Beauty advent calendars 2024 #4

[virgocatlover]

We still have 2 months to go so there's still time for dilemmas, decisions and discounts.

We have a few coming out this week including John Lewis, OK and No7. I'm still WAC (without advent calendar) but that may soon change!

Thanks @SmashingGemini - I missed that Penhaligons gift myself, (along with the Sephora Beauty Box). My DH is laughing at my dithering- I find bargains, talk and post about them, do fantasy baskets, then don’t purchase in time to get them 😿 I am glad you got yours, though!

Thanks @virgocatlover for the heads up on the boots advent, went to purchase as I've been saving up my points and am just under the full price but it's currently saying you can't redeem advantage card points. The boots website is rubbish.

@Neversaygoodbye - the Boots site has been partially broken since yesterday - it’s ridiculous 🙀

@IlovePond thank you for confirming. I was beginning to worry it was just me as I've tried googling & can't find out any information about what's going on.

I hope it’s just that an update has gone wrong and nothing worse @Neversaygoodbye - it’s a bit of a worry that it’s been like this for so long 🙀.

I was instore today and they told me the advantage cards weren't working so I'd try again tomorrow unless you think it will sell out v quick - probably not if nobody can use or get advantage points.

Thanks everyone, I have managed to order the Boots calendar using my points balance this morning.

I had Space NK fragrance last year and it took me over month to open it due to colds & being busy and wanting to stay on same scent for few days to get to know it before opening new and I had my own ritual with having a both/shower in the evening, unscented body cream and testing the perfume on skin.

Scent of the day topic is getting more active, if someone is trying a new perfume from advent we can post there too. It seems everyone plans to open on their own time. Or we can have one perfume advent thread but there will be spoilers for some as people will start on different days

I think I have Advent Calendar fatigue. I was really excited last year with my Vogue Calendar and have 2 Calendars this year Space NK & Liberty but I’m not feeling the excitement. I remember my first M&S Calendar years ago & I thought it was brilliant. I think I’ve just got too many products now and the excitement is waning. Maybe I need to take a break next year or does anyone think this years Calendars are just repeats of previous years?

Morning ladies- so I have the LF advent Callander but want another more makeup based one - under £150.

Any ideas / recommendations- my plan is to open it in November and then use the products I don't want to make mini hampers as spare gifts or sticking fillers for teen DDs

Boots is a pain in the arse when trying to use points. You have to have the correct amount of points to cover the purchase. It won’t let you part pay with your points and then top up with cash. It’s ridiculous.

I think that this year’s are just not great. I’m most excited about the Fortnums tea and biscuits one this year. I’ve had a few in the past but not loads and only one or two a year.

Having said that I had Space NK last year and a couple of the products I wasn’t bothered about I eventually tried and are now a staple of my routine (olaplex shampoo and conditioner - brilliant on my dead menopausal hair), so I’m hoping that I get another win this year.
I so want Liberty to knock it out of the park next year as I’d love that one but it’s left me cold the last couple of years.

Most lean more towards skin and body with a few bits of make up. For a lot of make up one of the brand ones like Nyx or Benefit might be better.

Although I did rate this one for the make up and the price. It had Fenty and Huda in it. The skincare stuff is mostly quite small samples so the make up items for once are probably the stand out products.

www.boots.com/boots-limited-edition-24-days-of-beauty-christmas-advent-calendar-exclusive-10351673

Don’t think the Kiko Milano Calendar has been mentioned? I’ve liked most things of theirs that I’ve tried previously, it looks a decent selection and the box is beautiful!

@AppleDumplingWithCustard completely agree about Boots, you should be able to use points as a part payment especially as it takes ages to build up enough points for a decent purchase. I only managed to have so many by purchasing a rather expensive electrical item for my DD birthday.

I've not been very keen on Kiko. I have a standalone store near me and I bought a few things a while ago. I found the lip glosses whilst they look pretty are too tacky and the eyebrow pen just doesn't work -it's like a felt tip that's near to running out. I bought a single eyeshadow I quite like and do use but that was it.

I feel like it's Superdrug level make up they try to upsell with nice looking stores and fancy bags. If I'm buying Superdrug type brands I'd rather have e.l.f which I think is genuinely good for the money.

That said we're all different and I'm glad you've enjoyed the things you've bought.

@Summerdew - which olaplex are you using?

Thanks

A few people on eBay seem to be selling practically the whole contents of their a/c if anyone is after a particular product.

I always worry about people having opened/tested the stuff they are selling but I have my eye on a couple of things that it would be obvious if they’d been touched.

On a related note: I have no issue with people selling some unwanted items- if I’d bought SpaceNK that eyebrow gel and sunscreen would have been straight on eBay! But selling everything or almost everything separately seems almost worse than buying the calendar to resell as a whole😿

Re: Boots - it was a sad day when they stopped accepting part payment with Advantage points. It’s backfired with me, because there’s many times I have gone elsewhere for a better deal because I can’t use my points.

Just the normal shampoo and conditioner, 4 and 5. I occasional swap in 4c to clarify but only because I got it in a mystery beauty box. I nearly didn’t get the Space NK last year because I was uninspired by this but it’s been the best thing ever for my hair which has been badly behaved since menopause. It feels healthy and soft now and looks so much better.

Thanks @Summerdew - will watch out for offers!

@ACAC2023 I'm the same. I haven't bought one yet as am not that inspired. I was going to get Vogue this year after having Fomo last year but the face instruments are putting me off as I don't think I'd ever use them - I don't mind the socks and mask though!

Sorry in advance as this has probably been answered already. Looking for a beauty advent for my DD 23 and 25. I like the look of the Look Fantastic but it's just a little too pricey.is there anything similar around the £60/70 mark.

I've had an email about John Lewis beauty boxes. There's a pamper box and a men's grooming box. They look good

@Imtoooldforallthis - Sephora do a couple of cheaper advents more aimed at teens. One’s £49. There’s also the Glossybox advent for £85.

@virgocatlover i never received the email, are you able to provide any details on the grooming box as looking out for one. Contents of the Latest in Beauty released today are not quite what I am looking for, ASOS the same with theirs.