Pixie Supremes Magic Mirror review: a thoughtful and engaging toy that is really something special

Mum Punteha joined forced with her eight year old daughter Amelia to test the new Magic Mirror from Magic Mixies. Here she shares her thoughts on the toy to help you decide if you should buy it for your child.

If you're looking into the top Christmas toys, or your child has a birthday coming up, they might already have an idea of what they want. But it can be a minefield for parents to know which toys are worth the money and which are best avoided. Luckily, that's where we come in. We've tested loads of bestselling and newly released toys to help you decide which give the best value for money, and most enriching play experience for your child.

Suitable for kids aged five and over, and with the RRP of £69.99, the Magic Mirror is one of the newest releases from the Magic Mixies range of mix and make toys. You might already be familiar with the bestselling Pixlings. With the Magic Mirror, you follow similar potion mixing steps as with the Pixlings set, and once complete, a Pixie Supreme fashion doll is magically revealed. Afterwards, the mirror becomes a fortune teller, where you can ask it yes or no questions and it will answer them.

Packaging and set up

"The mirror comes with an outer box, with half of it open to view. The box is made from corrugated cardboard and is recyclable. There were lots of flaps on the outer box sealed with tape which needed cutting - at least 10. It was very secure but my daughter needed a little help getting those snipped. She was then able to open the rest of the box and remove the Magic Mirror herself," says Punteha.

The mirror does require three AA batteries to activate the 50 lights and sounds, and these aren't included, so make sure you have some on hand to avoid disappointment.

In the box, you get the mirror itself, which measures 32 x 12 x 34cm, a potion cup, potion ingredients (including dissolvable paper and a fizzing tablet), and a 25cm Pixie Supreme fashion doll once the magic reveal is complete. You will need small jug of water and some kitchen roll or a towel would be handy too.

While Amazon offers an exclusive Skyler doll, most other major retailers only offer the Luna doll variation. However, you have a one in six chance of finding the special edition Shimmer fashion doll, which adds to the reveal excitement.

What's the play experience like?

"There were lots of instructions to follow - 16 steps in total - and the Magic Mirror verbally talks you through them. Each time you complete a step in your time, you press the diamond on the interface to move on to the next. That was really helpful as it allowed me to enjoy the experience too and be immersed in Amelia's enjoyment, rather than flipping back and forth from a set of long instructions. It also helped my daughter do the steps by herself which gave her an enormous sense of accomplishment and satisfaction," says Punteha

But don't be put off by the number of steps, as Puteha explains: "It doesn't feel too arduous as the mirror talks you through each step. It is intuitive to play with and everything functions as it should making the experience fun and smooth for parent and child."

Once you have revealed the fashion doll (which is incredibly detailed and a brilliant toy in it's own right), the mirror can be used as a fortune teller, which extends the play experience further. Simply switch to fortune teller mode using the switch on the back of the mirror. Punteha adds: "It is really fun, even for the adults! I had a go later when Amelia had gone to bed and the way she answers yes/no questions is great because she has 50 responses and phrases and that keeps the magic and variety going. It definitely kept Amelia's interest and I have heard her talking to the Magic Mirror every day since we opened it, making it weeks of play and interest. Any friends she has had over for playdates have also loved it and the answers to their questions sent lots of giggles into the air!

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"It's worth noting the confetti that pops up and out when you've completed the steps elicited a lot of laughter from Amelia and she said, 'I've never seen that before!' and truth be told, neither have I. It was a nice feature and a glittery pat on the back for getting through all the steps as directed."

Can you repeat the reveal?

Yes you can repeat the reveal as many times as you want. You'll need switch off the mirror using the switch on the back, and slot the doll back into its stand, making sure hair and clothing are tucked in, and then pull the handle on the back of the mirror until you hear it click. Hey presto! The doll is back inside the mirror. To start the process again, switch the mirror back on and press the diamond.

Not only will kids love trying to figure out how the magic works, they'll also be really excited to share the magic with their friends again and again.

Is the Pixie Supremes Mirror worth the money?

"The price is steep but the 50 responses and magical interaction of this talking mirror make it a special buy and worth the spend," says Punteha. "I really love this toy and if there is a special achievement to reward your child for, a 'main' birthday or Christmas present quota to fill, this would be a great choice as I've not seen interactive toys like this that retain interest for so long.

" I've not tried a toy that talks back before but I have tried other Magic Mixies potion or magic-led reveals. I found this one much easier to follow as the instructions are read out by the talking mirror. I didn't think its responses would be this unique and varied, so I enjoyed the lack of 'cookie cutter' interactivity. It's clear a lot of thought has gone into the testing and manufacturing process to make this one as easy, and enjoyable as possible to follow and play with."

For more toy reviews, check out our thoughts on the Really Real Puppy from Little Live Pets, the De'longhi coffee machine toy and this Pati School crafting set.