gift to unwrap in return? I think it's a lovely idea, and a great way to get people into the Christmas spirit early on in the festive season.

So, how does it work? Well, within the next couple of days, I will be finding out which lucky lady (or man) I'm buying for, and will then be given forty-eight hours to select a gift for them from the John Lewis website. Obviously, this will involve much digging and researching on my part, as obviously I want to get it just right and surprise them with something that suits them down to a tee, whether it has been on their wish list for a long while, or is a brand new launch which might just blow them away. Either way, I've already been trawling the John Lewis website, and am going to be spoilt for choice with all the gorgeous options available!

 On the 25th November, the gift will be sent off to be popped down the mystery blogger's chimney, and another will be winging it's way to me!

Christmas has definitely come early, and I can't wait to share the results with you. 

Are you taking part in the John Lewis Blogger Secret Santa, or any other secret gift swap?

xx

Christmas Lust List

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder  //  Diptyque Eau Moheli Roll-On Cologne  //  Diptyque Philosykos Eau de Toilette  //  Diptyque Figuier Vert Candle  //  Diptyque Classic Candle Set  //  Jo Malone Lime Basil and Mandarin Home Candle

I'm back!!

I know it might have seemed as if I'd abandoned blogland there for a while, but actually it couldn't be further from the truth. It has been a busy (understatement of the year) few weeks for us, getting settled back into the UK, staying with family and finally moving into our own place, and once we did get here we still had to wait another month to get the internet installed! It was finally all sorted this weekend, and I couldn't be happier to be able to resurrect this little slice of the internet and get back into the swing of things!

With Christmas just around the corner, I thought it about time I rounded up all of the little goodies I've had my eye on throughout the year, but just haven't been able to pop into my shopping basket. Christmas is a great opportunity to try out the things you just can't justify buying for yourself - like, for example, expensive candles!! Now, don't get me wrong - it's not that I want other people to spend their money so that I don't have to. It's just that, traditionally I do find that family like to spoil each other at Christmas, and the best gifts are always the ones you've been lusting after for the greatest amount of time!

Diptyque, Hourglass and Jo Malone have long been  brands I have coveted, yet I've never been able to make anything mine - true, I probably could have, but truth be told, there are usually more important things to spend my money on than, say, household fragrances. As much as I'd love to pop a luxury candle on my mantlepiece, or add an expensive face powder to my makeup bag, sometimes I just can't bring myself to part with the cash.

What's on your lust list? Is there anything you've had your eye on all year that you're hoping to finally get your hands on?

It's good to be back!

xx

Video: The Christmas Tag

Hello lovelies, I thought it was about time I filmed something festive for you, so here's my Christmas Tag video.

Don't you just love how the thumbnails for these videos always capture you in the most flattering of poses? Haha. Never mind, when I become a more experienced Youtuber perhaps that will change.

Anyway, hope you enjoy this video and that you are all having a fabulously festive weekend!

xx

A Vintage Christmas: Pinspiration

A slightly different sort of blog post for you today.

Throughout the festive season, I've caught myself many a time trawling the likes of Pinterest and Tumblr in search of beautiful Christmassy inspiration for decor and crafts, and this inevitably resulted in the creation of my Vintage Christmas Pinterest board. At my parents' house, we usually tend to keep things traditional but classy, a theme which is more than fine by me. But I do sometimes like to think about all the pretty little hand-crafted decorations and displays I could create, should Christmas be held at my house one year. This year, I won't be in the country for Christmas at all, as I will be spending it in Brazil with my husband's family, but next year I am planning on getting really creative and making the house look marvellous, Christmas dinner or no Christmas dinner. 

I love the idea of mixing vintage elements with traditional, and getting crafty with wall art and table displays. I think these little patchwork stockings are such an adorable touch and would look fantastic hanging up over a roaring open fire on Christmas Eve.

Hand-made baubles and newspaper Christmas trees make a cute, kitsch addition to the surroundings, while filling jars and large plastic containers with colourful beads and marbles gives you some unique centrepieces for the coffee and dining tables.

You can also collect twigs or branches from the garden, pop them in a plant pot and adorn them with Christmas ornaments. Why not make use of an old, unused picture frame and spruce it up a bit with a lick of paint before attaching some lengths of string on which to display your Christmas cards?

