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Original poster

Which Advent calendar won’t you be revisiting next year?

51 replies

EachandEveryone · 26/12/2023 19:38

The Space NK one was such a bad choice it was hateful really. So many face moisturisers not enough make up, no nice bath shower products, one plain body cream. Oh, and a candle that smells of fag ash and mud. Never again. The best bit about it was the big box of treats you got if you ordered it in a certain time.

which one did you like/wont buy again?

OP posts:
skippy67 · 28/12/2023 00:17

The Look Fantastic one was rubbish. I bought it for dd and was v disappointed with it. Dd bought me the boots premium one. My first ever beauty advent calendar and I loved it.

nationallampoons · 28/12/2023 00:55

I'm not buying them again, maybe the benefit one but that's it.
Next year I'll make my own for my daughters

hairyspiderleg · 28/12/2023 02:40

I had the Holland and Barrett one, dd had the glossybox one. I felt very hard done by...

TinkerTiger · 28/12/2023 02:52

The Chanel Advent CalendarGrin

Not that I bought it as I could never afford it, but I am GOBSMACKED that they thought it was ok to charge over £800 for that

Ambi · 28/12/2023 02:56

I was late to the party as I was waiting for black friday reductions to find most had sold out. This year I had the No7 lift and laminate which was really good. Next year I'd like the Boots premium one.

Growlybear83 · 28/12/2023 03:02

I would never consider M&S again. Almost everything has gone into the charity box and there are only five things that I would even try, so dreadful value for money for me.

I loved everything in my Jo Malone calendar, although I would have preferred anything other than the two candles that were included.

I bought Liberty this year instead of Harrods and was really pleased with most things. My daughter has had the little bracelet and hair clips, and I'll use almost everything else apart from the make up items. But the real surprise was Lumene, which I got for around half price, and which was full of lovely little skin care items, with only two things I won't use.

Austrianmilk · 28/12/2023 04:08

I got the.body shop one in the black Friday sale. It was the red one and was reduced to £80 ish. Even at that price there's no way the products were worth it. Everything seemed to be the most unpopular scents, all mini sized and no cosmetics. Lots of sheet face masks and body lotions, just felt like all the products that don't sell as well were chucked in!

Housewife2010 · 28/12/2023 06:21

If you were disappointed with your AC, did you check the contents first? I always check AC contents and their sizes before choosing one. The lists come out so early now that by December I've forgotten most of the contents and so the surprise element is still there. In 10+ years of ACs I've never been disappointed.
I can't decide now which ACs I'm going for or avoiding next year because I don't know what they'll contain.
I'm not sure how an AC can be "hateful".

AppleDumplingWithCustard · 28/12/2023 06:45

Lancôme as mostly tiny products. No7 Ultimate. If I get a Boots calendar next year it will be the Boots Premium which looked better as it had a variety of brands. I’ll get Liberty again and I liked both my John Lewis and Cult Beauty. I’ll try not to go mad though next year and buy five AVs! First time I’d bought any and got a bit over excited this year.

pepperaunt · 28/12/2023 09:08

I used to get the Liberty calendar but felt there were too many repeats year-on-year. This year I got the Harrods calendar. I would not recommend! Too many small sizes and DOD. May have to splurge on Diptique next year.

pinkchampagne1 · 28/12/2023 09:29

I am surprised so many were disappointed with Space NK as it seemed to be the most popular one. It was one a lot of the beauty influencers recommended on the un boxings and was first to sell out.

I got John Lewis which I was pretty happy with but thought last year’s calendar was better as it had some lovely high end moisturisers which this year’s calendar was missing.

I am now 3 days into my 12 day Fenwicks one and am impressed so far.

TheOGCCL · 28/12/2023 10:01

I feel like there is a lot of waste with beauty ACs, but hopefully people can swap or gift.

Make up is not guaranteed to be the right shade or colour.

Skincare routines are best when you use products consistently, not lots of different things.

Body stuff just seems like filler to me.

As PP said it’s good that you can read the contents beforehand, though to some extent that’s not in the spirit of an advent calendar.

superplumb · 28/12/2023 13:01

I quite liked cult beauty but it was very heavy on face creams and oils. I now have more skin care than I know what to do with.
I've just seen people selling the empty box on ebay..do people seriously buy them empty?

Edinlassy · 28/12/2023 13:06

Second year of the Sephora box absolutely amazing!!

Lifeasiknowitisout · 28/12/2023 15:46

I think getting the right advent Calendar really varies from person to person.

I like ones with lots of skin care. Gives me a chance to try them and see how my skin reacts.

