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.

@BookShark, I think you can use it after cleansing before serums, or at any time through the day. Google suggests it is also supposed to be good for winter dry skin days. Will report back once I’ve tried it.

It's the dreaded black eyeliner day in LF today

@AprilLady - I love rosewater. I keep saying I'm going to make some but I never get around to it.

From CEW, Charlotte Tilbury pillow talk palate, which I'm excited about. A micellar water from Lumene. I like a good micellar water. And ginger tea.

skinstore day 9 is loccitane Shea Butter hand cream. It's fine, it will be used.

@MiaN - I like the sea butter one. It's the only one of their hand creams that I think is effective.

*shea butter, not sea butter

Today I have a Clarins relax treatment body oil from John Lewis and from Boots No 7 I have tweezers both of which I'm happy with.
The oil specifies neck, back and abdomen after sport as it's anti-stress, soothing and relaxing.

I had an SPF 50 sun cream which is fine but I can’t exactly use it now!

Also, I am an illuminator convert! We have a 3 hour zoom meeting today so I’ve slapped the lot on - illuminator, blush, highlighter. Looks good!

What is CEW? I'm well jel of the Pillow Talk palette 😶 Like @GaryTheDemon I got sun lotion...v weird in freezing winter. But huge bottle so I guess it will be useful in summer.

@GaryTheDemon excellent the rest of the team won't know what's hit them they'll all be like Oooo Garythedemon is looking hot today

Loving this thread! Great to see what's in all the calendars. Prism face mask in Liberty this morning, will be good to try. Had a mare of a day yesterday and locked myself in the bathroom and had a spa night. It was nice and distracting reading the cards and trying things out.

Amazon's 75ml Altruist SPF50 today. I'm already using up a lovely Beauty Pie one so I won't be opening this up any time soon, especially as there'll be no New Year ski sun for me this year

Good to hear @GaryTheDemon about the illuminator. I'm not working today, or even planning to venture out so I may have a trial run. Do let us know if you receive any radiance-related comments.

The CT palette is fabulous! Major CEW box envy here.

@FlyingByTheSeatof The Clarins 'Relax' products smell lovely - I've used the shower stuff before and it was such a delight to inhale.

Dark chocolate and ginger flapjack in today's Degustabox. One for DH as I'm not mad about ginger.

Just a reminder to be cautious on here about what's mentioned given that people are opening
LF in January, I believe.

@GaryTheDemon pleased the highlighter is working for you! It does for me too.

So jealous of the Charlotte Tilbury palette!!

@2LittleSpeckledFrogs

What is CEW? I'm well jel of the Pillow Talk palette 😶 Like *@GaryTheDemon* I got sun lotion...v weird in freezing winter. But huge bottle so I guess it will be useful in summer.

cewuk.co.uk/product/cew-female-founders-beauty-edit/

I had to make my own calendar as (cue violin music) Look Fantastic mess me, and loads of other customers, around and cancelled the calendar I order in september at the last minute. The very lovely people on the calendar thread pointed me towards a number of beauty boxes I could use to make one myself and this is what I got. It's fab.

The great thing about having the memory of a goldfish (thank you menopause) is I can't remember what's in it and I have no idea what I put in each day.

@Butterymuffin - That flapjack sounds delicious. I love ginger, particularly with dark chocolate. That's just reminded me to get some Borders Dark Chocolate and Ginger biscuits for christmas. They are absolutely yum.

Oh so LF ended just cancelled the order then in the end @OchonAgusOchonO I didnt know that. I presumed you were still waiting for it. At least you managed to get the CEW AC which looks brilliant.

@GaryTheDemon - Also, I am an illuminator convert!

Is the illuminator powder or cream? I use powder ones and love them but I still have a stick one from last year's calendar that I haven't used. It's Nude By Nature – Touch of Glow Highlight Stick. It's a lovely colour so I avoided dd nicking it .

I use bare minerals powder foundation so I'm not sure how to use the stick. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I could use it? Would it work under the powder?

@FlyingByTheSeatof

Oh so LF ended just cancelled the order then in the end *@OchonAgusOchonO* I didnt know that. I presumed you were still waiting for it. At least you managed to get the CEW AC which looks brilliant.

It's officially lost and I got a refund. Then, out of the blue last thursday, they told me it was in Dublin and I should get in within 6 working days. I'm still waiting.

Yes try it under the powder and see how it looks @OchonAgusOchonO It's quite usual to wear a cream one under foundation or powder. You can still add the powder one over it if you feel you need to.
I have a cream highlighter from M&S from either an AC or beauty box and they do give a different kind of glow to powder.

Powder is easier somehow so it's my preference.

Fingers crossed you get a free LF AC then. Better late than never I suppose. Frustrating experience. At least you got a refund but that actually doesnt help as its so disappointing it didn't arrive in time.

@Butterymuffin

Dark chocolate and ginger flapjack in today's Degustabox. One for DH as I'm not mad about ginger.

Just a reminder to be cautious on here about what's mentioned given that people are opening
LF in January, I believe.

@GaryTheDemon pleased the highlighter is working for you! It does for me too.

I think given that LF is an advent calendar, designed to be opened in December, people should be able to discuss the contents of their box on this thread. Obviously as long as they stick to the rules of not posting spoilers before 7am on the day of the box. I don't think that's fair to ask people to be careful, if someone decides to open their AC in January fair play to them but don't be annoyed if someone else opens the 9th of December on... the 9th of December. Why should their fun be spoilt?

I have Rituals (the 3D one) and Space NK and am very pleased with both so far. One of the Rituals (Samurai shower gel I think) looks quite masculine? I haven't opened it to smell it cos it'll all squirt out. Can anyone confirm/deny? Should I be giving that to my partner?

The CEW looks fantastic!

The Lumene micellar water looks good. I am slightly nervous that my advent calendar is listening to me in a sort of Alexa way though...when I opened the eyeliner I sent a photo of my eyelined eye to DH (yes I am bored ) and said how awful my dark circles were in the photo, I need a concealer - next day I got a concealer and then i said to DH if I'm going to wear eye make up again I'll need something to take it off and then I got micellar water.

It's listening to me. I'm convinced of it. I think the little doors may be ears.