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Original poster

Three 'beauty' advent calendars for a grown woman?

274 replies

royco · 02/12/2021 08:34

I've just seen someone posting that she's got three beauty advent calendars to open this year.

When did this become a thing? Surely it's wasteful, expensive and completely unnecessary?

Call me Scrooge Blush

OP posts:
Beowulfa · 02/12/2021 10:02

I read that the little containers in these calendars are too small for the big Council recycling machines to process, so they end up in landfill anyway.

I'm no Scrooge; I love Christmas, but focus on the festive stuff that isn't stupidly expensive/crazily wasteful. I was given an advent candle which is a nice treat whilst I have my breakfast each gloomy morning in December.

NotMyCat · 02/12/2021 10:03

I have a wax melt one. Will use all of them and yes it was expensive but worth it

Rainbowdrops2021 · 02/12/2021 10:05

My lovely MIL buys me the M&S one every year and I really look forward to it. It’s so nice to have a little unknown treat everyday. I use every product throughout the year and have a big pamper before Xmas day. The packaging is also so pretty that I was able to give away the old empty calendars to be re used, on a local group.

elbea · 02/12/2021 10:05

I have the benefit one, it’s only 12 days and is all paper packaging if that’s a worry.

I don’t wear a lot of make up but I like benefit, the make up in it will last me a year. A lot of years I find myself throwing away half used bottles of mascara etc… I also get the free Winter Beauty Box from John Lewis every year, all of the big samples in that do me for the year too. I find them the opposite of being wasteful.

ClawedButler · 02/12/2021 10:09

Ah there's always someone, haunted by the terrible fear that somebody, somewhere, might be having fun.

simpledeer · 02/12/2021 10:09

The Misery is strong in you OP!!

I have the M&S one and am currently off work with stress, having a mini breakdown. Having the little box to open each morning is an incentive to get out of bed and gives me a tiny bit of pleasure. If there are any items I will not use, I will give them away to my DD or to my local Women's Refuge.

I am sure all of us spend money on/get pleasure from things that others wouldn't. No need to be so sneery.

Applemelon · 02/12/2021 10:11

For everyone say 'if it's makes me happy what's the harm', or 'it's just a treat' - it's the consumerist system that makes you think you need to buy things to be happy. Why can't you be happy or have treats that don't involve buying things? Wouldn't that be better for everyone? I have plenty of things I do in my life to keep me pepped up and happy, but having new things isn't one of them.

Applemelon · 02/12/2021 10:13

Are we honestly saying that this buying stuff is the best way to have fun? Who benefits from us having fun in this way (shareholders of big companies, CEOs etc)? Who loses (people who are buying this stuff even though they can't really afford it, THE PLANET)?

Pedalpushers · 02/12/2021 10:13

I've got one this year, on the first day I got a ridiculously expensive face cream that I would never normally buy as it's so pricey, but obviously it's heavily discounted as part of the calendar. I checked the contents before I bought and every product has a similar story, all things I already wanted to or am happy now to try but wouldn't pay full price for. There are two things in there I don't want and they will be stocking fillers for my MIL who will love them. I love beauty products and it's an amazing opportunity to branch out and try samples of luxury products before committing, as well as giving myself a little treat every morning after a bloody horrible year. Don't be miserable and judgemental.

northbacchus · 02/12/2021 10:13

I rarely get through full sized creams/makeup products etc before they expire so the advent calendar sizes work for me!

To those bringing up consumerism, what anti consumerist gifts have you bought? Wink

Goatinthegarden · 02/12/2021 10:14

@Popcornriver it’s an easy one to dodge though right? We never had all these advent calendars and suddenly lots of people are consuming more than one each. That’s a big rise in unnecessary packaging. I’m no scrooge and I love a treat, but I think we need to try harder.

I totally agree we need to cut down supermarket packaging and fast fashion too. It just seems like this is a calendar is an easy product to say no to. Companies are bringing out more and more calendars each year because so many people buy them. Just buy a sustainable calendar, a single Lego model or treat yourself to £150 of gin or skin care or whatever without all the packaging.

A Christmas jumper isn’t really an issue if it gets passed onto other child once grown out of and survives several Christmases.

