Beauty Advent Calendars 2023 Part C - counting down to Christmas

[Stoic123]

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/4893988-beauty-advent-calendars-2023-part-b-have-we-chosenor-not?page=10&reply=129727755

Continuing the discussion ...will there be some good discounts?

@HollyGolightly4 I ordered Vogue a while back and it was the single best decision of my life, congratulations!

@Notasockbandit If it helps, since I ordered the calendar I have been immune from buying other beauty calendars, I don’t even give them a second glance. It’s like wearing a luxury bullet proof cashmere vest. I don’t want or need for anything, my life is complete. I have probably saved myself thousands of pounds, at a conservative estimate.

Although @MavisMcMinty did give me the idea of a 12 day calendar to open between Christmas and NY, but that’s different. I’m thinking fragrance.

The Vogue one looks amazing but I already have a lot of the things I like in it...the Foreo and the creams. Not interested in the accessories.

The Foreo is very good and I recommend using it with serums you already own, as the masks compatible with it are not that cheap. You link it with an app.

@RainbowZebraWarrior reverse image search suggests it's last year's Jurlique calendar - found a link here britishbeautyblogger.com/skincare/jurlique-advent-calendar-2022/

@RainbowZebraWarrior I got the email this morning and was very excited because their mysterbags are really good
I identified the AC as Jurlique AC from last year so I calmed down, not buying.

beautyadventcalendar.net/jurlique-advent-calendar-2022/

OK! will bring out a Chrismas box end of next week £60 or £55 for subscribers'11 exquisite treats worth more than £360' that's all their email said

LiB Stylist Party box £15 discount and free delivery with code STYLISTPARTY

Somebody was asking about premium beauty mixed ACs and I mentioned Mintd and Net a Porter. I just remembered Niche Beauty is in the same category for anyone looking.

Thank you @WeAreBorg delighted to hear it!

The strays and waifs thread is the best. There are so sorts on it, including food, tea, jam etc and obviously all the less mainstream calendars.

Thanks all. @Branster and @Maranello well done on identifying. I wasn't sure reverse image search would pick it up and was rushing to the hairdressers. I'm not impressed so won't be bothering (apparently that calendar has repeats in it which is rubbish) I'm glad in a way as it's saved me money. I usually love BBC stuff, but prefer knowing what I'm getting. Also bought the M&S AC this week and am happy with that.

Can I ask a potentially controversial question?

Will you actually wait and open one product per day in December? Or will you open it all at once?

I’m definitely an open every day woman but there are people who open everything as soon as they get their calendar. Which is sacrilege in my book! But each to their own. I love my morning ritual of opening the day’s drawer and discovering what the item is and then coming here and posting and reading what others have. (And I’m now talking myself into ordering one as I think I will really miss that if I don’t get a calendar.)

Could I ask people’s opinion on Sephora? I just watched that planning with crystal open it and now I’m wondering why I originally ruled it out? And also have I already missed a deal on it?

The first AC I ever had (2017, IIRC) was the John Lewis one, and I opened every drawer the moment it arrived, then closed it all up again until December. It was a disappointing AC made even more disappointing by seeing what was in it prior to the daily opening ritual.

Since then I’ve bought LF and Glossybox ACs every year without even looking at the contents lists, and no sneak early peeking! I opened the Glossybox one through December and saved LF to rip into all at once on Christmas Day (because LF has always been better than Glossybox imo).

This year, because of this thread, I’ve perused all the contents lists, but luckily my memory is getting worse so hopefully I won’t remember most of them. But neither Glossy or LF appealed to me this year, so I’m glad I checked before buying, it would have been a double disappointment.

Also, before finding this dastardly thread, I had no idea there were so many beauty ACs!

One-a-day person here, like @Peridot1 I like the morning ritual. I am absolutely not a morning person so generally my first thought on waking is along the lines of ‘Urghhh’, whereas in December it’s ‘Ooh, I can open the next calendar drawer!’ Best mornings of the year 😁

@Twinsandsome I had dismissed Sephora too but watched three unboxings and have bought. New to all this but looks ideal for me

I'm the same.

I'm thinking of opening my No 7 one in january as there is also usually a jadvent thread.

@Houseplanter one a day for me too - delayed gratification. It also means you take the time to really look at and appreciate the product. Like @Talisin I love getting up every morning and opening the calendar, and coming on here to see what people think/what was in different calendars that day. The only exception would be if I bought one just to use as a beauty box. I had H&B last year (on top of others!) and it got a bit dull by the end, and the box was really flimsy. If I got a similar one again and was buying for value I'd probably just open it all.

@Twinsandsome I think Sephora is really good, especially for <£200. The reason I didn't go for it was that I like candles but have lots of Neom candles (and it's not a brand I particularly like), have already tried a few of the products in there (e.g. Sol de Janeiro, Juliette has a Gun perfume) and although I like them the sizes aren't worth getting again, and there are too many hair products for me. But I reckon it's a great calendar if those things aren't relevant for you. Adding Sephora to your favourite brands should get a 10/15% discount.

@FinallyFinalGirl I’ve ordered Vogue and am eagerly awaiting its arrival. Can you tell me how you use the Foreo without purchasing the masks? Do you just apply the serum to your face and use the machine without any mask? I’ve not used anything like this before and was wondering if I should pre purchase some masks?

Thanks @Possimpible and @Emmmmz9 I think the only things missing from it might be I like getting a couple of moisturisers because it’s something I use twice per day and bar the M&G there isn’t any really but at that price I could buy an extra moisturiser maybe. It’s between that and harrods which has a good amount mosistursers. I agreed about neom love them burning but when blown out omg I near choke for about an hour x

@Twinsandsome

I think Sephora is a bit of a mixed bag. It has a few really interesting products, but also a quite a few boring/repeat products. For me, it makes more sense to pick up the few bits that i'm interested in on eBay rather than buy the whole calendar.

However, if you like your eyeshadow palettes, Neom Candles, and AA oils (and don't already have a big stash like me!) then it's a good deal. A Neom candle is just a major red flag for me atm as I've had so many of them 😂

I've bought Boots lift and illuminate as it's only £44 today and I loved the hydration mask I had in a gift set. I got about £4 back in points as well 😆

Out of the big, multi brand calendars under £300, I think that my top 10 would go something like this:

1. Space NK
2. Selfridges
3. Harrods
4. Sephora
5. Boots
6. Mintd
7. Elle
8. F&M
9. Cult Beauty
10. Liberty

So Sephora is definitely up there, but for me there were better options. It's so personal though as it depends on what you like, and on what products you've already tried

That sounds like a really good deal!

Not sure whether it's been mentioned, but Debenhams is 15% off if anyone was interested in that