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.

@AppleDumplingWithCustard that palette does look lovely!

@bigdecisionstomake It’s worth giving dry shampoo a go - I do use it regularly to get an extra day between washes.

Dill pickle and jalapeño Kettle Chips today in Degustabox - yum! Right up my alley.
These will definitely be making an appearance on the Christmas Eve buffet table, along with yesterday's pickled onions.

@bigdecisionstomake I have loved the Living Proof dry shampoo since I first got it in a calendar. It’s expensive to buy when there are much cheaper alternatives but I like it better.

Boots Premium

Day 17 - bwija flora cream. Delighted with this. Haven't tried it but like the other's from this brand I've tried.

Day 18 - Wishful enzyme scrub. Haven't tried this before but I love a good scrub so happy with this too.

I’m still opening my Bonne Maman calendar although it’s not having the same appeal as a beauty calendar.

The jigsaw one feels a bit odd as you get a different square every day rather than doing it randomly. It doesn’t feel as enjoyable as a regular jigsaw.

I was away last week for a few days and wasn’t really bothered to open either calendar to catch up when I got back. Which is quite telling I think.

I think next year I might just avoid the pre buying threads and just order the Liberty calendar with my beauty drop credit and be done with it. I want to be surprised by what’s in the calendar and I don’t want to be swayed by people saying they don’t think it’s good for whatever reason. It shouldn’t sway me but it does. And one person’s reason for not being impressed with it shouldn’t be mine!

Day 18 Diptique: Coing votive.

Happy with this as it's one I've not tried before :)

I haven't used this specific oil but since nobody else has answered - I like Biossance squalane and vitamin C rose oil, and I don't find it pills under makeup. I only really use it on makeup days where my skin is feeling dryish, and I always let it sink in first and use a light moisturiser on top, but I often struggle with heavy moisturisers pilling and haven't had an issue with the oils.

@Peridot1 I get that, I used to love the buying threads but this year they fell a bit flatter somehow and I felt there was a lot more complaining/higher expectations. I stuck to my guns and got F&M despite most people on the thread not rating it, but I can see why you could be swayed. Ordering blind is tempting but it's just so much money to gamble - every year I've thought a different calendar is best, so it's not like I have a favourite brand. If you're going to gamble I agree Liberty is probably the best option.

The eyebrow pencil is different to what I was expecting

It has 4 thin short flexible strands where the liquid goes down

I had to practise a bit to get the flick right and I suppose at first more sort of the brown comes out so it looked like one thick line but it soon sorts itself out into these 4 delicate lines

I managed to draw a very good whole eyebrow on my hand which looked very realistic so it's great if you need that sort of thing

@Peridot1 I think the same. I will probably just buy Space NK (holding off til the point in October where you can buy it and get the GWP!) as I have had it two years in the last four and liked the contents the rest of the time. It seems to be whichever one you look at there are always a couple of items you won't use, but it's easy enough to sell on eBay or regift. I don't think the perfect beauty advent calendar exists.

I intend to not even check the contents so it's a real surprise. But we'll see. I'm not too patient!

@Peridot1 I agree the expectations of some on the buying threads were unrealistically high. I thought overall it was a very good year in terms of calendar contents and choice - a wide range of calendars at a wide range of price points. And retailers did not overstock as in previous years, so very few got discounted.

There will be DoDs in every calendar, and the reason I make a spreadsheet is so that I am not put off more than necessary by one or two items I don’t want. I do think the best calendars vary from year to year (in my view this year’s Selfridges is probably their best ever, for example) so I’ll continue to look at contents and use the buying threads to get a heads up on good deals.

But as today’s Vogue drawer shows, if I’ve done that and bought the calendar in Sept/Oct I still get plenty of surprise and pleasure actually opening it in December, because once I’ve bought the calendar I do forget a lot of the detailed contents.

LF today is a beauty blender sponge. I don't really use these but it will do nicely for the teen's stocking.

Ciate is black nail varnish. Also possibly for the teen, my little proto-goth!

I think I kinda agree with you @Peridot1 I barely looked at the content for the Look Fantastic box. It's all unknown and while some are better than others it's still a nice surprise. Plus, I intended the stuff that's not right for me to be added to stockings so it's all fine really.

I'm very happy with my M&S and Molton Brown calendars! I totally forgot all the contents as I looked at them ages ago. I also have a Next AC which I'm opening from Christmas Day and I have zero idea what's in it.

For those with Next has it been good?!

H&B today is a Sea Magik Himalayan pink salt shampoo. I’ve never tried it but I do really like the brand, I use their BB cream all the time. So a good day for me.

Ooh, @CordeliaNaismithVorkosigan - please let us know what the salt shampoo is like - I have wanted to try it for a while- I like Sea Magik stuff.

Lancôme today is La vie est belle body lotion and No7 is a Total Renew exfoliant.

Day 19

Vogue: Travel size Oribe smoothing leave in conditioner. My life long battle against frizz continues, so happy to have a new anti-frizz product to try.

Selfridges: Eyephoria colour shot by Rabanne. Apparently it’s an eye paint? Not a product I’d heard of before but the colour looks good for me, so excited to give this a go.

Another good day.

LF is a tube of First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream. I'm not sure if this is face or body or both. I need moisturiser but am reluctant to apply it to face just in case.

Ciate is a very pale pink called dreamland. Paler even than ballerina. Might be useful for neutral/nude nails.

Oh, pics!!

Day 19 Harrods is Evidens De Beaute Night Recovery Solution. I’ve seen this brand around but not tried anything from it. Apparently this is an overnight gel mask which will make me wake up with hydrated, renewed and plumped skin. What’s not to love!

@Possimpible thanks for the advice about the oil that's good to know - the Biossance one is one of my favourites although I tend pretty much only to use it at night. I'll give the Sunday Riley one a try next morning I'm going to be wearing make up to see how it goes.

@AprilLady and @Doubleraspberry I do hear good things about the dry shampoo I just can't seem to shake the habit of daily hair washing (despite my hairdresser's best attempts to persuade me otherwise). I'm definitely going to try to switch my routine up a bit over the holidays though and try some different things so will give it a go.

Day 19 Diptyque: 10ml Eau Capitale.

Not one I like unfortunately!

@Ilikeyoursleeves I've had Next and really liking it so far 😊

Day 18 of my sister's homemade calendar - 'be kind unwind' lavender & chamomile body butter

Day 19 - another beauty gift - 'cosy cottage' geranium hand & body cream

I adore Eau Capitale! I feel like a grown up when I wear it. 😂