Marks and Spencer advent calendar - day by day discussion thread

[milly848]

I am so bloody excited fo Sunday

Does anyone want to join me in a discussion about the contents this year? No spoilers!

Bollocking I used DS as my guinea pig for the lip balm. He found it even worse than I did but he does suffer from sensitive lips. We have a Disney advent calendar that included lip balm and that one didn't tingle. DS loved it so much he has been taking it to school!
Second night using the night cream and although I hate the scent, I have to admit I can see small improvements already. Ditto with the eye cream. My skin is looking smoother and definitely fuller around my eyes.

Do people really see improvements in wrinkles?

I never do. No matter what I put on my face it always looks the same.

I haven't Lonicera! But I did use the REN night cream last night and my skin feels very soft this morning.
I love the smell of today's! I am going to have to be disciplined to actually use it though - I have had a bottle of the Neal's Yard rose toner on the go for ages. I really like it....Just forget to use it most days!

I've liked all the stuff so far..really happy with it. I got a more minty tingle on my lips from the balm and quite like it. Stays on for a while.

Ooh rather impressed with today's offering. :) Like a PP I do need to remember to use it though. 😂

Used the elasticizer and the ten again last night and both my skin and hair are lovely and soft.
Impressed with this morning's as it's a brand I've always toyed with trying. I've never used a tone though. Is it essentially like a cleanser? Or for use after cleansing and before moisturising?

After cleansing and before moisturiser.

My lip balm is Berry and only has the slightest tingle to it, I robably wouldn't have noticed it if it wasn't for this thread. I had a Burts Bees menthol one last winter and that was properly tingly.

Happy enough with today's offering, I don't routinely use toner but I like rose water based ones when I do.

When I first opened today's box I thought it was Pixi Glow but it's definitely a nice brand to try. I haven't used toner in years ... does it really make a difference? Regardless I'll bet it smells lovely and is one of those things that's "nice to use ".
Actually I'm just finishing the Alpha Gold Rose stuff from last year at the mo ... now that is lovely!

I've never used a tonic (except in gin) but this smells nice so I'll give it a go

Lonicera I've never noticed a difference with creams before. I've tried a few different eye creams in the past because the skin under my eyes seems to be getting thinner. None of the ones I tried made any difference but the one from the advent calendar has ... Although I'm not sure anyone else would notice the difference!

@BollockingBaubles Fabulous scientific experiment there!

I agree with PP. I like the look of todays. But at 53 I still don't feel grown up enough to use a toner [gsmile] DD will probably want it though.

Very pleased with today's toner, like others have said I don't use toner but this is a nice chance to try something new. It smells lovely and felt very refreshing when I used it. I do now need to go and buy cotton wool pads though. What does the Pixie glow do? Is it worth trying?

I've gone back to the controversial lip balm again today in case it was a coincidence that my lips dried out so badly last time. The tingle is there but I suspect it's not meant to be and it's a reaction to something, it's the wrong kind of tingle if that makes sense?

Interesting that it's made in the US and contains corn syrup - I knew it was used in a lot of foods in the US but hadn't realised it was also in beauty products.

Ohh, just found this on the Skyn Iceland website, so it seems the tingling aka cooling sensation is meant to be there (although I would question the pseudo science):

Aside from reminding you of the cool, clean and calming air in Iceland, the cooling sensation in our products actually works with the micro-circulation in your skin to decrease redness and irritation. The more you feel it, the harder it's at work.

I cleanse, tone and moisturise every morning, it's really all i do with my skin apart from a face mask once a week. I had just stocked up on lush products and I love their toner because it is a spray and has lots of calming ingredients in it. I might empty this into one of their spray bottles as it is easier than faffing around with a cotton pad.

I am going out for lunch today with some people I will be doing work with next year and I hope they recognise me with my swishy hair, smooth decolletage, bright eyes and radiant skin.

I am still suffering from the lip balm and the sore areas inside my mouth are breaking out into mouth ulcers. My lips are very sore and I had to forego on the Pringles last night 🤨. I have sent an online message to M and S. This can't be right.
Just as a matter of interest, I have a very mild almond allergy and this contains almond oil. I only usually get a sore mouth after eating raw whole almonds so wouldn't have expected any reaction to oil in cosmetics. Do any of the other people with sore lips have almond allergies?
So glad this wasn't for the 24th

I have absolutely no nut allergies - I'm regretting testing it again this morning as it has left me with painful lips (worse than before) and it's only been a few hours. My lips were perfectly fine before, not dry or damaged but this product has had such a fast and negative impact it's strange.

This is what their website says about their products, I'd be interested in the details of the clinical trials:

has been clinically tested on even the most sensitive, delicate skin

has been used with great results post-plastic surgery, post-laser and -skin peels, and on burned skin

actually takes the irritation and sensitivities OUT of skin. Our formulas contain active levels of natural ingredients which reduce redness, irritation, hives and breakouts on all skin types

get to a pharmacy and buy some LRP cicaplast for lips. It should help. Pharmacist recommended it to me after I had reaction to lip product and it helped very fast

I used the elasticizer last night and my hair feels very soft but also quite boingy
I’ve so far tried the
Nail varnish - lovely colour, only on my toes at the moment
Neck cream - I always moisturise my neck but this cream seems to make my skin feel better than normal and it smells nice
Night cream - skin feels soft but I smell like a condiment
Eye cream - tried it and didn’t notice any difference but I’ve only used it twice as I keep forgetting
Lip balm - slight tingle, not overly keen on the texture but I’ll give it a few more tries, normally use Elizabeth Arden 8 hour stuff in a little tin which suits me fine so I don’t think I’d change from that.
I’ve not tried the rest yet, had a sniff of the perfume, it smells quite nice but a bit too heavy for me, much preferred last years blood orange,
Still using last years mascara, not the eyeko one, I really like the shape of the brush and it doesn’t clog, need to try both last years and this years eyeko yet
I’ve got a No7 calendar too so I’m trying tiff from there too

Really happy with the toner today. 😍 Loving this calendar. Don’t care what the hubby says, next year I’m having the M&S one and another!

Used the elasticiser again last night and my hair feels fabulous this morning. I wish I’d discovered this stuff when I still had long hair.

Happy with yesterday’s body lotion, which is nice and moisturising. I get through loads of body lotion –I have dry skin, especially in winter – so I doubt this will last long. I think a full size of this will be a bit expensive for me, considering I’d be slathering it on every day.

I’m looking forward to trying the rose toner, though I hope it’s as soothing as it claims, as my skin is a bit red and dry at the moment. I’m not sure if it’s just usual winter dryness or if I’ve actually reacted to the Ren night cream.

Sorry to see people have had problems with the lip balm :(. Oddly, I really like it and have had no reaction at all, and my skin is quite easily irritated in general. I feel a tiny menthol tingle when I first put the balm on but it only lasts about 30 seconds.

Chrysanthemum

Oh no, so many of the Advent Gang have got poorly lips! I really hope they get better soon, absolutely not what you need.

Writers me too, I've been saving £1 coins this year to get this so I may have to up the ante so I can get another too! I also treated myself to 2 x Birchboxes for £8 in their Black Friday sale which are under the tree as a present to me. To which DH commented "Don't you think you've got enough of all that stuff".

Totally considering whether I should LTB over that

Pleased with this morning's Rose Tonic. I already have the Pixi Glow Tonic (same size bottle, cost about a tenner) so I'm interested to see how the Rose works.

My skin hated Pixi Glow so I’m hoping this is a gentler version.

I’ve never been sure on the point of toner.