What gems have you found from Beauty Advent Calendars this year?

[JMAngel1]

What have those of you who had Advent calendars found that you now will definitely repurchase as you have found the product to be amazing?
Or are there any products that have been good but you just couldn’t justify the full size price in the future?

The Augustinus Bader rich creme moisturiser from the Liberty calendar is bloody amazing but no way can I afford to use it regularly.

So far I haven't found anything that I would definitely repurchase... but I have had some things that I really wanted to try and now I have, I wouldn't purchase. I'd really liked using the Augustinus Bader Rich cream when I'd had small samples before but having now used a much larger amount and more frequently, I am not sure if it really does anything for my skin. I had also been fancying the Westman Atelier lip suede compact for ages but now I have one, I wouldn't be it. I've found the formula really drying on my lips.

@countrygirl171 you see I have a theory about samples - I think the products inside samples are always better than the real thing to entice us to buy them. I had similar with Magic Cream CT - I had a sample and I swear it removed my under eye lines. Forked out £75 for the full size and it was just meh.

I have found some products in the past in advent calendars over the years that have become firm favourites and I would and do pay full price for:
Aromatherapy Associates Deep bath oil
L’Occitane Almond Shower oil
Guinot Masque Essential Confort

I had the John Lewis calendar. I adore aromatherapy associates bath oil. I probably will also re-purchase the Sunday Riley good genes.

Loccitane shampoo and conditioner were amazing (amazing!) in terms of hair quality but gave me itchy scalp:(
love loccitane shower oil too!
philip Kingsley elasticiser is wow!
boobi brown mascara and eyeshadow stick unfortunately caused a reaction (both separately and together, real pity as they’re gorgeous!)

The Liz Earle cleanser and face cloth (hot cleanse)? from the Boots calendar is amazing.

I've thought same for years!!! It's to lure you in i reckon

I got some EFG serum in a beauty box and it was like having a new face. Shame it's so expensive.

Wow that sounds impressive. Was it Bio-Effect?
What improvements did you find with it? An EFG serum is the main outstanding item
I don’t have in my regime.

Sorry I was really disappointed. It was my first ever beauty advent calendar and I spent ages choosing and did a spreadsheet and I don't know how I ended up buying something that didn't have what I wanted, but what turned up was mostly bath soap, hand cream and body lotion. I'm really not sure how it happened because it looked great on paper and I must have just written it down wrong or something.
Not sure I'll try another for the money.

Yes! So lush. I would never buy it but I loved using it.

That's the stuff. I only had a tiny sample but it just made my skin feel amazing. Always tempted to buy some but the price drives me away.

A few months back I had the Dermalogica prisma protect moisturiser spf30 which I used during the autumn, it was beautiful but at £65 not something I could justify repurchasing.
I haven't started many of the products from my advent calendar but out of those I have, the laneige lip mask is a big hit but the Barbara Sturm cleanser is rubbish - I prefer good old cerave.

But how?! Each calendar lists exactly what they contain... which one did you get?

I recommend the M&S one. I've had it for a few years and it's great value for money.

Kate Somerville goat milk cleanser
uktraviolette SPF 50 - from last year’s calendar
drunk elephant la la cream

I get Space NK and I liked this year’s a lot

@rubyslippers my first year of spacenk and I was disappointed there was no SPF, even more so now I see there was one last year.

Stand out products for me so far are the Aromatherapy Assosiates bath/ shower oil, L'Occitane shower gel, Elemis Rose cleaning gel (which I'd already tried) and Avant hair shine cream (that may have been from my look fantastic beauty box though, I can't remember) :)

Mine which I will repurchase

dr sebagh serum hydraulic something
the mascara (surratt I think)
bydureon lipstick
rosemary hair oil (I use it for my feet 😂)
the Sunday oil (although I dislike the colour)
votary sleep serum
paulas choice bha (I use this not on my face but the top of my arms, shins and bikini line it's amazing for kp and stopping ingrown hairs)

i loved the rich cream as well and I may repurchase the 15ml if I get the job I have an interview for next week

Good question!

I have repurchased Eyeko mascara in brown, M&S formula night and day moisturiser and L’Occitaine shower oil - all discovered via various advent calendars.

I like PK hair products too, but don’t repurchase due to cost. Ditto Elemis day and night creams - lovely, but too pricey.

I am a big fan of AA oils, but I found those via a gift set!

Seconding the M&S one - I've had it every year they've done it (there was a year in covid where they did a beauty bag instead I think) and have always been delighted with it. Amazing value for money and you also get full size products with it too

Percy and reed no oil hair oil. I’ll definitely be buying this again.

Not his year but products I have repurchased from advent calendars are:

Weleda skin food
PK elasticiser
Paula's choice BHA
Le labo santal 33
Rodial dragons blood spray

I had the Philip Kingsley elastiser and a shampoo and conditioner for fine hair in the 2022 M&S which I’ve repurchased. I wouldn’t have bought them without trying them first as I didn’t think I had Fine hair, but it suited me very well.
Other products I liked but haven’t repurchased yet are the Aromatherapy Associates bath oil, Molton Brown bubble bath (foams even in our hard water), Davines Hair Oil and the Trish McEvoy tubing mascara. I thought the Barbara Sturm body lotion was good but too expensive to repurchase. Most of these were from 2022 calendars. I’ve not started much in the 2023 one yet.

just thought of another one - Weleda arnica muscle soak. Not as medicinal as it sounds.