Have you, or are you going to be creating any special decorations or displays for Christmas this year?

xx

Stocking-Filler Wishlist

I thought I'd so something a bit different this week, so instead of my usual weekend wishlist, I thought I would do a Christmas stocking-filler themed one. There are always little bits and bobs I find myself lusting after throughout the year, but I often never get round to picking them up. And with the festivities (and expensive present-buying) around the corner, I have forbidden myself to purchase anything that is not for someone else. So, I have compiled a little selection box of such treats and voila, here it is.

Yankee Candle Tarts

Any Christmassy scents get my vote at the moment, and I think these little Yankee tarts are a great way to try out a few different scents without having to fork out for a full-size one you are not even 100%sure you'll like. Plus, if you're indecisive like me and want a different scent for every mood or day of the week, then these are just the ticket.

Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in Vibrant Coral

Mainly just to see what all the hype is about. Actually, I'd like to try any of them, but this one tickled my fancy when browsing the t'interwebs for clues.

MUA Palette in Going for Gold

Actually, the one I really fancied getting my hands on was the Heaven and Earth palette, but alas, it is out of stock everywhere. This one is a pretty alternative though and fits in with the festive season with the variations of shimmery golds.

MUA Shimmer Kiss Bronzer

Yep, I know. Bit late to the party on these, but I am keen to try out this little treasure along with the Shimmer Kisses Blush. Which, I might add, was supposed to be on this collage, but managed to slyly escape somewhere along the way.

MUA Magnetic Nails

I've never tried a magnetic nail polish. And this one is pretty. Enough said.

Aussie Frizz Miracle

I love Aussie haircare, and after having my hair done I now have pretty frazzled ends which are in need of some TLC.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer

In the hope that it will wake up my forever-tired eyes and help me to bid bon voyage to my stubborn dark circles...or at least make it look that way. This has been on my hit-list for an age and I really don't know why I've left it on the shelf for this long.

Dove Summer Glow

I know it's not summer, but being pale as a ghost is no fun, and I've heard good things about this stuff.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze

Just because it's pretty, and I've never tried one.

I do apologise for not having linked up each of these products separately for you this time. You can find all products listed at:

www.superdrug.com

and

www.muastore.co.uk

The Yankees are available from:

www.yankeecandle.com

What are you hoping to find in your stocking this year?

xx

Christmas Beauty Wishlist

Real Techniques Core Collection  -  Models Own Mirrorball Glitter Polishes  -  The Bodyshop Shea Gift Set  -  Origins 'A PerfectWorld' Skincare Gift Set  -  L'oreal Volume Million Lashes Extreme Mascara  -  MUA Bronzed Perfection  -  MUA Cream Blush in Blossom  - Liz Earle Line Smoothing Serum  -  Diptyque Philosykos Perfume  -  Models Own Ibiza Mix  -  Mac MSF in 'Whisper of Gilt'  -  MUA Pro Brow kit  -  MUA Undressed Palette  -  Nars 'Make-Up Your Mind' Gift Set  -  Real Techniques Starter Kit  -  Organic Surge Face Wash  -  Mac Face Kit

This time around, I've decided to compile a beauty wishlist solely for beauty, because having been asked what  would like for Christmas once or twice, I am really struggling to narrow it down! So, I have put together all the things I would have liked to receive in an ideal world, though some of these things- like the Diptyque Philosykos perfume, £80 - I would never dream of asking for, and I certainly wouldn't fancy paying that price myself, either!

A lot of these items are things I have been meaning to pick up for ages, but just haven't got round to it - such as the MUA Undressed Palette and the Real Techniques brush sets - quite frankly, beauty essentials no girl should be without.

There are some lovely gift sets knocking around at the moment, but that said, I have found the selection quite frustrating when trying to select one I would like. There is always something missing from the set, or something in it that I wouldn't really use - wouldn't it be great if we could choose what went into them for a set price, sort of bespoke Christmas gifts? The Origins 'A Perfect World' set, for example, doesn't contain a night cream, and the Nars sets I looked at that were of  a reasonable price all had lipglosses in them, which are not really my thing (I'm a lipstick girl). The 'Make-Up Your Mind' set was by far the best, containing an Orgasm/Angelika blush duo, Copacabana Multiple and Laguna Bronzing Powder. However, at £55 I do think this is a little steep, and when there are so many other things I've got my eye on, or that could be got with the money, I'm unsure whether or not it's really worth it. Yes, I know these are cult products, but the reason I have never purchased any of the full-size versions until now is because I find Nars really over-priced. £30 for the Laguna/Orgasm bronze/blush duo is just too much.

