General beauty advent calendar discussion and swap thread

[AprilLady]

Like many others, I’m looking forward to starting my Beauty Advent Calendars on Tuesday. With no M&S calendar or thread this year, I thought it might be fun to have a general beauty advent calendar discussion and swap thread. I would love to hear everyone’s thoughts about the calendar they are opening, whatever it is.

I suggest though we comment only on content from current or previous days, so as not to spoil the surprise for those opening one day at a time.

Skinstore goodies from last two days
U Beauty Resurfacing Compound - Deluxe Size (Worth$58) Chantecaille Jasmine and Lily Healing Mask - Full Size ($89)

I have to say really impressed by them, as well as Cult beauty this year. space nk, considering the reduced cost I bought it is also great

Bit underwhelmed by Libety and I think it could be one and done fo me!

It will be interesting to chat again next year about this year advents and see what the view on each will be after we have chance to use the products for some time

Ooh those products in Skinstore sound amazing Mia. My favourite calendar so far is F&M. We got a brush on SPF moisturiser from Dr Russo this morning...every morning from that box has been fantastic so far.

Ethique facial cleansing bar in H&B today. I suspect it may not be for me - it’s for dry skin, and mine is a human oil slick - but it’s a good size. I won’t open it yet in case someone fancies a swap.

Psychic sisters rose quartz jade roller from ASOS, over the moon! Been wanting one for ages, just sat and rollered. Feels lovely.. ❤️

As @AllTheDogsIveLovedBefore says, another really good product from F&M. It’s a full size combination moisturiser and SPF30 sunscreen that is supposed to last all day. Looks really good.

N-a-P is the Hayou face massaging tool. Not convinced by this, and keep picturing Consmetopia’s face when she spoke about one of these being included in an advent calendar.

@MiaN, I agree it would be good to do a review and discussion on previous calendars a year later. Might be worth a separate thread discussing those from 2019? I’ve analysed a couple of mine, looking at how many products I at least tried, how many got used up, how many I loved, and how many I actually rebought.

Based on this thread so far, Rituals is very likely to be on my list next year. Also thinking, despite all the research I did first, I might have chosen wrong between N-a-P and Cult Beauty.

Lumene today is a pot of Nordic C night cream ( presumably has vitamin c in). All been good so far from this calendar.

From reading other posts, the interesting calendars seem to be Degusta (tequila marmalade! Wow!) , Rituals and Space NK. I just wish the Space NK one had looked more Christmassy.

I'm really pleased with my items today because they seem full size and I felt very excited when I opened them both up.

From John Lewis it's a Bio Retinol Gold Mask by Evolve organic beauty in a 30ml pot and from Boots No 7 it's a Hydration Mask 100ml which looks very intriguing.
Again lots of interesting items from everyone today.

Yes, lets set up 2019 advent - looking back chat. I have been looking at the content for an hour, so I need to log off but will get back to it later!

I’m another one underwhelmed by Liberty so far @MiaN. I had Liberty in 2017 and 2018. Last year I went for F&M and loved it. For some reason though, I gravitated back to Liberty this year - but hearing what @AllTheDogsIveLovedBefore and @AprilLady have to say, beginning to wish I’d stayed with F&M. Will be interesting to hear how the calendars progress..........

@MiaN @AprilLady such a helpful thread, Rituals and Fortnums are on my list for next year and possibly Lumene (not tried the products before).

I'm happy with N-a-P in general, as there's nothing I won't use yet, although today's offering is a little random. But happy to give it a go! I remembering counting up how many products I would use from N-a-P Vs Cult Beauty, and N-a-P won, so I'll hold judgement until the end of the month and decide then if I made the right call.

I feel the same @Luvacuppatea I really debated the Fortnums this year after being a bit disappointed with Liberty last year, I think I decided in the end there was a couple of items I wanted (I only had a brief glimpse and cant remember the toner/aveda small samples).Also the Fortnums was oos really quickly.

I'm pleased with today's F&M, I have an SPF moisturiser on the go so will wait before opening this. Single application appeals.

Degustabox is a bag of Rummo pasta, great, it is usually on our shopping list anyway.

I went for the John Lewis AC because of the free GWP Winter Box worth £100 (which also included a REN aha glow tonic)

I win the race to the first black eyeliner with today's offering from Amazon. I'm glad to get it out of the way tbh

Psi rosehip oil from CEW. I'm not familiar with this brand but like rosehip oil. It looks decent.

Lumene is a nordic C sleeping cream. The one disappointment with the Lumene is the sizes. Other than the mascara, they're all tiny so far.

Tea is breakfast tea.

This thread is lovely, I'm very much enjoying living vicariously through other calendars too! The food advent calendars are also interesting, I did a homemade AC for my DH and he had an energy gel thing today he is looking forward to using.

(Thank you for nice tattoo comments On my other arm I have Moominmama and Papa ) my sister also made me an AC and I had Moomin napkins today!

Excited to try the Lumene sleeping cream (I feel as though I can't try it in the daytime as it would be breaking the rules ) as the balm and cream so far have been winners. Sadly the under eye concealer is too dark for me, so if anyone would like it I am happy to send it on?

I've already slapped on my No 7 hydration mask, it feels very nice.

The Evolve mask is a full on quite shockingly shiny gold mask, very space age. DD and I will be applying it later on.

Ooo I feel nice and refreshed after using the nourishing hydrating No 7 mask which I washed off with one of the 2 Liz Earle cloths that came with the C&P cleanser on day 2 or so and followed that with the Lumene Nordic C glow boost essence I got on whatever day.

My skin feels very fresh and bouncy

@FlyingByTheSeatof That JL winter glow box looks AMAZING - can't believe I missed it for some reason! Am very pleased with today's mask though - I saw on the front it said with 'Gold Sparkles' but I wasn't quite prepared for the colour when I opened it. The family will be shocked if I make an appearance wearing it!

I would be interested in joining a 2019 discussion thread if that's happening. I kept a list of my stuff and it would be interesting to go through.

Also had the Rummo pasta in my Degustabox which looks nice. Not a brand I've tried.

@Babysharkdoodoodood and @FlyingByTheSeatof I love the Rituals rice and cherry blossom range. The shower scrub and the body cream were in calendars last year and both were great.

I also have the first eyeliner to go to the dumping ground today, but it's not from a calendar, it was in my Birchbox which has just arrived. I will be hitting the swap thread soon.

Sounding like a broken record but very happy with today’s offerings too.

WC- shower gel - it has bergamot which is my absolute favourite scent. I used to use an Aesop’s gel full of bergamot which I ran out of so I’m looking forward to use this as a treat in between my foaming rituals ones (which I also love & last ages on my skin)
Rituals - candle, lovely smell. Looking forward to using up all my lovely new candles
Joe & Seph - caramel & white chocolate. Might have just dies & gone to popcorn heaven

I use black eyeliner every day and go through loads of the things
If you're wearing makeup (sorry if teaching to suck eggs) try lining your upper waterline with a pencil eyeliner, it sort of defines without being mega obvious and not harsh

Pleased with my liquid eye liner from Amazon today. I have been fairly pleased so far in general but will either swap or give DD the nail varnishes (these two if anyone wants them). Need to read back to decide whether to try or swap the wonderlift. Any advice?

@QueenPaws - try lining your upper waterline with a pencil eyeliner, it sort of defines without being mega obvious and not harsh

I'll give it a go. However, I'm a total klutz so if I lose an eye, I'll be blaming you