I am not a fan of make up in them because it’s really hit and miss whether it’s suitable. Unless it’s like a decent mascara, something I can use even if I don’t love it. But some people prefer make up. I am fed up of the same Charlotte tilbury quad that’s in most of them. I don’t like the colours. Luckily my adult dd does so, the last time I had a calendar I gave mine to her and she goes through a couple a year.

I don’t mind the odd hand cream, can go in my bag for work. I don’t waste anything.

I think there needs to be loads of research into getting the right one. I didn’t have time this year so didn’t get one. But I think a perfume one for next year. So I try some that I might not usually.

Adult dd wants one next year so she will be doing the researching 😂

@Edinlassy what were the highlights on the Sephora one?

purser25 · 28/12/2023 16:24

I had the cheapest body shop one when it was reduced really pleased with it, will probably use everything

MyOtherNameToday · 28/12/2023 16:31

I was disappointed with the Rituals one this year. Day 1 was a bloody fabric softener for the laundry! The candles were half the size of previous years. The packaging was lovely but everything just seemed smaller.

CrackerlessCracker · 28/12/2023 16:46

Very disappointed with SpaceNK.

in previous years I’ve had SpaceNK, Liberty, John Lewis and M&S (only one per year though!) so I’m no stranger to them.

I like the surprise so do a cursory glance over contents and count how many I wouldn’t use and base it off that, but it’s a quick process. This year there were only two days I wouldn’t use but what I didn’t think of was the contents as a set.

This meant I missed the horribly repetitive nature of the Space NK one.

I missed not having a perfume, bath oil or shower gel. Would have loved a blusher. I don’t need 20 odd moisturisers or cleansers. Individually all fine and will last me all year. Just not exciting and stopped feeling like a treat.

I’ll research better in future!

CountTo10 · 28/12/2023 16:47

Ambi · 28/12/2023 02:56

I was late to the party as I was waiting for black friday reductions to find most had sold out. This year I had the No7 lift and laminate which was really good. Next year I'd like the Boots premium one.

Yes I always get a Boots No7 advent calendar and have never been disappointed. Fantastic value for money with loads of full size products. You even get a voucher in one for a free lipstick so you can choose your own colour. It never seems to trumpeted much on MN and I don't see why.

WowIlikereallyhateyou · 28/12/2023 17:03

Why did you all buy the advent calendars? Do you not see what is in them before buying? Otherwise are they not an expensive waste of money?

JustExistingNotLiving · 28/12/2023 17:05

I had a Vahdam AC and it was gorgeous.
Very few repeats and a really decent quantity of tea in each sample.

I agree with a PP in saying that you want to look at what there is in it before buying. Not too many repeats and the type of product you’ll use is essential (that’s the reason I don’t do beauty stuff with AC) if you dint want to be disappointed.
Otherwise, I often use them to test certain brands/products. Sometimes, I’m disappointed but then I just avoid said brand again.

JustExistingNotLiving · 28/12/2023 17:09

@WowIlikereallyhateyou , I loved my tea AC because if the huge variety of teas. I enjoyed having something new everyday. I tried stuff I probably wouldn’t have bought otherwise. And I like tea!!

However, I agree that if you dint tend to enjoy the type of products, you read the list and realise there is a lot if crap/stuff you won’t use etc….then yes it’s a very expensive buy.

clowniform · 28/12/2023 17:09

Unless next year's contents have already been leaked, I couldn't say! But I had Liberty and M&S this year so would probably skip those to avoid repetition.

WowIlikereallyhateyou · 28/12/2023 17:14

JustExistingNotLiving · 28/12/2023 17:09

@WowIlikereallyhateyou , I loved my tea AC because if the huge variety of teas. I enjoyed having something new everyday. I tried stuff I probably wouldn’t have bought otherwise. And I like tea!!

However, I agree that if you dint tend to enjoy the type of products, you read the list and realise there is a lot if crap/stuff you won’t use etc….then yes it’s a very expensive buy.

Absolutely. Many of the calendars mentioned were full of filler stuff, seems such a waste to buy and then moan about it.

Growlybear83 · 28/12/2023 17:29

WowIlikereallyhateyou · 28/12/2023 17:03

Why did you all buy the advent calendars? Do you not see what is in them before buying? Otherwise are they not an expensive waste of money?

I spent a long time looking at the contents of the premium calendars before deciding which to buy and wasn't disappointed with the two that I had. I was also delighted with the Lumene calendar which I bought because it was very reduced. But I must admit I didn't really check what was in the M&S one and got a bit carried away with posts I read about how good last year's was and I thought that for £45 it had to be good value for money, but it wasn't for me. 😆

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