Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Cologne

Now that the sun has started to peek out from behind the clouds at long last, I'm wishing I had shared this winter delight with you sooner. The Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Cologne ( £39 for 30ml), is a rich, almost festive winter fragrance, very much reminiscent of hot mulled wine and open fires, and has seen me happily through the colder months, so much so that I've been reaching for it every day without fail since it first dropped through my letterbox. It's often difficult to do a fragrance justice using the written word alone, but I think Jo has done a great job at summing this one up: 

'The sensuality of a daring red dress. Ruby-rich juices of pomegranate, raspberry and plum are spiked with pink pepper and laced with Casablanca lily and spicy woods. A dark and enigmatic fragrance'.

I'd still go with the mulled wine if you find it impossible to imagine such a complex combination - rich, purple fruit and spices  are very much the overall impression this one gives off. 

All in all, it's been an absolute pleasure, and this 30ml size is ideal for slinging in your handbag for top-ups on the go. However, if, like me, it's love at first spray, then you can always go for the 100ml version, at a slightly hefty £78. Personally, I can see myself making the investment come next October, but now that the sun is shining I'm hankering to switch this one up for one of Jo's more spring-like offerings - top of my list are both English Pear & Freesia and Wild Fig & Cassis.

What has your favourite fragrance been this winter, and have you got your eye on anything for the warmer months?

xx

February Beauty Wishlist: Groundhog Day

Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch  //  Jo Malone English Pear and Freesia Cologne  // 

 Origins High Potency Night-a-Mins  //   Nars Sheer Glow Foundation  //  Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick  //  Ren Active 7 Eye Gel

There are some things which just keep popping up on my wish list, again and again, and for one reason or another they never quite make it into my shopping bag. It's certainly not because I lose interest in them, but more than likely because at times, there are just more pressing things to fork out for. High-end beauty products are a real treat, and lately I've really been limiting my spending on the unnecessary.

I'm always on the hunt for a fabulous primer, and for a while now a couple of offerings from Smashbox have been keeping me content (reviews to come), but as I'm nearing the end of my latest tube, I'm ready to give the Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch a good go. I used to be happy to skip on a base product, imagining them to be nothing more than a costly gimmick, but having tried a couple of disappointing ones to begin with, I now couldn't live without a primer. They increase the longevity of my makeup no end, and I couldn't be happier to have finally cottoned on to what I had been choosing to ignore. I can't wait to pair this up with Nars Sheer Glow for a dewy yet flawless finish.

Next up, I cannot wait to get my hands on a bottle of the Jo Malone English Pear and Freesia Cologne. Having snapped myself up Pomegranate Noir for the winter months and fallen in love, my thoughts are already turning to Spring, and frankly I can't think of anything I'd rather smell of!

I'm always game for a new lip product, and these Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipsticks have been on my mind for some time. Sadly, there aren't any stockists near me, and I'm quite fussy with makeup in that I like to see it in the flesh before taking the plunge. However, I'm off up to London next month, and these are high on my Space NK / Liberty's shopping list. I'm not one for lip gloss, but these dry to a highly pigmented, non-sticky finish, and last for hours. Win.

Last up, I've had my eye (!) on the Ren Active 7 Eye Gel ever since I finished up the free sample I picked up with a magazine some weeks back. Soothing and cooling, this is the perfect early morning pick-me-up, banishing puffiness and leaving my peepers looking a whole lot perkier. Check out the aliteration on that.

What's top of your beauty wishlist at the moment?

Is there anything that keeps popping up on yours?

xx

Review: Ren Resurfacing AHA Concentrate

Hi everyone, it's the end of January, and as promised, I'm here and I'm ready to get posting again. 

If you weren't already aware, I've been spending the past two or three months with my head in some books in a bid to better myself and the skills I have to offer, not to mention getting on with my NCTJ studies. While all this has been going on, it hasn't left me a huge amount of time to blog, and while I will be continuing along the journey of self-improvement, I'm now keen to dedicate a bit more time to this little space again. I miss the days of daily postings.

Today I want to share one of my favourite secret skincare weapons with you, namely the glorious Ren Resurfacing AHA Concentrate. Now, I'm sure most of you remember the huge buzz surrounding Alpha Hydroxy Acids last year, and I was right there at the forefront, cheering them on. At the time, my product of choice was the wonderfully gentle Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner, but I have to admit that after a few weeks of use, I began to feel a bit disheartened, as the beneficial effects became less and less.

A bit of background, for anyone who was living under a rock last year and has been left scratching their head.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids are a class of either naturally occurring or synthetic (we all know which I prefer!) chemical compounds,  often used in the cosmetics industry in products claiming to reduce lines and wrinkles,. Essentially, they are chemical exfoliants - much less abrasive than scrubbing away at delicate skin with coarse grains - and gently remove dead skin cells to reveal a new, smoother, softer layer of skin underneath - amongst other things.

The Ren Resurfacing AHA Concentrate is comprised of glycolic, lactic, tartaric and citric acids - all naturally occurring in pineapple, passion fruit, lemon and grapes - and aims to promote skin cell turnover, gently resurfacing and decongesting the skin so that pores and fine lines appear reduced,  leaving the complexion bright, smooth and radiant.

At night, apply one pipette onto clean skin, avoiding the delicate eye area. You can follow up with serum if you like, but personally I like to leave this magic potion to do its thing, uninterrupted, so I generally leave it at that. "What, no moisturiser!?" I hear you ask. Well worry not, as this little beauty aids moisture retention too, and as you only use it for a week or so at a time, it certainly doesn't have any detrimental effects on the skin in that department.

Generally speaking, I tend to use this product in two week cycles to get a really dramatic effect without overdoing it, but you can also try using it every other day over a longer period, which works just as well.

This smells divine - reminiscent of all the tropical fruity goodness it contains - and for me, is an absolute pleasure to use.

But does it work? Oh yes. After use, my skin feels baby-soft, plump and smooth, and is left glowing with radiance after a two-week stint. It definitely helps keep skin decongested and free of any unsightly blocked pores too, which is always an added bonus. 

I would recommend this for people of absolutely all skin-types - it may sound scary, but in reality it is extremely gentle and I have never experienced any adverse effects while using it. That said, if you are extremely sensitive then you may want to do a patch test first, and probably only use it a couple of times a week to start with in order to gauge how your skin responds.

TheRen Resurfacing AHA Concentrate may be pricey, coming in at £30 for 30ml, but it lasts an age and is well worth the splurge. And now that it's available from M & S as well as directly from the Ren website, it's even easier to get hold of.

Go forth and buy!! You won't regret this one.

Are you new to AHAs, or are you an old hand? What are your favourite resurfacing products?

xx

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