DrSbaitso · 02/12/2021 10:14

@Applemelon

For everyone say 'if it's makes me happy what's the harm', or 'it's just a treat' - it's the consumerist system that makes you think you need to buy things to be happy. Why can't you be happy or have treats that don't involve buying things? Wouldn't that be better for everyone? I have plenty of things I do in my life to keep me pepped up and happy, but having new things isn't one of them.
Please post a comprehensive list of all your Christmas shopping.
Pedalpushers · 02/12/2021 10:14

Oh and all those saying why can't you be happy without buying stuff - I can do that too, you don't get a medal for it.

Tiredalwaystired · 02/12/2021 10:15

Every last item in our body shop calendar last year was used. Full sized products too. We ended up buying more of some items. Box and bottles are fully recyclable. Soaps come in packets not plastic bottles.

About a £30 saving on full price. That was between three of us though.

edwinbear · 02/12/2021 10:16

I have the M&S one, DD has a Nivea one. It's a little bit of joy in, frankly, a pretty miserable world right now. I really don't see the harm.

Pipsandseeds · 02/12/2021 10:16

@northbacchus

I rarely get through full sized creams/makeup products etc before they expire so the advent calendar sizes work for me!

To those bringing up consumerism, what anti consumerist gifts have you bought? Wink

I'm an anti-consumerist. I do still buy presents for my kids, but they are almost always second-hand. For other people I either make the present or give something low impact/that will be used forever, e.g. a book, woollen socks. I think really carefully about it because I'm worried about the environment.
Rainbowdrops2021 · 02/12/2021 10:16

There’s plenty of things in my life that make me happy that don’t need to be brought but I also have a calendar 😁.

DaphneDeloresMoorhead · 02/12/2021 10:17

DD's advent calendar has been in constant use since 1982. Can someone polish my halo for me ?

Three 'beauty' advent calendars for a grown woman?
Instagram · 02/12/2021 10:19

I’m just envious! Wish I had three beauty advent calendars!

DrSbaitso · 02/12/2021 10:21

Why is all the anti consumerist ire always aimed at film night boxes or inexpensive gift sets? Why is it never levelled at expensive tech, long journeys to see family for Christmas, foreign holidays, new bikes or other things the middle classes would be loathe to give up?

HoppingPavlova · 02/12/2021 10:22

What a weird post. I have …….. drumroll ……. 9.
Of those, 5 are beauty. The others are food/teas/jams/alcohol). My beauty ones are Clinique, Body Shop, L’Occitane, ASOS, Fantastic.

I don’t open all 9 at once but have 9 months of Advent, one a month, then a 3 month break before starting again each November. I just keep an eye on expiry dates for food ones and time it all to fit. Obviously the last week of each month is also a break before starting each new one.

I’ve never had any in the food ones not to my taste, probably because I only buy ones I know I will like. Most of the beauty stuff gets used, the odd thing I know DD would really like I put aside and recycle one and give it to her for her birthday month so she has a special month. On the rare occasion there is something neither DD or I would use I would usually take it to work and someone wants it (that fell down a bit when in lockdowns obviously but usually it’s the fix to avoid any waste).

I also get each member of my household an Advent I know they will like for December. Again, in a rare instance they don’t want something it’s easily shuffled off to someone else. I’m happy to spring for one, if they want more to do similar to myself they need to organise/purchase and they don’tGrin.

I’m happy. Couldn’t give a shiny shit what you think.

HardbackWriter · 02/12/2021 10:28

@DaphneDeloresMoorhead

DD's advent calendar has been in constant use since 1982. Can someone polish my halo for me ?
A gold star for you!

I'm slightly bitter than my own advent calendar - in use since 1987 - has gone to my brother's children, along with his one, because his children are older than mine. So I've purchased new reusable fabric advent calendars for mine. I don't get the full halo though, I think, because I didn't make them!

I actually think a reusable one is more exciting than any bought one because you don't know what 'type' of thing will be there each day. Though obviously that relies on having someone else to fill it for you!

Ellen888 · 02/12/2021 10:28

They have to be reduced to sell it seems. Not as 'sell-out' as they claim...

Shows that they were overpriced in the first place Hmm

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/sell-out-beauty-advent-calendars-22322183

Pipsandseeds · 02/12/2021 10:37

@DrSbaitso

Why is all the anti consumerist ire always aimed at film night boxes or inexpensive gift sets? Why is it never levelled at expensive tech, long journeys to see family for Christmas, foreign holidays, new bikes or other things the middle classes would be loathe to give up?
To be fair I target my ire at all these things too Grin
petshihtzu · 02/12/2021 10:38

I really want a lush or body shop advent calendar. But so expensive!