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.

Unsurprisingly really but H&B do like the alternative products! I recall one year I had their calendar and getting some sort of snail moisturiser. The blurb said something like it was made from the trails of happy free range snails but I wasn't sure about that and so it free ranged off into the charity box! 🐌

Two DODs in succession from By Terry

• 15th - Black Eyeliner - don't use this so will find another home.
• 16th - a small brush of some description. Suspect that it is intended for use with tomorrow's drawer but it really should not take up a drawer of its own. Photo (lipstick provided for scale only).

@Puravida23 the OK box does sound very annoying. I’m actually really enjoying the way Selfridges is packaged this year with boxes in drawers. It’s all secure and easy to open, but not as bulky as the big drawer opening calendars and I expect will be more usable afterwards too.

@snowfootsteps that brush is a decided low point!

The seahorse line is from Kitchen Beauty (or similar name). H&B have been stocking this brand for a few years now.
I found it on a random visit to the shop and they had a really good sale on, naturally I was intrigued and bought quite a few items.
I believe it is a vegan and cruelty free range of products. This line is made from plankton that seahorses feed on. The brand supports some seahorse foundation/charity.
Not made from seahorses!!!! Cutest creatures ever.
Anyway that's all I remember from my reading on the kitchen beauty website back then.

I really really wanted to like everything but was not overly impressed. I mean I didn't see any marked changes from using the face products. But there was no negative skin reaction either. It was OK and I'd be happy to receive as a gift. It would also be a good option as a gift for vegan friends because the story is so lovely. I would not buy it for myself though.

Apart from the hand scrub: it is absolutely awesome!!! It makes hands soft and brightens skin, a jar lasts forever, only use once a week, remove all jewellery first.
I bought 2 jars however many years ago, I won't finish them both for another 5 years at least.

No7 Ultimate today is a line correcting booster serum. Lancôme is Genefique eye cream.

Day 17 Boots Restore & Renew

The R&R night cream which I'm looking forward to trying out

Day 14 of my sister's homemade advent calendar was a useful Neutrogena lip balm

Day 15 - some Lindor chocolates!

Day 16 yesterday was another cute cloisonné cat to add to my cloisonné collection

Day 17 - an unusual pewter daisy photo holder

Very happy with all my presents so far

Day 17 Harrods is full size Sunday Riley CEO Glow Vitamin C Oil. I like this product but always worry that using an oil in my morning routine will cause my make up to pil. I have always in the past therefore used it on WFH days which kind of negates the point of having lovely glowy skin. Has anyone tried this under make up and can tell me if it causes pilling or not?

Day 17:

Vogue: Aspinal of London card holder. Not sure how I feel about this, it’s the brand that makes it a luxury, the holder itself is quite plain but useful.

Selfridges: Full size Biossance Copper Peptide serum. Very happy with this, back to good stuff from Selfridges.

I wore the Dries van Noten perfume yesterday, and really, really like it. One of the hits from the calendar for me.

By Terry Day 17 is a good one - Tea to Tan Bronzer. This is a product I've wanted to try. It's a travel size so worth £19.

I'm very happy with the card holder- I need a new one!

No7 L&L also a night cream. Good size mini.

As an aside, one of my colleagues received a class gift on Friday - I work in a school where the parents tend to club together. She's only late 30s and they've bought her Clarins anti aging 😆

Today DH got a huge jar of PICKLED ONIONS in the Degusta AC 🤣🤣🤣

Love it!

Realising that's not very 'beauty' AC lol but I thought it was hilarious

Pickled onions would be a big hit with my DH!

Day 17 Diptyque: 10ml Do Son perfume.

Happy with this, will try it out properly sometime in the New Year (I like to match my perfume to the season).

17 Dec. LF is a MAC mascara. I'm always up for a new 'wow, my lashes look great!' mascara, used to love Benefit They're Real, but beauty drop and ACs over the last couple of years have meant I've not bought it. Maybe MAC will become my new fave!!

Ciate is a fairly bright blue called Pool Party. I like this, it'll be interesting in summer.

@TragicMuse - I like Pool Party! Summer toenails.

I like Pool Party! In fact quite envious of the Ciate calendar all ro.

@Branster , thanks for the explanation of the seahorse plankton cream! You’ve set my mind at rest, I really didn’t like the idea that seahorses had died to make my moisturiser.

Today in H&B is a microfibre cloth. I will give it a go- I rarely wear much makeup, but on the odd occasion I do this may help.

Probably the best day of Lancôme (been a bit disappointing so far), a very nice eye shadow palette. These are colours I use so am pleased with this. No7 Ultimate is a full-size Protect & Perfect Intense Moisturising Body Serum which I’m looking forward to trying.

Day 18 Boots No 7 R&R

An eyebrow pencil which is actually the right colour. I have crazy bushy eyebrows so don't really need it but I'll try it out

Day 18 Harrods is Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo. A DoD for me. Although perhaps I should make a New Year’s resolution to stop washing my hair every day and use this instead.

By Terry Day 18 - Beaume de Rose - Red Carpet -RRP £16

A DOD for me as I don't wear lipstick/Tinted Balm but I'll find a good home for it.

Day 18

Vogue: White Company cashmere bed socks. Really delighted with these. I had definitely not remembered them from looking at the contents originally. As it happens I was in a White Company shop this weekend looking for gifts, and liked them so much I bought a pair (in a different colour) as a gift for a friend.

Selfridges: The AB rich cream. I know it’s a DoD for some, but I do use it and rate it, so happy

So a really good day for me.