General “Waifs and Strays” Beauty Advent Calendar opening thread

[AprilLady]

As last year, I suggest we use this as a general beauty advent calendar thread for everyone with beauty calendars that may not be covered by other threads or who prefers a general thread. I’m opening FM, Harrods and M&S this year, and will aim to post on both this and the M&S threads.

Please can no-one post any spoilers before 7am on the relevant day.

Just over a week to go. I’m really looking forward to it!

Teeny hand cream from M&S but as @AprilLady says at least it's not the neck cream! Granola from degustabox so I don't have granola envy today @FaoinDrualus

Teeny tiny hand cream from M&S. I like hand cream but it won't last long.

Molton Brown Shower gel in tobacco. Not a major fan so I might put that into one of the stockings. I have a lot of toiletries for ds1, ds2 is a total philistine and wouldn't appreciate it, dh isn't a major fan of shower gel. Dd is the only other candidate then.

@Orcadianrythyms Its cold and snowing hard here right now, so have ditched museli this morning in favor of a hot bowl of porridge and honey!!
Todays museli is strawberries and white chocolate. And the Rituals village has Ritual of Jing -pillow and body spray. I'm not keen on pillow sprays, but squirted some on myself and I like it - lavandery.

A lovely hand cream from NaP today. Quite liquid in texture but absorbs quickly, lovely fragrance and lasting effect.

JL is a Dr.Jart Ceramidin mask and I agree with JustLikea about getting a single use mask. I got a pack of 6 of these in tkmaxx for £12.99.

ASOS is The Ordinary 100% plant derived Squalane. Always happy with a hydrating product and I hear good things about this.

[quote FaoinDrualus]@Orcadianrythyms Its cold and snowing hard here right now, so have ditched museli this morning in favor of a hot bowl of porridge and honey!!
Todays museli is strawberries and white chocolate. And the Rituals village has Ritual of Jing -pillow and body spray. I'm not keen on pillow sprays, but squirted some on myself and I like it - lavandery.[/quote]
Did you not have strawberries and white chocolate before?

I may be slightly over-invested in your muesli...

Did you not have strawberries and white chocolate before?
I'm pretty sure that I did! I guess 24 different mueslis from Aldi might be an unrealistic expectation ... I'm surprised there's not been any repeats sooner than this! Will see what tomorrow brings ...

@FaoinDrualus

Did you not have strawberries and white chocolate before? I'm pretty sure that I did! I guess 24 different mueslis from Aldi might be an unrealistic expectation ... I'm surprised there's not been any repeats sooner than this! Will see what tomorrow brings ...

Hopefully you'll get some more new ones.

I didn't realise that. I am planning to use it. I don't think the face cream knows I am female!

Lol this is true!

Rituals candle in LF today.

I feel a bit like I have been able share I little bit of the Rituals calendar with you!

H&B was a sample size parfum. I am quite disappointed.

I am atm waiting what I will get from lookfantastic. They had glossybox calendar for £15 but it said "Glossybox advent calendar -NO" I am wondering does it mean no box or no products. I took the change because it was only £15. The offer was on for about five mins.

Rituals candles in their advent are so small! I have few advents this year but most disappointing so for has been the rituals - it's really not the one for me. And I like the brand and their home scents, as we speak we have 5 diffusers and 1 full size candle in the house.

My rituals today is the shampoo. I'm heading to the hairdressers in a few minutes so wont be trying it today. Its a good travel size though so will probably save it.
Todays museli is sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

Ritual of Sakura soap in the 2D calendar today. Teeny tiny but useful for travelling!

I'm not sure what I think of the Rituals calendar so far - I'm on the fence as some nice products but more candles and mini sizes than I was anticipating. I think I'm just spoilt by the H&B calendar which I've been getting for the last few years and mostly full size in there

Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate In the Look Famtastic calendar today. Quite a good size sample. Ecstatic at this one!

Aromatherapy associates bath oil Harrods, full size. Love bath oils and this product in particular, so very happy.

Gallinee Soothing Cleansing Cream F&M This is full size too, but it’s a non-foaming scalp shampoo, rather than the facial cleanser I thought it was. Not sure about it.

Alpha H rose gold serum M&S 2021. Good product and reasonable size, as it lasts a while. Another repeat from previously, but still happy with this.

Nuxe body cream M&S 2018. Nice enough product, but pretty teeny for a body cream.

So 8:3 now to 2021. Must be some good stuff still to come in the 2018 calendar, surely.

@countdowntonap, I really like the Shiseido concentrate - in my mind it’s a nice alternative to serums like EL Advanced Night Repair.

Alpha H rose gold serum from M&S. I haven't tried this one before but I have liked other things from this brand. Looking forward to trying it.

A Biossance face mask. Never heard of this brand but I like the sound of it. Good one to try out while elasticising my hair. Not massive but big enough to get a good few uses it off it.

JL is Elemis superfood kefir tea mist hydrating facial mist.

ASOS is false eyelashes - first disappointment for me as I don’t wear them.

@FaoinDrualus - that's a new muesli isn't it? Also sounds breakfasty rather than dessert.

Space nk is Anastasia BH setting powder.

Boots No 7 lash and brow perfector - it's clear and I've applied it to see if maybe it nourishes the lashes. It's not like a clear gtl which hardens it's just a soft gel so no hold or anything. So I'm a bit confused fused but I'll apply it on days I don't wear mascara to see what happens

JL - Elemis Kefir mist - unusual green colour which I really like. I've tried it and I like it and I need an extra layer of moisture so yes very happy

Ollys pretzels - 2 packs different flavours - chilli / sour cream

Late to the party I've gone for M & S which I'm sharing with DD (liking it so far) but also Decleor. It's a brand I've only ever experienced at posh spas and salons and liked so thought I'd love this but I'm a bit meh really. Think it's a combination of a) the same brand and all skin care is a wee bit boring you'd think I'd learned that after Lumene last year, and b) I've actually had two days so far when DH have been those tiddly samples you used to get stuck in a magazine so have felt a teeny bit stiffed on those days!
Only saving grace is I got a good discount, cashback and x 2 really good GWP worth just over £100.

Next year if I do a calendar who am I kidding? Definitely going to! I'm just going to go for one of the big posh ones that I save for all year then talk myself out of getting on grounds of cost. Then regret it

Day 12; Half way and some really good things today:

Oribe anti-pollution power drops Harrods and another full size product. This appears to be a hair serum you add to other hair products (I’m assuming your normal leave in oil or conditioner?). Excited to try later when I wash my hair.

Molecules 05 perfume. Good size. Not sure about this. I’ve tried 01 and seem to be one of those people for whom Iso E Super does nothing (don’t get on with many Juliette Has a Gun perfumes for the same reason)

Prai Neck Cream M&S 2021 Good size (30ml, full size is 50ml). Haven’t tried this before, so happy to add to my queue of night creams waiting to be used

Pixi rose gold tonic. M&S 2018 Nice to get a more gentle tonic for when you don’t want a strong acid. And reasonable size too.

Size and value of 2021 product better overall: 9:3 to 2021

@tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz, I think there is a lot to be said for saving up for a luxury one. Harrods this year has been particularly good - lots of full size products you wouldn’t normally buy, in a beautiful box. Most also come in a lovely fabric pouch which I’ll definitely be repurposing. It really does feel like a treat opening it up each day.