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!

Night cream and face vinegar. Never used a face vinegar before but apparently they're not as scary as they sound.

Happy to try both.

Thank you both. I think I’ll order it. Whether I’ll be able to go a whole year without touching it is another matter.

Space NK is a nars lipstick in dolce vita.

@festivefuschias, AA bath oil and eyeshadow palette is a great day.

@OchonAgusOchonOh, that Face Vinegar looks the same as the one I got a few days ago, I’ll also be interested to see if it’s less harsh than it sounds.

@Jooox, especially at its reduced price the NAP calendar looks great value. Enjoy!

In other news, pleased to report that I managed to acquire a turkey, and gingerbread house is made and ready for DC to decorate. It’s good to have a few days off work.

@AprilLady

In other news, pleased to report that I managed to acquire a turkey, and gingerbread house is made and ready for DC to decorate. It’s good to have a few days off work.

That looks great.

I'm trying to finish up work this morning. Nearly finished. Unfortunately I'm very easily distracted as I'm correcting exams which is just never ending and really tedious. I correct a couple and then check mn or Twitter or news or see does the dog want to play (the answer is generally yes but she can be a bit contrary sometimes and insist she'd rather sleep).

Morning all.

Rituals was a body lotion today and Degustabox was a jar of strawberry jam.

I’ve really enjoyed the Degustabox box AC. More than the Rituals. I’ll use the bits and pieces in the Rituals one and it’s a nice way to try the different scents but I wouldn’t get it again.

Gingerbread house looks great @AprilLady. We did one once. And once only!

I made mince pies yesterday. Note to self. Shop bought mince pies are perfectly fine! Even with bought pastry and mincemeat I managed to make them look like a dog’s dinner!

Did the last supermarket shop this morning to pick up turkey etc. Came back all pleased that we had everything. Then we opened the ham. Tiny. It was from Waitrose Entertaining. So DH has gone back out to find a decent sized one. But hopefully then we are done.

I had an empty draw in Feelunique today. There were actually two products yesterday which surprised me but neither would have fit into today's drawer so I am wondering if the actual calendar has been designed incorrectly and they have had to leave today's empty. Or possibly a product had to be changed due to supply issues but the boxes had already been ordered?

Either way it's still the same number of products so I can't complain too much, I'm not sure if anyone else on this thread has Feelunique and can say whether theirs is the same?

@MrsMcCluskeysChristmasTree, might be worth checking the contents list once you’ve finished opening it, as I very much doubt there should be an empty drawer.

That face vinegar was in the H&B calendar last year. It's definitely not as scary as it sounds! It's a nice toner but not worth a repurchase for me.
Another disappointing day for H&B - a fairly bog standard face wash. It's been far too practical for me this year!
I'm still loving Degustabox though. I had a small groan at the jam today but only because I just bought a jar of posh strawberry jam to have on our croissants on Christmas morning! But having too much posh strawberry jam is definitely a First World Problem and I'm over it already
Just trying to work up the energy to start cooking for tomorrow's buffet for 7...

[quote AprilLady]@MrsMcCluskeysChristmasTree, might be worth checking the contents list once you’ve finished opening it, as I very much doubt there should be an empty drawer.[/quote]
That's a good idea I will definitely do that!

Today M&S was the Formula face cream, which I have never tried before. Happy to give it a try, but I seem to have a lot of face creams now. Yesterday it was a stress roller-ball thing, which is nice and lavandery. I like it, but it’s the kind of thing I will forget to use.
I missed posting yesterday - we headed out early to do the Big Shop. Dunnes was very busy at 8am, but we got parked easily enough which is the main thing for mum. We got everything on the list, then played fridge Jenga. Should only need to pop out tomorrow for milk and to collect the turkey. All set for Christmas

@FaoinDrualus

Today M&S was the Formula face cream, which I have never tried before. Happy to give it a try, but I seem to have a lot of face creams now. Yesterday it was a stress roller-ball thing, which is nice and lavandery. I like it, but it’s the kind of thing I will forget to use. I missed posting yesterday - we headed out early to do the Big Shop. Dunnes was very busy at 8am, but we got parked easily enough which is the main thing for mum. We got everything on the list, then played fridge Jenga. Should only need to pop out tomorrow for milk and to collect the turkey. All set for Christmas

Well done. I'm going nowhere near the shops today. Send dd and ds2 off to get cheese from the market yesterday and dh collected the turkey and ham plus the rest of the shopping this morning.

