Giveaway: Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin Candle

Just a quick reminder for you today that my Jo Malone candle giveaway is still running. I've got a full-size candle up for grabs in the gorgeously fresh, summery scent of Lime Basil & Mandarin, and with thee being worth £40 to buy, it's a great chance to get your hands on one without breaking the bank.

Good luck!

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Summer Giveaway: Win a Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin Scented Candle

Hi everyone!  No one likes a Monday, especially when it means going to work on a blazing hot summer's day when you could be on the beach, so today seems like as good a day as any to share a little summer giveaway with you.

Up for grabs, and just because I feel like it, is a full-size Jo Malone scented candle in the fresh and summery fragrance, Lime Basil and Mandarin, worth £40. These don't come cheap, so if you've been looking to get your hands on one for a while but just couldn't justify the price-tag, then now is your chance!

Just pop your details into the Rafflecopter form below and keep your fingers crossed. The giveaway will run until the end of the month, and if you happen to be under 16 then  make sure you have permission from your parents to enter.

I think that's about it - best of luck to you all and have a great week!

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

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

Last Minute Mother's Day Dash!

Ren Moroccan Rose Experience Gift Set, Marks and Spencer  -  Spring Days Bouquet, Marks and Spencer  -  Orange Grove Signature Candle, The White Company  -  Indulgent Spa Day for Two, Marks and Spencer  -  Mini Macaroons, Marks and Spencer  - Home Scenting Gift Set, Neom  -   La Petite Patisserie Quartet in Creme de Pistache, Laura Mercier  -  Full Moon Soak, Soak Yourself

It's Saturday night. You've forgotten it's Mother's Day tomorrow. That, or you've been so busy all week that you just haven't had the chance to pick up something lovely for the special lady in your life. Cue a mad Sunday morning dash to the shops to find something equally special.

If that's you, then fear not, because there are loads of gorgeous gifts out there to please any mother, and here I've put together a selection of my top picks. 

First things first, why not surprise her with this Ren Moroccan Rose Experience Gift Set, which contains a selection of Rose Otto products, including body wash, body cream, bath oil and body oil. I nearly got this one for my own mum, as it's got everything in there to have a nice, luxurious Sunday afternoon pamper session. 

On the subject of baths and pampering, I can't imagine any mother who wouldn't be thrilled to bits to receive the Soak Yourself Full Moon Soak Box, which is packed with goodies such as handmade soap, candles and a relaxing blend of tea. It's quite pricey at £40, but I love the idea and think it would be perfect for unwinding at the end of a stressful week.

There seems to be a bit of a theme here, as next up is the luxurious Neom Home Scenting Gift Set, containing aromas of lavender, jasmine and Brazilian Rosewood. You get a warming candle designed to evoke feelings of peace and tranquility, a gentle pillow spray for refreshing sleep and of course, a diffuser through which to enjoy the wonderful scents provided. I think this is probably my favourite of the lot, and it comes in at £50 - not cheap, but just think how much enjoyment can be had from it.

I have been lusting after the Laura Mercier La Petite Patisserie Creme de Pistache Quartet since Christmas. All the products smell absolutely divine, from the Souffle Body Creme and Creme Body Wash to the hand cream and Eau Gourmande - literally like you have just stepped out of a French bakery. I don't know a mum who deosn't like hand creams, and I think the scent of this little lot is enough to win anyone over.

If you're after something calming and relaxing, but without the hefty price tag, then I love the look of the The White Company Orange Grove Signature Candle, which is a more purse-friendly £20.

And if all else fails, you can always give her an Indulgent Spa Day Experience (£199), some delicious Marks and Spencer Mini Macaroons, or of course the classic bunch of flowers - my favourite this year is the Marks and Spencers Spring Bouquet, £30.

I hope this have given you a few ideas if you were feeling a bit stuck, and if not then perhaps you've seen something you might like to treat yourself to!

What are your plans for Mother's Day?

I hope you have a lovely day.

xx