General beauty advent calendar opening thread - all welcome

[AprilLady]

As in previous years, this is a thread for all those opening beauty advent calendars not covered by specific threads, though happy for any to be posted here too. We’d also love to hear about other non-beauty calendars.

Only one ask please, do not disclose contents of calendars before 7am on the relevant day.

I’ll be opening the Liberty and Fortnum and Mason calendars. Possibly also Latest in Beauty, assuming it arrives on time.

Only two sleeps to go - looking forward to it!

😉just realised how deadpan that looks on the thread

Pasta sauce for me too - there better be a kitkat chunky hiding in there somewhere ...

We got the KitKat chunky and pasta sauce today in Degustabox. Anyone else finding it difficult to see the numbers on the box?! Took 3 of us this morning 😂

Clinique is a chubby highlighting stick which I'm pleased with.

Fenwick's is an Xbrow eyebrow conditioner. I've never heard of such a product and didn't know it was a thing ... I have reasonably bushy eyebrows so may need to regift this to a fairer friend!

@Ponks I dont have an advent calandar but i have the No 7 Starry Nights sparkly lipstick and the No 7 Luna lip glaze in a duo. I bought it last month but havent tried them yet. Recently it has sold out because of demos on Tik Tok that rave about the lipstick but have you tried the glaze yet? People reviewing it say the colour of the lip glaze is quite pale and im dark haired so not sure the glaze will suit me. My foundation shade is Warm Ivory. I love the look of the Starry Nights lippie though. Which is why i bought it.

@JenniferBooth it is very pale, I think it looks nice over a lipstick so there is a bit of warmth underneath, I do quite like just a sheeny lip though so I've worn it by itself too. FYI I'm also shade warm ivory but alas hair is now fairly grey in front rather than previous mid brown 😊.

Thanks @Ponks Very helpful post especially as we are the same foundation shade.

Day 13: Best day yet for me. Three products I’ve not tried before from brands I rate. Two are full size, one a decent travel size:

F&M: Delilah under wear primer. Make up for a change, and gets good reviews. I’m looking forward to trying it

Liberty: Votary Nutrient cream light. It’s 30ml rather than the full size 50ml, but that is still a decent size moisturiser. I’ve really liked Votary products I’ve tried before, and I tend to prefer light creams, especially for daytime use, so this is spot on for me.

LiB: Medik8 sleep glycolic. Generally rate products from this brand, and keen to give this a go.

Altogether very happy.

Clarins hand cream in JL today. Not massively exciting but a good handcream so it will get used. Eventually.

Definitely a nice haul @AprilLady. I like Votary too.

Good haul @AprilLady

In Next today I have Lancome Genefique serum 7ml. That's one of the bankers I knew was in there at some point. I've used it before and like it.

Yesterday was a teeny (free sample sized) Smashbox primer. Small but it will get used!

We only had the pasta sauce yesterday, no KitKat - how weird! Maybe they migrated from elsewhere in the calendar? I agree about the numbers. It's a bit like Magic Eye; you have to kind of squint and adjust your eyes until you see it!
Today's Degustabox was Ricola sweets. Slightly bizarre but timely as DS is currently off school with a sore throat etc

No7 today is a voucher for a concealer. Disappointing- I'm sure the concealer is great but I'd rather have a product in the drawer to try that day.

Mario Badescu facial spritz in HN today. Never sure what to do with these, and tend to use them after cleansing.

@JenniferBooth I got the no 7 lip duo for my night out last Friday. The pairing is really nice of the sparkly lipstick and the lip glaze over the top. I was quite impressed at its staying power after blotting the lipstick with a tissue. I mainly just topped up the lip glaze whilst I was out.

Really happy with todays door. Mini foreo luna. Will be saving this for using even going away etc as already have a daily electronic facial cleanser but it's quite bulky to take away.

You got hot chocolate? I got a salted caramel kitkat!

Sleep Glycolic in LiB today. Something I wanted to try. Some kind of lozenges in Degusta. I'll find someone with a sore throat to donate them to. Beauty gummies in H&B. Let's see if they do as they promise!

Medik8 & Votary are both favourite brands of mine too @AprilLady

Another one I haven't heard of from Fenwick's - Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Anti-Wrinkle Retinol overnight serum. It's only 7.5ml but happy to try it.

I did @Couperi We tried it last night and found it very bitter, not a fan.

Body shop - Shea shower gel mini Selfridges - milk grip primer

Morning all. Day 14:

F&M: small velvet makeup bag. Think they have one of these in the calendar every year.

Liberty: Another good day - two items, a Trish McEvoy full size mascara, and a “serum in oil” from QMS. Happy enough to try this, previous QMS products I’ve tried have been good, although not so good I’d ever pay the £££ full price for them.

LiB: Full size We are Paradoxx blow dry spray. Not sure about this, but will give it a try at some point.

Nice @AprilLady.

Christophe Robin scalp scrub in JL this morning. Will give it a go.

I signed up for the Liberty Beauty Drop last week with a view to save up for the Liberty calendar next year and got my first beauty box yesterday which was a lovely surprise. Wasn’t expecting anything till next year.

No7 day14 is a mini Protect and Perfect serum, happy to try this.

@Peridot1 that was good of Liberty! And the next box should be January too.

I really rate the CR scrub. Worth looking at a “how to” video on how to use it . Once I figured out how to use it, it worked well. You don’t need much, so even the small size lasts a while. I’d also recommend a good, rich conditioner after.

It was good of them @AprilLady. Really wasn’t expecting anything. Mind you they charged me twice and I had to call them a couple,of times to get it sorted but they did sort it eventually. Will look at the video about the scrub - thanks for the tip.

Wow! Can you remember what date you signed up? I signed up on the 9th but haven't had a box. Maybe I should cross my fingers that one might arrive soon? That would be an amazing early Christmas present.

I signed up on the 6th @SwordBilledHummingbird. It came via DPD and I got a message saying something was on its way. Wasn’t expecting the beauty box though! Hope you get one too.