Beauty Advent Calendars 2021 Part 2: The Curse of the Drawers of Disappointment *Spoilers included*

[Coniferhedge]

As you were everyone!

The JL calendar has been included in the 20% off days in previous years.

I think the John Lewis one is great and really good value. Just shows how personal it is. I actually really like the box too, means it can be reused year round and not look out of place. Quite a sturdy looking box.

Drawers do disappointment for me are the pillow spray, Molton Brown (what is that doing in an upmarket calendar?). Everything else I’d be up for trying, and the Mac lipstick and Charlotte Tilbury eye palette would suit me.

Wow Windows (Windows of Wow?) are the full size Charlotte Tilbury eye palette, Living Proof dry shampoo, Evolve face polish, lipstick, perfumes and the Aromatherapy Associate Bath Oil.

@ashmts you’re totally right, they’ve been VERY cheeky with what they call full size, the Evolve sells at 60ml for £22. In the calendar it’s 30ml.

There’s a link on the page for signing up for when it is available www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-partners-beauty-advent-calendar/p574356 . Did it sell out quickly before?

Doesn’t the description of this perfume sound very emperor’s new clothes though? “Invisible musk”

Juliette has a Gun Not a Perfume Eau de Parfum, 5ml and Musk Invisible Eau de Parfum, 5ml Not a Perfume: A fragrance made out of a single element called Cetalox. Usually used in perfumery as a base note, it plays the lead role here... Another advantage of this particular composition is that it is entirely allergen-free. The result is minimalist, elegant, pure. Musk Invisible: A fluffy scent as comfortable and unfussy as your favourite old pair of jeans... as appropriate at work as on a casual date. A soft, warm and cosy composition, keeping you just under the radar... Hence the ‘invisible’ wink. Musc Invisible reminds of something good, easy, optimistic and at the same time, wonderfully fragile. A dreamy and nostalgic smell of comfy notes, laying on a silky base of creamy musk

Space NK is still top of my list though. Must be brand devotion, as the JL one has stuff I know I will use up. I just like Space NK packaging and stuff more, it feels more special and “treat”-y. It has a Rose Inc blush, I do want to try that new brand. But the Hourglass eyeshadow in “Reflect” would NOT suit me. Heart (Space Nk) over head (JL)!

Will wait for you ladies to share a discount code with me and then I’ll rationalise ordering the JL one! I am massively put off JL by their decline in customer service too, haven’t ordered anything from them since last autumn.

Space Nk says on sale September 18th. My referral link again if anyone wants to sign up to waiting list: www.spacenk.com/uk/21_wk17-advent-calendar.html?referral=54ccXqq&refSource=copy

Following

John Lewis is out due to the usual suspects. The Rich cream, the pillow spray, the Ren & I’ve had both the lip pencil, the lipstick & the Molton brown in previous GWP or calendars. There is also some weird drink in there.

Last year I got DD (15) the glossy box advent calendar as she really wanted mainly makeup and hair things (her skin is finally perfect on a carefully regimented approach of prescription cream and gentle face wash and she won't risk messing with it!) Therefore skin products are a no.
I'd like to get her another one this year. Could anyone recommend a good makeup/ hair product heavy one that would suit a very fashionable teen girl?

Agree with everyone else re bloody REN and pillow spray and disappointed with Molton brown but it's a maybe if I don't get Selfridges
Thats out October I believe
I'm getting anxious I won't have a good calendar (even though I bought ASOS today for £48 and will clearly buy M&S 😂)
I don't want to miss out !!

The Ren/Pillow spray/mascara/vegan drink/dry shampoo are all misses for me.

Plus the LM caviar stick and lipsticks are not colours I would use. Possibly also the CT compact. I would hope to swap some of these items.

But I love Neom candles, plus keen to try the Vit C (this is normally £80) and the Estee Lauder Serum (£48) - so I will probably purchase - although that's 8 drawers of disappointment - so not sure now !

I seem to be in a minority here but am put off by the amount of perfume in John Lewis.

I’m none the wiser as to which calendar I’ll get (other than FU already ordered). I think I’m going to need to draw up a spreadsheet to track drawers of disappointment vs star products. I’m hoping the thread followers will have some understanding for such obsessive behaviour!

John Lewis is one of my favourites so far

I have high hopes for M&S though

If anyone is thinking about buying H&B, someone posted on another thread that they purchased through the H&B app and got 15% off, so worth trying that route if buying.

Yeah the only reason I’d say JL is good value is because all the colours of the makeup would work for me @PomRuns. I rarely buy perfume @chloechloe, so I liked the idea of sample smells. I love mini perfume bottles too.

