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.

I'm also unexplainably chuffed at the LF calendar turning up. It's a Christmas miracle!

In the meantime, still quite pleased with N-a-P but desperately need to finish the products I've got in the go to try the new ones - very poor planning.

Although I do have a day off tomorrow (albeit I'll have to work for some of it, but will refuse to join conference calls) and due to our newly declared Tier 3 status, am clearly not going anywhere, so seems like the ideal time for a pamper session. Will report back if work doesn't get in the way!

H&B was plastic ear wax remover. It's no from me. The bodyshop was a bath bomb again. Dd was very happy to get it again.

So today’s F&M is a little underwhelming, it’s a Bramley body wash. It is at least 100ml though, and not one I have tried before.

N-a-P is the sort of expensive novelty that I would only ever try because it was in an advent. It’s 3 2ml ampoules of serum; three different ones you at meant to use on consecutive days. It is actually sold as a set of 3 (and also an alternative set of 15). The set of 3 retails for £48!

@BookShark, yes, while I’ve tried some products I’m also waiting to finish others before trying the new things.

Lumene today is a pot of "Ageless pressed serum", it seems a bit like a thick moisturiser. Intrigued to try this as I remember someone referring to this as a great product from last year's advent calendar.

Sponge yesterday single use eye tissue mask today. Always find these masks slimy and ineffective but will try anyway.

Talsin you know those adult ‘5 go brexit’ rip off books? Think you’ve just invested the adult daisy meadows - Rachel was texting Kirsty, “one of those fucking goblins, sorry, kids, has stolen my beauty advent calendar. Wish we still had that ‘magic’ (mushrooms, lol our parents were thick) and could get the fairies to sort it” she laughed to herself while slamming the dishwasher shut with a suspicious sound of breaking.

Meanwhile at work, Kirsty sighed as she read Rachel’s message. She supposed she’d have to see her at Christmas when she went home to run Christmas for her parents, feckless brother, ‘professional’ brother despite the fact she’s the prime minister.

I’ll stop now...

The Bramley body wash in F&M is fine, I've used it before (Hotel Indigo have it as their house product) but it's not at all exciting.

Degustabox delivered a full size box of Maldon sea salt which is great as it was on my shopping list for this week.

@CupboardMonster was just about to post exactly the same, including the shopping list! We would have needed more for Christmas. My monthly Degustabox for December should arrive today so looking forward to even more festive goodies in that.

@GaryTheDemon I like those books

@Butterymuffin have you found the monthly boxes to be good? On the strength of the advent calendar I'm rather tempted.

@GaryTheDemon - I’ll stop now...

Ah no. You clearly have a talent.

A mask thingy today from Amazon, following an equally meh sponge yesterday. Worse though is HB's plastic reusable ear bud.

On a better note, it's brilliant news about the LF calendar turning up for Ochon. Buffalo I hope yours turns up too.

From CEW, shower gel to go with the body cream I got previously. A serum in a very prettily coloured jar from Lumene and ginger tea.

H&B sounds "interesting".

Love the salt in the degustabox.

Yes, I like them. You get a good number of items - just checked my leaflet and there were 13 in the
October box. You get treats and snacks but also things like cooking sauces and brioche buns, as well as beer and soft drinks. Some stuff won't be to your taste but in pretty much every box I've had something I would buy again, like the Manilife peanut butter which is the best ever. The one drawback is that I'm not sure you can tailor gtwtm dietary requirements - you don't tend to get meat but while you do get vegan items, I don't think you can have a fully vegan or gluten free version. (OK for me, I eat anything, but for some people it wouldn't work.) I started getting them during spring lockdown to cheer us up. If you look on YouTube there will be unboxing videos and those will probably have a code for money off your first box.

Thank you, I'll definitely look at unboxings.

For those who got the H&B ear cleaner, I'm intrigued!

Hallelujah!! 🙌🏼

Hooray @BuffaloMozzerella

@BuffaloMozzerella 🎉🎊🎄

Brilliant news.

A lovely perfume today from JL by Hermes called Twilly. And from Boots an eyeshadow primer.

@BuffaloMozzerella woo hoo at long last

Lovely to see the LF calendars turning up FINALLY!

Bit of a weird day with salt in the Degustabox and the ear cleaning device in H&B. Definitely practical rather than luxe

Yes the reusable ear bud and salt are definitely in the running for most bizarre AC items so far

On par I think with the funnel from the HoF AC (see previous link further back)

How does a reusable ear bud work?

I opened my Rituals one this morning to get...nothing! Empty space where the gift should have been.
Had a poke around but it doesn't look like it could have got dislodged, I would be able to see or feel it.