Beauty advent calendars 2024 #7

[virgocatlover]

Only a few days to go until the doors open.

Please share thoughts, discussions and any last minute discounts!

@Growlybear83 I don't have an issue with the value of products for £30 so if I'd purchased this as a totally blind buy mystery box it would be fine.

I'm also in two minds what to do. DD will still appreciate the CT perfume but it's not gift-able in the way I expected based on their marketing. The hand set I had planned to give an elderly relative in her 80s. Shower gel and body lotion isn't a suitable substitute for her even if I put it in a nice box myself.

It's very poor PR on their part. If they can't actually fulfil products as described in their advertising then they need to stick with 100% mystery boxes. They obviously know a sneak peek improves purchase numbers as I bought it mainly for the two promised sets. So to then not fulfil that part is very shoddy.

I know people have had good boxes previously they've been very happy with but I won't purchase again based on this experience.

Mine has arrived also with the CT samples a bashed hand cream and the mismatched rose and lavender shower gel and body lotion . I also got the Sheisado serum. I agree the value is there (albeit very short dated items) but it's not what I ordered and what they advertised. I think I will try to return on principle and as same as others I only bought based on gifting which I can't do now and having bought the Harrods and HN fragrance advents I really don't need to add to my stash with the CT fragrance
I am quite shocked they have done this why advertise two items in a box then not include them surely they must have known this would generate a raft of complaints it seems madness they could have just mentioned generic CT fragrance and Jurlique bath/body and they would have been fine but to blatantly mislead listing specific items with accompanying video of these items. It's Marketing/PR suicide
On the plus side I won't be buying from them again so I guess this is a win for my finances in 2025😃 Also there are plenty of businesses like Boop which offer a similar service of selling off surplus stock so I would rather use them now as greater transparency and I can choose my own items

I've sent an email so will see how they respond.

I have sent one too I hate companies like this who deliberately mislead so I am going to insist on a refund and will return the box. I am tempted to comment on their Insta too but I will give them time to respond before I start spamming them.
Such a shame

@Puravida23 I read their returns policy and it states you have to pay the return postage so in my email I have asked them to cover this due to the misleading advert.

Mine is identical to yours

My BBC box has also just arrived and the same as everyone else's.
Really annoyed with the miss matched shower gel and body lotion when I really wanted an actual set as in the advert for a particular gift.
I'll use everything for sure and the value is probably about what I expected (£150 or more for £30 spend, plus the annoying £5 delivery charge). I definitely wanted the fragrances and I have all six of them. It would have been a much more enjoyable experience if I had the discovery kit as I was expecting.
So I'm keeping the lot but am disappointed as I feel somewhat cheated. I might have ordered from the 3 new boxes today if this delivery was top notch. But I won't be ordering for a while.

In other news, Birchbox did actually honour the free AC with new subscriptions. I couldn't resist and opened everything when it arrived the other day. A lot of small sizes but actually 80% useable. Nothing terribly exciting but there are a few nice items I am familiar with. For free, I really am very pleased.
The actual subscription box was all right (now cancelled), they rarely are out of this world. Apart from Liberty's at times. I used to enjoy LiB but that's stopped and I haven't liked their boxes since this new strategy started.
I received the mystery box I ordered from Face the Future which was just under £20. Pleased with it because it had a nice Oskia product.

Debenhams have a Decleor calendar reduced to £122.75 from £417 in their skincare sale
https://www.debenhams.com/product/decleor-advent-calendar-set_p-bc1108d6-fdfb-441b-86b4-9e776a5bfcbc?colour=White

Not sure it is this years stock though because I remember an earlier convo about Decleor being discontinued.

They also have other skincare, make up and fragrance reductions. I bought something non beauty in the sale the other day and my Blue Light discount stacked with the sale price for an extra £6 off so anyone thinking of buying from Debenhams that has BL don't forget to try it.

@Branster I think I feel the same as you, and I'm probably going to keep the box, but I also feel cheated and I won't be ordering from them again for a while. I'll make a final decision based on the responses that other get from BB.

I was delighted to get my free Birchbox advent calendar. I've only found one item so far that I definitely won't use, and although the sizes are all small as you say, they are no smaller than the items in the l'occitane calendar thst I bought (albeit half price).

And may I have a little moan about OK?
So so so many texts and emails about various offers. I can't understand what is a good offer. It's too convoluted and actually irritating.
the boxes are not exciting enough for the price, even if reduced.
And they never use my name, my emails are addressed to 2 different names in alternative fashion. These names are nowhere near close enough to my real name.
I should unsubscribe but what if I miss out on something really good.

Sounds very unprofessional @Branster 🙀I’d unsubscribe and block if that was happening to me!

OK are coming across as desperate at the moment, it is endless emails and texts with offers for the same boxes that are not great and quite pricey when you compare to say the Boots box that came back in stock earlier.
@Branster I ordered one of the BB new edits before seeing the picture of the Pamper box, buyers remorse and glad it was only £35 all in

For those of you returning the BB box, as you are returning the whole order they are obliged to refund you the outgoing delivery charge. Many companies rely on the fact that not many customers are aware of this. I have had to chase Selfridges, Vestiaire and The Handbag Clinic before. I have always managed to get the outgoing postage refunded.

I have exchanged emails with BB and come to a satisfactory resolution, I rejected their original offer and suggested another solution which they accepted.
They also cancelled the additional order I placed, so I am satisfied but not sure I will buy another mystery box from them.

I’ve had a response from BB, they said they ran out of hand sets so sent nearest alternative and that the perfumes were always going to be the samples not the box. They’ve offered me £10 off next order but I’ve declined and requested to return the box, I’d also asked for the postage refund but haven’t had an answer yet

I found when I returned a box in the summer thst the £10 vouchers don't work - the mystery box offers won't let you use vouchers. It's not a good response to say that the perfumes were always going to be the individual samples - they were described as a 'kit' and the proper kit was clearly pictured on the advert for the set.

I am going to complain about BBC too, the contents are ok but its the principle. I could go into to town today and grab a handful of samples myself. I know it's the same perfume but I really wanted the set!

Also, I liked the handwash set they advertised and I can only use Simple shower gel on my skin.

I just tried to click through to the BB site from today's email to see what they are offering in these 3 new boxes.
Website seems to be down , at least I cannot access it. I wonder if they are making some changes !

I've had the same response. Also requested to just return.

I’ve accepted a partial refund - £10 refunded to my card. I’m happy with that. I did wonder about asking them to send me the advertised CT set, as they seemingly have it in stock for the next box, but decided to draw a line under the issue - they responded quickly, I’m satisfied to accept the offer and carry on with my day with the £10 :)

I've written to them to express my irritation as it would have bugged me if I didn't say anything. 😆

@IDontKnowWhatYouMean I also accepted a partial refund and have kept the box.
I expect the next boxes will get the same samples as we got and not the actual set, I expect the wording on the advertising will be changed to reflect this and can’t see any promos with it on Instagram.

Yeah I noticed the promo was now just a fragrance vial not the set so they obviously changed it

I’ve ordered the box but am away so will see what I’ve got when I’m back but suspect I’ll be complaining.

re OK, I ordered 2 mystery boxes of different values and the same (crappy) boxes turned up. Items meant to be worth £110 and £115 for which I paid £26. I complained and was told I can return but at my expense and ‘I was under no obligation to buy’ ! I was not happy with that throwaway remark and told them but they maintained they don’t provide return labels. I’ve decided to sell as much as I can but I won’t order from them ever again.

First review on BBC box, negative, 1 star, basically saying what we are all saying.
I bet it will be removed shortly!