Not buying an advent calendar this year: mutual support thread

[MorrisZapp]

Right. You know it, I know it, we all know it. Beauty advent calendars offer shit value for money when you actually break it down.

I guarantee that if you spent the same sum on any other format of beauty products, you'd do better. Especially when gifts, bonuses and freebies are factored in.

Off top of head, take Clarins. Spend a chunk there at bonus time and you'll have enough good stuff to last the year THAT YOU SPECIFICALLY CHOSE.

Join me. Say no to that tenth mini bottle of Nuxe oil. Decline to fill your pants drawer with Percy and Reed 'wonder spray' (I wonder what it's meant to do?). Stop hassling your friends to relieve you of Leighton Denny nail polish in revolting shades. Guess what? Silver doesn't flatter their hands either.

Rise up! Buy all the gorgeous, beautiful stuff and CHOOSE IT YOURSELF!

I like you.

I completely agree.

I still want one though

Oh god me too. I keep googling them but I know, I KNOW it's folly.

Come on, let's do this. Will that nail file spark joy come next May? Can you truly examine the cosmetics bags of shame you already have, and say the cure is buying more?

DID YOU EVER EVEN USE THAT ADORABLE SOAP?

Haha OP are you me?

That soap is still in the beautiful box! The EL cream isn't for my skin type!

Oh but they're so handy for travelling!!

What, you're an international business traveller now are you? Are you fuck. And when you do ship out to Majorca that one time we all know you'll want ALL NEW STUFF. Not the travel sizes of despair.

I have found like-minded folk. I want one, im googling, reading up contents lists, putting into online baskets and then deleting it.....

I want one but know i still haven't used up all of last year's stuff. I will stay strong and resist!

To be fair, the Rituals one I got last year actually had all lovely, useful stuff and in good sizes too, not all that 5ml shite. But I agree, most are about the novelty factor more than value for money. But I still want one so bad.

I need you right now! Was thinking about creating my own advent calendar, and buying 24 gorgeous mini things for myself.

I have one for DS, this year it's fucking huge!! Which makes me want one too....😢

Tell me not to buy 24 pieces of crap that simply fit the size of the holes. Hand hold pls...

I couldn't agree with you more. They're shit.

It's like that hot whippersnapper from accounts. He's available. He's gorgeous. He's shiny and new. He offers guaranteed satisfaction and total indulgence for as long as it takes for snow to melt.

Then you have a whole year to reflect upon your inability to resist novelty.

I could fill one right now.

An advent calendar that is, not a whippersnapper.

I could trawl the nooks and find at least 24 unused bits and bobs. In fact I did, last year, for my neices present. And I still mysteriously have stashes...

I’m with you, OP!

I have decided that rather than spending ££££££ on loads of travel sized crap I probably won’t use half of (which is pretty much what all beauty calendars are), I’m buying myself one bottle of perfume I really want.

@afishnotabird
YEP, this
TBF I’ve only found out about them this year though so maybe I’m allowed just one 🙏🏼

Good idea about the perfume 🤔

You are so right. And the packaging is so bad for the environment.

But I still want one. I loved opening mine every morning last couple of years.

I only ever buy the M&S one as I just can’t justify spending so much on other ones. The M&S one is not so expensive.

I’m torn! I do travel and find stuff useful. But I agree about the nail varnish colours.

I don’t really get it . If it was a ‘ surprise ‘ each day I might be interested but I couldn’t get enthralled by something I knew was coming . I also would rather buy a few bits that I knew I wanted to try .

Yes Peridot1 and at a time when we should really know better and be reducing consumption!

Ahoy just the one, as an experiment!

I bought a tea one last year, every tea bag was a variation on the same disgusting theme. I threw them out and filled it back up with Tetley.

I should know better now...

Think of the environment!

But I really want the M&S one!
And I've been really good this year.
And and and...
You're right, I must resist (I can keep my Birchbox though, right?)

A Jo Malone one will do me now that’s definitely not going to happen unfortunately.

I totally overdid it on the makeup ones last year, spent far more than I should have done. I'm going to have to try and do my best to atone this year by not buying any, but something tells me I will cave in at some point, probably when they start being advertised at reduced rates.

I've still got lots of left over bits from my Tili advent calendar last year (QVC sent duplicate products because they'd had some issues). It's all in a bag in my bedroom. I don't need anymore but I want more!!!!! I loved opening each drawer and seeing what was in there even if it was shit - which most of it was!!! The bits that weren't shit were too expensive for me to buy as full sizes (Elemis pro-collagen cream - £90!!) so they made me sad too.

Paste, eBay is great for Elemis, you can pick stuff up for a third of the price.

I'm buying myself some new Kerastase bits rather than a calendar. Far more use than twenty products for oily hair/ skin/ a tiny oil that won't even cover the back of your hand.

If you like Elemis pcmc then you need to Christmas tsv, it's always full size pcmc plus other full size bits for about fifty quid. Cheaper than an advent calendar, and with full sizes!

Sorry that was a tad garbled. You need the Christmas tsv ("today's special value') on QVC.