I'm off to ice the cake now. I'm a bit behind...

@OchonAgusOchonOh. You can’t beat knowing you don’t need to go out for anything more this side of Christmas! My niece was over yesterday and we iced the cake together. I know this is a beauty thread, not a food thread, but as I’ve posted more food than anything else, here’s a cake photo!

[quote FaoinDrualus]@OchonAgusOchonOh. You can’t beat knowing you don’t need to go out for anything more this side of Christmas! My niece was over yesterday and we iced the cake together. I know this is a beauty thread, not a food thread, but as I’ve posted more food than anything else, here’s a cake photo![/quote]
That's fab.

Cake looks fab @FaoinDrualus! I am icing ours tomorrow and have the same wrap to go around it.

Slightly jealous of your Dunnes trip! But you’ve just reminded me I brought a packet of chocolate Kimberley back in November for me for Xmas! Just need to find them now!

Just catching up and it seems like Harrods is much better this year. I had Harrods 2 years ago and it was so disappointing that I didn't get a calendar at all last year.

I have space nk this year - agree with @Jooox about the small sizes.

@MrsMcCluskeysChristmasTree I have the feel unique one and got a 15ml elemis pro collagen night cream, you should message feel unique about yours been missing as it's quite a decent sample x

[quote Chocachocaholic]@MrsMcCluskeysChristmasTree I have the feel unique one and got a 15ml elemis pro collagen night cream, you should message feel unique about yours been missing as it's quite a decent sample x[/quote]
Oh gosh this is embarrassing, when I got the Elemis QVC deal last month I remembered there was a night cream in the Feelunique calendar so got DH to look through and find it. So I've already had it and used it up but completely forgot . Thank you for helping me realise though!!

Been delighted with Glossybox and LF this year! Today was a full size illuminating Rodial primer and an Elemis cleanser. I know tomorrow is a Huda palette in Glossybox (one of the reasons I bought the calendar) but have forgotten what LF is likely to be, so that will be a nice surprise.

Day 24 is really good:

CT walk of no shame eyeshadow palette Harrods. Very, very pleased with this. I really rate CT eyeshadows and these reddy browns are exactly what I would choose for myself.

AA muscle gel F&M. This is boxed and full size, which is really nice, although it’s not my favourite AA product, still a good day.

Shay and Blue Perfume. M&S2021. Yay, delighted with this.

L’Occitane divine cream M&S2018. It’s tiny, but I really like this cream, so happy none the less. Point to the perfume though.

So it’s 15.5:8.5 to M&S 2021 with only Xmas day to go!

@westr, Harrods has been fantastic this year, They have really upped their game compared to previous years. The sizes in particular have been really good. Everything about it has felt like “luxury” The design of the calendar is beautiful, each item is wrapped in paper and then in its own fabric bag etc. No doubt the environmentalists will be scandalised, but I’ll definitely be reusing the box and bags.

Arnica and elderflower jelly. Looks like it belongs in degustabox but it's an all day blemish rescue. Sign of the times that the instructions include: "Apply sparingly to the inside of a fabric mask before wearing"

Also happy with the shay and blue perfume from M&S.

[quote AprilLady]@westr, Harrods has been fantastic this year, They have really upped their game compared to previous years. The sizes in particular have been really good. Everything about it has felt like “luxury” The design of the calendar is beautiful, each item is wrapped in paper and then in its own fabric bag etc. No doubt the environmentalists will be scandalised, but I’ll definitely be reusing the box and bags.[/quote]
I dare you to start a thread on aibu asking which bin your empty bags should be put in

@OchonAgusOchonOh

Don't forget to include 'first world problem' @OchonAgusOchonOh

Like the perfume from M&S and got choc popcorn from Joe & Sephs. But best of all....... pink gin jaffa cakes from degustabox .
I'll definitely get that one again.