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.

@QueenPaws good tip. I've never lined my upper waterline. It always comes off fairly immediately from my lower waterline. My plan is to use them thinly along the lash line to make lashes look thicker alongside mascara.

@OchonAgusOchonO yeah there is that too; blinded by liner.

@ FlyingByTheSeatof - I've never lined my upper waterline. It always comes off fairly immediately from my lower waterline.

I Googled it and they recommend drying the waterline with a cotton bud or similar first. More ways to stab myself in the eye....

I promise I've never dried it off or stabbed myself in the eye despite also being clumsy

I have a feeling this is not going to end well and the fate of our eyes is in the lap of the gods @OchonAgusOchonO @QueenPaws

Lovely Neom candle (neroli, mimosa & lemon) from Fenwicks today. I must say I am pretty impressed with it so far - in fact my only complaint is the GwP they bought out 4 days after I got it

For next year I will definitely consider Fenwicks again but now also mooching after F&M after all the glowing reports I’m reading.

Here's what it looks like on me when I line the upper bit

@happytobemrsg

I use moisture surge on my driest areas Retailqueenie, it’s brilliant.

Today’s items!
White company- the body balm to go with yesterday’s body scrub. Looking forward to using this!
Rituals - an overnight hair mask. Not something I fancy using- I’m so worried I’ll wake up with greasy hair. Does anyone have any experience with it?
Joe & Seph - pumpkin spice - I was skeptical but absolutely yummy

Bit late to answer you, but here goes anyway! I got the Rituals AC for my Birthday and have already had a play with most items. So impressed for the money, it's by far the best out of my Arran (won't buy again) and Body Shop (bit dull this year?) AC stash. I have temperamental greasy hair and found the overnight hair mask lovely to use. It kind of melts into your hair and is a cream rather than an oil. Would I go straight to work without washing? Probably not, but once washed out the next morning it left my hair fab and silky. Give it a try, it's a lovely product!

@QueenPaws

Here's what it looks like on me when I line the upper bit

Is that your actual face, QueenPaws? If so, you are beautiful! What stunning eyes.

@Eaumyword yes it's me

I recognise those eyes @QueenPaws

The upper waterline does indeed look really good. That's the look I'm aiming for but on lid at the base of my lashes.

Is that your actual face, @QueenPaws? If so, you are beautiful! What stunning eyes.

Completely agree.

@Eaumyword - can I ask why you wouldn't buy the Arran one again please? I toyed with buying Arran, even quite recently again as a treat for January, but didn't in the end. I had a L'Occitane one last year and although I really like the products I thought Arran would be similar but with less variety.

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

I thought that the first year I bought the Lumene calendar (this is my third), but I have found that actually they're bigger than they seem, pots are better than tubes, and last for quite some time. A little goes a long with with the Lumene products in my experience.

Oooh, almost forgot to mention my lovely Fenwicks box this morning: a lovely NEOM happiness scented candle. Smells great!

Really surprisingly pleased with the Fenwicks calendar; packaged beautifully, numbered cards and descriptions of products in each box, and not disappointed by any of the products yet.

That's good to know @ohwhatamiserableyear

Oh neom candles are lush! I have a Christmas one at the minute

You look beautiful @QueenPaws
I love Neom candles. Although currently have a white company Winter candle lit, so Christmassy!

@Butterymuffin @AprilLady

I set up 2019 discussion. Added GWPs too, in case people want to chat about GWPs too

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/4099397-Advent-calendars-2019-and-GWPs-2020-looking-back?watched=1

[quote HuggedTheRedwoods]@Eaumyword - can I ask why you wouldn't buy the Arran one again please? I toyed with buying Arran, even quite recently again as a treat for January, but didn't in the end. I had a L'Occitane one last year and although I really like the products I thought Arran would be similar but with less variety.[/quote]
Hi, yes of course! Each to their own and all that, but I thought the products were tiny, looked like budget hotel toiletries and I couldn't smell some of the scents at all. Irritatingly, the shampoos were 30ml and the conditioners were 50ml-I use way more shampoo than conditioner!
Contrast that with Rituals for just a bit more and that was in a different league quality-wise and absolutely delicious products.

@GaryTheDemon Hurrah! I thought I was the only one opening Amazon.

@QueenPaws Your eyeliner looks amazing. I've never tried lining my upper waterline. I did a fair bit of lower waterline experimentation in the 80s but now I'm a lens wearer I think I'd end up flushing my lenses out. I will try though so thanks for the tip.

Thanks @Eaumyword, that's a useful view to hear. I am glad now I didn't buy it this year. I'd have been equally irritated at the condition to shampoo ratio too!

paws do you have any tips for lining your lashes like that, they look amazing!

Regarding the Lumene sizes, I’ve opened the whole lot already and would definitely buy it again. The face creams are all 15ml, which is one third of a full size and a deluxe sample I would say. I agree that a little goes a long away, especially when using with a serum.

@chloechloe I literally just grab a black liner and line the upper waterline as if I was doing the lower one. Then when I do my mascara really wiggle it into the base of the lashes

I had Lumene last year, and was very pleased- didn't get it this year as didn't really use the make up- but a lip cream that was in it I have used almost every night all year and there is still some left! And I have repurchased some of the skin care.

I have rituals this year and although the packaging is lovely and the sizes good, I haven't liked all the scents so far!