Beauty Advent Calendars 2020

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After a weird year, who is thinking about treating themselves? Can’t believe how quickly this has come round!

Nothing is out yet but some places are keeping waiting lists for notifications e.g. Cult Beauty. The John Lewis sneak peak looks promising. And I believe Body Shop is out the end of this month.

Any you will be looking out for? I’m thinking of splurging on a decent one this year — I had serious envy over Cult Beauty last year. I’ve also become a huge SpaceNK fan this year so I’ll have my eye out to see what they’re producing.

My big surprise hit last year was Holland and Barrett — super cheap and some brilliant items. If it’s as good this year I might end up with that as a bonus.

Absolutely this!
Bet M&S are kicking themselves!

Yep. I would have happily paid £65 for just the calendar

Go for it, Freda!
Don't know how old your mum is but I'm staring 50 in the face and would be thrilled to receive it as a gift. I think if you're giving beautiful advent calendars as a gift, first of all, you are clearly amazing and I'd want to be your friend, but it's maybe safer to go for more generic body care ones than makeup/facial skincare ones, unless you know the recipient's taste well. That said, I'd love anything like this just to get that rush of opening a door each day!

I know (from lurking) that the Day 1 M&S last year was a £25 Aveda product (that I went out and bought as a standalone purchase)

They must be selling those calenders at a loss , maybe this year they couldn't get the range of products they needed . Some of the sample or trial sizes would have to be made for this specifically .

Yes, the Aveda was amazing...bought it a fair few times since then and my four children use it as well as myself. I will really miss it this year.

This thread has made me buy the Rituals calendar.

I MUST NOT buy any more.
Except No7... and maybe L’Occitaine...

I have already bought Look Fantastic and H&B. I get serious Advent Calendar FOMO from this thread

@70isaLimitNotaTarget

I know (from lurking) that the Day 1 M&S last year was a £25 Aveda product (that I went out and bought as a standalone purchase)

They must be selling those calenders at a loss , maybe this year they couldn't get the range of products they needed . Some of the sample or trial sizes would have to be made for this specifically .

I don’t think they make a loss. I bet companies are queuing up to be in those calendars.

Samples are cheap. I worked in the industry and we’d have buckets and buckets of samples. They give them away free for advertising.

The full size not the same, but I bet there’s a deal. Massive mark up on beauty products.

@FredaFox I've had a few Rituals products in subscription boxes including hand cream, body cream, shower oil, shower foam and my favourite, the rice and cherry blossom body scrub. All have been really nice so the calendar should be a good bet. I prefer multi brand calendars but am tempted myself!

I've gone for Look Fantastic and also Birchbox which will be my Jadvent. Going to try hard now not to buy more until any deals come along! Would like a second one to open in Dec but usually for me that would be M&S (boo, hiss) so I am keeping an eye out for suitable alternatives. Will really miss the M&S day by day opening thread on here!

The Autograph one they are doing instead looks overpriced to me. It's about £75 and is only 12 days. So I will skip that.

@Butterymuffin - if debenhams do one, it would be a good substitute for M&S. I got it last year and it was really good. Half price with any beauty purchase so only cost €45 when I bought something for about €5.

For the multi brand calendars, I don’t think it’s the retailers that are selling them at a loss - rather they insist that the skincare / makeup companies supply them with products at the fraction of the retail price. Those companies will then hope that buyers will like the products and buy them again.

If you look at some of the one brand calendars (eg CT and Jo Malone for example) they are poor value for money as they are priced at more or less the same as buying the products individually. That is why I never buy them - if I were to buy at cost then I would just go and choose the things I liked. The are some exceptions though - I have had Decleor before which is good value.

@OchonAgusOchonOch thanks! I do remember it looked good last year.

Latest in Beauty have said they will have one out in
October too. I didn't get last year's but will consider it this time.

@Eaumyword she’s 76, I’ve got her the l’occitane one in the past which she liked but preferred last years M&S as it was multi brand. I’m really tempted with the rituals though
@Butterymuffin I’m thinking look fantastic for me, I missed out last year holding in for a discount as it got reduced the year before, I had Birchbox last year and got the grazia one at Black Friday which I kept for January. Both were good.
I want them all!!!!

Freda does Debenhams do one this year ?
They have loads of brands in store - just looked at the 2019 , looks about 33% make-up the rest skincare and bodycare

Or there's Boots No 7 ?

What calendar would you get for a 16 year old? She wears a lot of make up so preferably something with good skincare in!

She has a 13 yr old cousin we want to get her something too but this is a very tricky age. Too young for "beauty" but not into child like things.

I'm waiting for the space nk one. I just love it. And maybe Rituals too which I also love, I use their products all year on my body.

What calendar would you get for a 16 year old? She wears a lot of make up so preferably something with good skincare in!

I got the asos one for dd when she was 17 and the H&B one when she was 18. She loved both.

@doadeer I'm making one for my 13 yr DD. She's got quite sensitive skin so I'll be buying a few bits of make up and skincare that she won't react to and mix it up with some sweets/chocolate too!

I don't think it will be any more expensive than buying off the shelf and will all be products I know she'd like and use. Might be an option for the 13 yr old?

@GlassOfPimms ah great idea but she doesn't live with us it's DH niece and I won't be seeing her, I wanted to send something to the house but I don't want anything her mum will be uncomfortable with.

My DD is 17 almost and over the last couple of years has had l'Occitane, Amazon, Cath Kidston (surprisingly lovely, hand creams, soaps, candles etc) Yankee and a teenagery makeup one from Allbeauty that I can't remember the name of.
I think I might be about to buy Rituals. 🐑

Missed out on the Holland and Barrett one again. I’ve signed up for an email alert if it comes back in, I’m sure it came back in for a limited time last year. Fingers crossed.

I normally buy M&S, amazed they’re not doing one. After much deliberation I’ve ordered the ASOS one, good mix of make up & body products, brands I like.. £75 was a bit heafty but then M&S you have a min spend so I figured it was ok..

M&S are just bloody useless and self-sabotaging!

It looks as though the Pretty Little thing advent calendars sold out within minutes this morning. Was hoping to get it for my teenager as it seemed to have quite a bit of make up in it and was £40. Bummer...

Pretty Little Thing advent is still available

Yes what a bonkers decision of M&S, it was clear that this Christmas people would be more restricted and more likely to buy a nice calendar. Maybe they’ll release one later...

@LorrainePBell where are you seeing it is still available?