I hope you've seen something you like on my little list, or that it's perhaps given you a gift idea or two!

Enjoy your weekend lovelies.

xx

Youtube Hauls

I've been watching loads of  'haul' videos on youtube this evening.
For those of you who don't know, a 'haul' video is where someone gets together everything they have recently bought, and sort of show and review them, so that those watching can either go and get themselves the same bit, or just enjoy having an insight into someone else's style.
 At first, I didn't get why people would make them, because if you want to see what's available in a shop without leaving your house then, generally speaking, you can just have a look on the website. But after watching a few hauls which were, well, not really to my taste, I did come across a couple of girls who have really similar taste to mine, but what I really loved about their videos was that they had picked things which, although in my 'style zone', I perhaps wouldn't have thought of picking out myself. It's a really great way to get some fashion inspiration, and see how other people style up pieces that you like, and also how to add pieces you might not have thought of to your wardrobe.
A lot of girls also do videos showcasing their beauty hauls, which is, again, a really interesting viewing experience - perhaps more so. I don't know about you, but I always find myself looking at friends, and just randomers in the street or the pub, who seem to have perfect skin, or who are sporting perfectly shaded eye-shadow, and wondering how on earth they did it. My elaborate  make-up attempts never seem to come out anywhere near as well, and I also find that, even when you think you've found the perfect foundation, the miracle effect never seems to last longer than a week, and then I find myself lusting after a better one!
So even though these haul vids aren't exactly make-up master classes, it's good to know the products that these people use, so we can see them in action and give them a whirl ourselves.

What are your Christmas beauty lust-haves? Do you have a special look planned for the big day?

The pictures above are of some of the more impressive finds amongst Primark haulers, and are actually from www.fluttersparkle.com . If you are interested in seeing the rest of her haul then go to http://www.flutterandsparkle.com/2011/12/another-primark-haul-november-december.html
Leopard print Peter Pan shirt, £7. Embellished crop vest, £10

For some good haul vids, I'd recommend visiting Zoella's channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/zoella280390?feature=watch - my favourite haul vids so far.

Christmas Wishlist

There are so many gorgeous skater style dresses out there at the moment, at great prices, that I think I am going to fill a large section of my wardrobe with them, mostly in block jewel colours. They are just so versatile. I'll be wearing mine with a skinny tan belt, black tights and a biker jacket by day in the winter, and will be happy to pull them out again come the summer. Printed versions are also easy to dress up for nights out. Here are some of the ones on mylust-have list.

These are £24.99 each, from Republic:




I'm also a fan of this polk-a-dot one, £24.99 from Newlook, which I'd wear with a skinny red belt:


My favourite find, though,  is definitely this one, which is from www.boohoo.com, and is only £15! Bargain. Unfortunately, though, they seem to be out of my size, so fingers crossed they'll get some more in soon....



To be honest though, most of all, I'm looking forward to have a good old rummage around Primark. Their clothes have improved so much in the last couple of years. There was a time when I'd only go in for accessories or basics like vest tops, but these days you can find some real gems. I don't know if I can handle all the Christmas Primark carnage though, it's always a nightmare in there as it is! As much as I hate early mornings, I think it's going to be the only way. I really cannot stand long queues because I'm really impatient with that sort of thing, and everything is usually all over the floor by 10am! Luckily, there's a Starbucks right outside my local Primarni, so I think I might pop in there and try one of their delicious sounding Christmas drinks to warm up before (ambitious) or more likely, after trawling for goodies. Gingerbread latte? Yes please.
 I've got to admit, I'm a real sucker for all things Christmas-y, especially having spent the last couple out of the country. This year, I just want to surround myself with festive treats like fairy lights, homemade mince pies and mulled wine, and I'm even enjoying hearing all the cheesy classics playing in the background on TV programs. You've got to love Walford Market in Eastenders for that!
Also on my wish list at the moment are lots of chunky, slouchy fairisle style cardigans and a dalmatian print satchel. I will keep you updated as to whether I find any for a steal.







(Can you tell that I'm excited about Christmas now!?)