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!

@AnnieSnap yes it was tiny...a few sprays and it will be finished. Way too small. If it had been bigger I wouldn't have bought it but a 1ml sample is useless. Gorgeous scent.

Olive soap in the H&B today. Not very exciting but they had it in there last year and it is a nice soap so I'm happy with that.

@CountryCob I’m same on olaplex3. I put mine on vinted and it sold with the day for a tenner. You could probably get more. It’s earmarked for a Le Labo fund…

@Lurkingshark ohhh which scent do you want from Le Lebo? I’m obessed!

I got another 13 and iris as gifts/ advent last year so those.

But spent a weekend in Paris with my face pressed up at the shop in Marais. All of them! Waiting for the discounts but the only one I’ve seen is the Black Friday CB.

Molecule 01 and another perfume I've never heard of in HN today. Excited to try them both!

Day 3: All full size products today.

F&M: Molecules 01 perfume. I know lots of people love this, but I’m anosmic to Iso E Super so it doesn’t work for me. Following a thread on here some time ago, I still once wore it for two weeks in a row hoping to get the reaction others do when wearing it - still nothing, so I gave up.

Liberty Wild source miracle oil. This I haven’t used before and I’m looking forward to trying. Best of today’s products for me.

LiB Trish McEvoy gel eyeliner in black. This is actually a really nice eyeliner, so it’s a pity that it is black. I have in the past really enjoyed the aubergine one. This is likely to go to DD.

@CeeCeeDeeBee what is the other HN perfume? The perfumes were one of the selling points of the HN calendar I think!

@Lurkingshark Le Labo Noir 29 is one of my favourite perfumes. Unfortunately (like Molecules 01) Another 13 doesn’t work for me.

@AprilLady @Lurkingshark

I have santal 33, the noir, the matcha and another 13. I love them all but 33 is my go to

I have the Look Fantastic one. Rituals room scent, Drunk Elephant moisturiser and a mascara so far. My house is smelling beautiful haven't tried the other bits yet as my skin is quite delicate atm and too early for mascara

@AprilLady it's Serge Lutens Nuit de Cellophane. It's in a bottle with a tricky stopper so I haven't sniffed it yet.

Thanks @CeeCeeDeeBee , unusual to get a Serge Lutens perfume in an advent calendar.

No7 day 3 is an eyeshadow brush

@Lurkingshark might try that, thank you. I like the LinB liner as it’s really dark and goes one well. Debenhams is a wearable colour paw paw balm and I like it too. Smiggle beauty is a little tutti frutti lip gloss and stick on earrings, very cute

JL is a Molton Brown shower gel today. Happy enough with that.

@AprilLady can I please ask you to translate your paragraph about your F&M perfume? I’ve no idea what that means!

Mini Bobbi Brown mascara in Asos today, DD is pleased so all products usable so far between us.

@Peridot1 The whole Escentric Molecules philosophy is based on a chemical called Iso E Super. It was developed to add to perfumes to enhance whatever scent was there. But the founder of this brand decided to create a perfume pretty much just made of this chemical. It tends to react with skin and apparently smells different on different people. But some people (like me) are anosmic to it - in other words, we can’t smell it at all.

There was a thread on here a while back about it - lots of people claimed that when they wore it they’d get stopped in the street by strangers telling them how wonderful they smelt. Never happened to me though - my body chemistry obviously doesn’t produce the magic.

Thanks @AprilLady. Every day is a school day! I’m not a big wearer of perfume really. I’m back wearing an old favourite from the 80s - YSL Paris! A lot of these newer brands have passed me by.

M&S is a dark red nail Nails Inc Polish. Quite pleased as I have a similar shade that’s about to run out.
Going to give myself a manicure later! 😇

Reasonable sized 50ml dramatically different moisturiser in Clinique today. Ive run out so I'm very pleased with that. This was definitely a head over heart calendar!

More chocolate balls in Degustabox 😂

I got another Molton Brown shower gel this time in JL, and a teeny tiny bio effects EGF serum from Fenwick's, only 3ml! I want to try this, but it's so small.

ByTerry day 3 is a matte lip stain. I don't use anything matte on my lips but the colour looks perfect for me! Don't know whether to sell it or wear it with lip oil over the top.
@AprilLady I have issues with Iso Super E as well, smells good on other people but vile (like rotting vegetation) on me. I'm always a bit bemused by people buying Ecsentric Molecules as you can just buy Iso SuperE for pennies online.

I was ridiculously excited by the chocolate puddings in Degusta today. Haven't had one of those in years. Got a Hair Gain hair mask in my homemade one.

Agree re Le Labo, they do some lovely scents. I have bottles of Another 13 and Santal 33.

My Nuxe calendar was one of a dodgy batch - day 2 was empty! I emailed and as day 9 May also be empty I am being sent an exact replacement for that and a full size huile prodigeuse as replacement for the fragrance. Excellent customer service and generous replacement gift

I tried Escentric Molecules too and it smells a bit like Pledge on me.... Pretty sure I must lack the gene too.