General “waifs and strays” beauty advent calendar opening thread

[AprilLady]

As in previous years, this a thread for those opening Beauty Advent Calendars not covered by specific calendar opening threads (though also happy for contents of those to be shared here too).

As previously, it will also be fun to hear about other calendar openings - food, jam, socks anyone?

Please do not include spoilers before 7am on the relevant day. Please also avoid dropping hints or spoilers about future contents if you have opened the calendar in advance.

I’ll be opening the Vogue and Selfridges calendars this year. Really looking forward to Day 1.

@TheChosenTwo sorry to hear Hourglass are not inclusive. I am light/medium toned, and only want a subtle hint of blush most of the time, which is probably why Hourglass really works for me but doesn’t work for you.

I've only tried the setting powder from Hourglass which I'm not a huge fan of, but then it's not something I really think of using normally.

I wouldn't mind trying some of their other things but that is that one that is always in advent calendars.

Day 4 LIB Votary apple toner

Boots Premium - inkey list moisturiser. I haven't tried this before but I like a lot of their products that I've tried so happy with this.

This was one of the products I wanted to try so pleased it's early in the month 😃

H&B is an aloe vera toner today. Not exciting but not bad - I had the cleanser in a previous calendar and it worked OK on my slightly awkward skin. (Simultaneously oily, spotty and wrinkly in a bad week! I’m glad no-one told me when I was a teenager that I was still going to be getting occasional spots in my 50s.)

I’m another non-fan of Hourglass, I’ve had their primer and the ambient light and neither did anything for me. But I’m medium toned so it may be it only works for fair skin.

Day 5 Boot No 7 restore and renew AC

Mascara which is handy because my current ones (Bobbi Brown and Dior) are running out and drying up

LF is a serum by Disciple. New to me, I've not heard of them. It's a night time peel thing. I'll go easy, I don't want my face to fall off!

Ciate is another red, called Red Hot Chilli.

Hourglass is a strange one. I’m fair but pink toned. Blushers were fine. But none of their foundations worked for me as all are yellow toned. Charlotte Tilbury does warm and cool toned foundations and there is much more choice.

Day 5 Harrods is Charlotte Tilbury Push Up Lashes mascara in a travel size. This is a bit of an underwhelming drawer for me. I’ll use it but I’ve had this one before in a calendar and I didn’t like it enough to repurchase.

A small size too but then again I don’t suppose every drawer can have a value like yesterday’s product.

@Mirrormeback your No7 The Full 360 is however a mascara that I repeat purchase. My lashes are quite sparse and it works wonders for them. Only downside is it’s quite thick and can dry out so be careful to put the lid back on tightly when you use it. I love it despite this though.

By Terry is a dual ended eye brush. Not very exciting but it's a good size for my travel make up bag so I'll try it out.

Can't find it being sold as a standalone product and the brushes that By Terry are selling look better quality. I give it a value of £5-£10.

Day 5

Vogue: Elemis rose cleansing balm. Love the Elemis cleansing balm, and anything rose, so this is great. 50g so not a bad size.

Selfridges: CT Airbrush Setting Spray. Looks full size too, which is good. But not something I generally use. Will give it a go though, as part of the point of the calendars is to try new things.

@bigdecisionstomake that's good to know re my Boots mascara

I love a dramatic lash.

Who knows I might be able to get away without using my eyelash curlers for a change.

Space NK has Sunday Riley vitamin c serum today, looks interesting and will give it a go when I’ve done with my current one. I’m not normally a fan of Sunday Riley, I find it quite harsh, but the reviews on this one are amazing.

Today’s Boots No7 Ultimate is a Lip & Cheek Tint in a nice useable colour. Lancôme is a black Hypnose mascara.

Today's Boots Premium is a Bobbi Brown eye shadow stick in golden bronze. Despite the fact I have more than enough make-up to see me out twice over, I'm really happy with it. I love the colour.

I have the M&S one and am really disappointed with it so far - I don’t think I will bother with it next year.

Pleased with last year’s Rituals calendar-today’s offering was a weird bath salt thing, but other doors have been oil, shower foam and two candles - very glad I picked it up cheap and put it away.

Today’s bargain WS socks are lovely turtles - I am only on day two as trying to make it last until Xmas. Pleased with today’s as no Xmas theme so can be worn all year.

Meanwhile, no sign or update on my Clarins 12 day calendar order - not impressed by their CS at all. Assuming it actually turns up, I will probably use for Jadvent(😹) now.

Anthropologie today is a myrtle bath soak. It smells like it would be good if feeling congested!

Sounds lovely @Doubleraspberry

I got a lovely bluebell body spray in Jo Malone this morning and a tiny serum in Lumene. I agree with Dee1224 about M&S and I'm really disappointed so far as well.

Don’t know whether I’m over saturated with beauty products, but found the advent lead up thread better than the opening of my calendars. I’ve already opened up to date 8 as I’m just not feeling the excitement! I found the Harrods fragrance the most exciting and I opened that two weeks after it arrived, back in September. I probably should have gone for a Dyptique, Jo Loves or Jo Malone. I’m just spoilt 😁

Your Jo Malone sounds lovely 🥰

Not opened my calendar yet today, DH was away overnight and we've agreed to wait and open them together this evening. I'm surprisingly excited that I still have today's item to be revealed :D

@Dogsitterwoes I am impatiently waiting to see what tights Snag have provided for you today.

I'm the opposite, I'm loving my M&S calendar. But that might be because it's my first ever beauty advent.