There’s a whole host of reasons why waking up in the dark isn’t ideal. Sluggish starts, cold commutes and a strong desire to stay in bed aside, trying to apply make-up in a dimly lit bathroom is incredibly annoying.

I walked out of the house only two days ago, thinking my foundation was nearly flawless when my girlfriend hastily touched up my tidemark. A tell-tale sign of amateur application, a rushed morning routine, or, in my case, a bathroom light that’s no brighter than a firefly.

While the torch on my phone sufficed for a while, the No7 cordless illuminated mirror has since landed on my desk and quite quickly secured a spot on my bathroom cabinet.

It’s this week’s Boots star gift – the retailer is bringing us bi-weekly gifting-focused products dropped in price just before Christmas. So, you’ll be happy to hear this make-up mirror is now just £20.

Keep reading below to find out why I loved it, and keep an eye on our new @indybeautytips Instagram page, where we’ll be giving away the make-up mirror and more very soon.

How we tested

The make-up mirror is available in both gold and silve (Lauren Cunningham)

After weeks of applying my make-up in the dark, bringing this make-up mirror into my morning routine really did make a noticeable difference. After playing around with all three settings, surveying my face and plucking, poking and applying products, keep reading to find out what I loved and loathed.

No7 cordless illuminated mirror gold

Number of settings: Three

Power source: Rechargeable

Guarantee: Two years

Why we love it

Looks chic

Easy to use

Portable

Take note

No plug

As much as I liked this make-up mirror, I loathed it, too. For every swipe of foundation I could see with ease, every pore looked enlarged, my moustache was more defined, and I even found a few straggling chin hairs that had clearly been growing for quite some time. So, in some cases, ignorance may be bliss.

The mirror has two sides. One reflects your face in a way any standard mirror might, which makes it a great option for applying make-up, while the other has five times the magnification, perfect for close-up inspecting, plucking or poking.

With three light settings, you can select either a warm or cool white light ring around the edge of both mirrored sides. The cool white (which has both a dim and bright option) seems to show all hairs, pores and fine lines, while the warm white adds a softer glow that doesn’t result in as much over-analysis.

Personally, I found no use for the dim cool white setting because it offers little illumination. Instead, I opted for the warm white when applying make-up, and bright cool white when plucking hairs and inspecting pores.

But one design trait that did leave me perplexed is that a plug wasn’t included in the box. After a thorough search, it seems you will have to provide your own, which is a simple solution for any Apple USB charger owner. Or, you can charge the mirror up using the included USB cable through the back of a computer or laptop.

This will charge the make-up mirror so that the light stays illuminated. After around 30 minutes, you can unplug the device and leave it on any surface, ready to use for a good few days. This, I found, was a big plus when wanting to use the mirror in the bathroom – an area notorious for lacking plug sockets.

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The verdict: No7 cordless illuminated mirror

Luckily, now armed with tweezers and this No7 make-up mirror, I have taken to my face, plucking any out-of-place hairs previously hiding in the dim light of my bathroom. So, I can safely say the mirror will be staying put on my bathroom shelf. Make-up is also easier to apply, especially eyeshadow and eyeliner, and I have no more fear of leaving the house with a ‘foundation neck’.

I would, for the original £54.95, have liked to see the settings get a little bit brighter to truly light up every angle of my face. But at the discounted price of £20, I’m happy to say it seems like a real bargain buy, and any make-up, skincare or even homeware fan is sure to enjoy making this mirror part of their make-up station setup.

Looking for more Christmas gift inspiration? Take a look at the best beauty gift sets