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

[Coniferhedge]

As you were everyone!

I think for me, I can't bring myself to spend £££ or even ££ on an advent calendar now, unless all the products are something new & exciting & something I will use.

But £40 on an M&S calendar?

Yes, I can probably do that, just to give myself a little treat every day in the run up to Christmas, and I will probably use most of the items, even if they aren't the most exciting.

Plus I can spend the qualifying spend on stuff like socks & pants for the DC and feel super-virtuous that I am spending money on them

Re the M&S spend with the calendar. I have been eyeing these up anyway. They will do the job 🙂
www.marksandspencer.com/jersey-dogtooth-wide-leg-trousers/p/clp60506502?color=CAMELMIX&prevPage=srp

I cracked and ordered Rituals even though I hadn’t planned to, it looks so lovely. I’ll share with DD. So I think I’ll skip M&S as I‘ve already got H&B and Degustabox.

Amazon Beauty contents revealed:

beautyadventcalendar.net/amazon-beauty-advent-calendar-2021/

Amazon doesn't look too exciting so I will skip that one. A bit expensive too.

I don't know whether anyone's mentioned but on Boots I think you get a free gift with the Rituals calendar

I quite like the look of Amazon but not for £70!

The Amazon has sometimes been reduced on Black Friday so it's worth keeping it in your baskets if you're interested and it's still around then.

I can't decide whether to go for the M&S. I'd use a good amount of it but I still have quite a lot of unopened items from last years calendar and the summer gift so I probably shouldn't.

And I just ordered myself an expensive smart watch so maybe not getting a beauty AC this helps justify the cost of that!?

Saying that I may change my mind especially if there are things I could get from M&S. I may still get myself an Elemis marine cream set if there's a good deal too

And maybe a nice chocolate advent calendar?!

Getting the Liberty one this time (think it's my 3rd, I've had the net a Porter one once) and the M&S one which I didn't manage to get last year.

Rituals does look cute and I think it would be an enjoyable calendar with products that are likely to be used, maybe one for next year/ if it’s reduced. Waiting for SpaceNK, undecided about M&S, curious about No7 although that gets little attention on this thread I have noticed and think that is probably because is one brand, but it is usually good value and pretty well thought through….

Oh, I am disappointed by M&S! Very similar to previous years, and 4 haircare products that I won't use plus eyeliners and mascara that I don't need...too many DoDs for me.
I am impressed that they've not put in any "filler" items like nail files etc and I love the Emma Hardie cleansing balm and Shay and Blue perfumes so was a bit tempted but ultimately, not for me.

I just need to decide whether to go for JL now..

@BunnytheFriendlyDragon - I may still get myself an Elemis marine cream set if there's a good deal too

There was a really good Elemis deal on QVC last year. Worth keeping an eye on that.

@IToldYouIWasFreaky - I am impressed that they've not put in any "filler" items like nail files etc

My first AC was M&S and I was totally meh about the nail file in it. However, it turned out to be one of the best items in the AC. It was a glass one and I'm not totally converted.

Funny you say that about glass nail files! I got the teeny tiny Leighton Denny glass file in the I think M&S 2019 calendar. Thought oh rubbish, but it's actually pretty good!

Glass nail files go right through me, I have one but can’t use it. I shudder just thinking about it!

I'm another who's a bit disappointed by M&S. I know it's only £40 but there's nothing I'm exciting about. More Emma Hardie is always useful but Percy and Reed and another Eyeko black eyeliner...?

I'm very pleased with the Liberty edit that I bought with the Votary cleanser and the Next box is great value so I think I'll skip advent calendars this year. I quite fancy the John Lewis one so if that gets discounted or a GWP I might go for it. And I'll probably use my Boots points for the Rituals one.

But yes, 'count do better' for M&S, I think.

Has anyone got a link for the Amazon one mentioned above? I had a look and it brings up lots of advent calendars.

I bought the Liberty and next box edits too and loved them.

Think overall I've been spending too much on beauty lately though. I got a message from the fraud detection squad at the bank asking whether I'd made a number of transactions recently, as they thought that my card had been stolen! I had to shamefully admit to my spending

Might have to avoid this thread for a while in case you lot find anything else that I 'need' to buy 😂

Sooooafter dithering I've gone for the Decleor one on Look Fantastic (crossing fingers they have their act together after their disaster deliveries last year).

Pretty chuffed as it was £30 off making it £90. Plus I automatically qualified for x 2 Decleor gifts both worth £50+ and if you use code BBFREE you also get a mystery beauty box worth £60. Lots knows what's in it but if it's naff I'll give it to DD for Xmas. Oh and go via Too cashbabcj as it's in there too

I'll be a good girl and stop looking now. Unless there's a good one reduced around Black Friday I may indulge.

M&S is hugely disappointing. It’s filled with lots of crap I still have leftover from their last 25 day calendar. Why take a break from doing the calendar only to come back and repeat things

No idea what to go for now as everything else is so expensive.

I have to admit, none of the beauty calendars I've looked at so far have really wowed me. Look Fantastic, Fell Unique and BirchBox all look samey-samey as previous years, with increasingly small sizes of products. Was looking forward to M&S coming back with one, but meh, not sure it's good value this year either with the required purchase to go with it.

Will probably stick with Lumene eventually; do love their products and it's usually good value. Decleor products are great, but the calendar has always been poor value.

Will keep pondering the current options...

I loved the Lumene calendar last year cookingisoverrated, the skincare is lovely. I’ll probably get it again this year but am hoping there will be a good GWP from Look Fantastic or another site to justify it a bit better!

I’ve already got the Feel Unique AC after it came with a great GWP. And I’ll try and get CB as my treat. In my defence I don’t buy any skincare or makeup during the year, I just rely on my AC stash!

I'm waiting for the same GWP deal @chloechloe.

@MidnightMeltdown

I bought the Liberty and next box edits too and loved them.

Think overall I've been spending too much on beauty lately though. I got a message from the fraud detection squad at the bank asking whether I'd made a number of transactions recently, as they thought that my card had been stolen! I had to shamefully admit to my spending

Might have to avoid this thread for a while in case you lot find anything else that I 'need' to buy 😂

Hilarious! Your defence: But it's Advent Calendar season!