Argh I didn’t even count the Dermalogica Vit C.

I used to buy “beauty food” supplement by Bodyism from Space NK so the chef item doesn’t put me off

I think that sums these beauty packs and advent calendars for me - a great way to return to those times when my budget was mostly things I wanted!

The Estée Lauder serum is £60 on JL. So the serum, vit C and candle cover the cost - all ease is ‘free’
Sort of !

I like the look of John Lewis and space nk so far. Very disappointed in Liberty.

I'm on holiday when JL cones out so hope it doesn't sell out, but I'll get M & S if it does. Love the abundance of perfume, especially JGAG

I’ve not seen a calendar which offers me a minimum of 20 days I’ll definitely use these items and 10 days of wow I’m excited to use these items. I LOVE a beauty advent but there are so many repeats and things I definitely won’t use I’m finding it hard to justify the value.

Wishing I hadn’t recycled the old boxes now as thinking maybe I need to make my own although that would definitely ruin the element of surprise!

If the JL came out today, I’d buy it. There are quite a few products that don’t interest me but the ones that do still make it a good deal for me. However, I also thought this about Space NK and I’ve since decided against so I might change my mind by the time it comes out! I’d normally get 50ml of the EL ANR for £70 (so personally I’d value the 30ml at £42 rather than RRP £60) and I could get the vit c serum for £50 so I have to work out whether I really want the other products for the extra cost.

@BoofTheFloof

Last year I got DD (15) the glossy box advent calendar as she really wanted mainly makeup and hair things (her skin is finally perfect on a carefully regimented approach of prescription cream and gentle face wash and she won't risk messing with it!) Therefore skin products are a no. I'd like to get her another one this year. Could anyone recommend a good makeup/ hair product heavy one that would suit a very fashionable teen girl?

MAC haven't provided a full list of contents yet but looks good for make up, but is £135 so might be too expensive. NYX is the more accessibly priced one that looks good for make up at £59 for 24 days. They're on the beauty calendar site and there is an unboxing video of NYX from Diary of a Beauty Geek I think.

L'Occitane is out today. 3 different calendars.

I loved mine last year, although there were loads of hand creams. But all got used, so not wasteful.

@Gazelda : I loved mine last year, although there were loads of hand creams. But all got used, so not wasteful.

Given how much we're all washing our hands these days, I'm surprised not to see more hand creams in advent calendars. Personally, I've constantly got dry, sore hands and would love to find a fantastic cream - if I did I'd probably buy loads of it and I can't be alone in that. Brands are missing a trick I think.

In case anyone needs recommendations on that front, Nursem and O'Keeffe's Working Hands are current favourites. Love Byredo and Aesop as well but too spendy for the amount I'm getting through!

I'm really impressed with the JL AC this year. There are lots of things I've tried but some of the full sizes like the ANR, the Dermalogica, the bath oil and palette do make it worth it for me. I wish it didn't have Mac Twig though. I loved it in the late 90s, rebought it a couple of years ago and never wear it. For me it's the best JL yet. Previously the JL has been around at Black Friday or last year it could be combined later on with a good GWP. I don't know if it will linger so long this year. For me many of this year's AC's are disappointing and this is better than ever, but we all have different tastes and priorities.

Yes my concern would be JL selling out.

@Housewife2010

I'm really impressed with the JL AC this year. There are lots of things I've tried but some of the full sizes like the ANR, the Dermalogica, the bath oil and palette do make it worth it for me. I wish it didn't have Mac Twig though. I loved it in the late 90s, rebought it a couple of years ago and never wear it. For me it's the best JL yet. Previously the JL has been around at Black Friday or last year it could be combined later on with a good GWP. I don't know if it will linger so long this year. For me many of this year's AC's are disappointing and this is better than ever, but we all have different tastes and priorities.

That's good to hear about it still being around by Black Friday in previous year, I am hoping to get CB but JL will be my fall back.

@MrsMcCluskeysCat Yes, I'm the same as you. I would love CB with JL as a backup. I'd really like to see M&S contents too. Although if Space NK has the same early £15 off every £60 that can be combined with the AC I could be tempted.
There's a link to the Space NK AC here with a chance to win £1000 of products.
www.spacenk.com/uk/21_wk17-advent-calendar.html?referral=zTmMb3T&refSource=copy

Is anyone getting NAP?

I'm thinking of getting either NAP or Cult Beauty, but think that I'm leaning more towards NAP (despite pink stone and red eye liner!).