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!

Are we putting a time limit on spoilers, like midday?

BirchBox - meh, feel like today’s is for a younger audience

LookFantastic - not seen this product before but seems to have good reviews.

One of my favourite parts is reading about the products that are new to me, and their reviews.

Very happy with day 1 overall:

Sunday Riley Vitamin C Cream. Full size, from Harrods. I’m looking forward to trying this, especially has my normally oily/combination skin is drier than usual atm

Kure Bazaar cuticle oil. FM calendar. Pleasantly surprised it’s not a nail polish this year. Will be interesting to see if it helps my brittle nails at all.

Emma Hardie cleansing balm. M&S calendar. This is one of my favourite cleansers, and size is pretty good.

Day 1 Rituals. A lovely mini candle in Sweet Jasmine. It's maybe a bit sweet smelling for my tastes but I will burn it anyway.

@ApolloandDaphne, I’m happy for spoilers to be posted from 7am. It’s easy enough for those who haven’t opened their calendar yet to avoid the thread on the day until they do; and nicer for the rest of us who do open in the morning if we can share actual contents.

Morning all! Loving the Emma Hardie balm in M&S. It's one of my favourites and a big part of why I ended up getting the calendar.
Degustabox also have a strong opener...a big packet of stroopwafels with a device to warm them over your hot drink. Yum!

@ApolloandDaphne I have same rituals. It's great way to try all their ranges, and that's their more expensive line. It's not my favorite but will use and enjoy it!

I bought DD(14) an H&B one (with a big Quidco discount) and an M&S one (using the logic that we can open them together and swap stuff). I was also sucked into getting the Amazon one half price a couple of days ago - there were a few bits that I fancied - I think that might be turning up at some point today.

I've had to swap DD's eye cream for the Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm.

DD and I were very pleased with the stroopwafels! Less thrilled with the candle, but that's because I found last year that all scented candles now make me cough. It does smell lovely.

I have H&B for me, will try the eye cream but a bit dubious about it. It's made by the same people who did that greasy, gritty coffee scrub in last year's, and I see it has coffee in it!

Very pleased with the Stroopwafels, I may have just sampled one for breakfast and it was delicious .

Philip Kingsley elasticizer in Feel Unique. I know lots of people love it but my hair is luckily in great condition without using any treatments so I palm most hair products off onto friends!

Ooooh, joining to see what you all get

I have SpaceNK.
Day 1: Sunday Riley Face Oil and Sunday Riley Retin A
(Tiny sizes)

Oh I'm in! Have NAP and M&S for me, Degusta for DH. Fab start for all 3. I like the EH cleanser and have CT Walk of no Shame eyeliner in NAP this morning. May wear it to work for a change.

Of course that's what the plastic thing is for - must be brain fog, I thought it was to make a pattern on your cappuccino .

Loved the waffles, will definitely use the EH cleansing balm and and salted caramel popcorn from Joe & Seph for later. Great start.

The NaP tilbury eyeliner was originally a drawer of disappointment for me but.... it's really lovely. Doesn't budge and a very flattering soft rosy brown on me.

I'm missing my plastic stroopwaffle holder but I suspect I'll cope

Coffee scrub for me today. I remember the Tales of Woe from last year about a coffee scrub so hopefully it won't be too messy. Dd will probably be a willing recipient if it is, although with strict instructions to only use it in her student accommodation.

I also have M&S. No photo, I'm afraid, as I didn't know if we were posting about items that have a dedicated thread so only took the photo of the scrub and am now in the office. Really looking forward to it. I'm a recent convert to balms which, unlike most eye make-up removers, generally don't bother my eyes.

Can people post photos please? I love seeing what other people are getting.

I can't wait to try my Augustinus Bader cream from JL and my Hydroluminous water gel from Boots No 7. Stroop waffles from Degusta

A very enjoyable start to the AC openings

@wheresmyshoe DS opened our calendar and said the plastic holder doo-dah was wedged at the back of the space - maybe yours is too, or has gone for a wander round the calendar?

I’ve got the Liberty advent calendar this year, it’s my first beauty one so I’m very excited. This morning was a full size Votary brightening serum which feels and smells lovely and much more than I’d normally spend on something I hadn’t tried before. I’ll take a photo when I get home as I’m at work now.

Yes our holder was wedged at the back too. Thank goodness it was something the DC already like as they're slightly sceptical about what the contents might be. I haven't looked in the contents booklet.

Loving the hydrating mist in the CB calendar this morning! My skin is very dry at the moment and this has nice ingredients.

Thank you @IToldYouIWasFreaky I can see a bit of a gap to door 12 so might be down there.

On the tilbury eyeliner, DH just asked me if I'd had a bad nights sleep so not as flattering as I hoped!

I got the Rituals Jasmine candle and Chocolate and Nougat museli. A sweet start to December

@FaoinDrualus

I got the Rituals Jasmine candle and Chocolate and Nougat museli. A sweet start to December

The rituals calendar looks beautiful. The muesli sounds really sweet!!

@FaoinDrualus

I got the Rituals Jasmine candle and Chocolate and Nougat museli. A sweet start to December

I have the less expensive Rituals Callander and also got that candle. It will be interesting to see if you get different things as the days go on.

2 cleansers today in LF and Glossybox - not hugely exciting although useful. I used the Kate Somerville cleanser as my AM cleanser as it purported to be moisturising - seems nice enough!